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i zip tied my phone to a transmission fluid line to get this video.
What this caused: wandering in corners and over uneven pavement. It is a very dangerous problem to have.
Instructions: Listen to the knock when the shaft turns. That means the pinion is too worn. I'll see if I can take apart my old rack for some pics of that before I take it back to vatozone.
Mine does the same damn thing. I'm not sure if it's the rack or the U joints. Does yours feel like it's bumping around on the highway a bit? My steering has always felt looser than most cars. When I inspected the rack bushings, they looked brand new and tight. I've always been confused by it. I thought something was wrong with the actual steering column so I bought another but never got around to installing it. Let me know what you find out.
Thanks for posting this. I have the wandering issues you describe and just recently noticed severe power steering fluid build up in the inner tie rod boot. I knew the power steering pump was toast, but I was on the fence about the power steering rack. Thanks for the heads up with your video. I too have a slight clanking noise.
Mine does the same damn thing. I'm not sure if it's the rack or the U joints. Does yours feel like it's bumping around on the highway a bit? My steering has always felt looser than most cars. When I inspected the rack bushings, they looked brand new and tight. I've always been confused by it. I thought something was wrong with the actual steering column so I bought another but never got around to installing it. Let me know what you find out.
I replaced the rack last night and the clunk is gone. the popping I was hearing when I backed out my driveway or cut the wheels seems to have been eliminated as well (first i thought it was bushings, then maybe calipers).
The car is getting the toe set today so I'll let you know if it cured the wandering issue. If it doesn't (and despite having jacked up toe it seems a lot more solid now) I am certain this was at least PART of the issue.
Anytime you can turn the wheel and then hear the clunk in side the rack gearbox thats a split second where you aren't connected to the road (sound familiar?). That is what its felt like for a while and got worse after getting a proper alignment for some reason.
I'm hoping I can just enjoy my car now instead of being scared to drive it on the highway.
07-24-14, 06:42 AM
How you know your power steering rack is bad
