Leaking steering rack

XantiaDaveEire · Post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 05 May 2010, 19:07

Evening all

I left my car in to a friend of my father instead of the chap i normally go to about 6 months ago ...long story short ...he said the steering rack was leaking and needed to be replaced so that cost me more then the car is worth

but needs must and he replaced it,the problem is since he "fixed" it the steering wheel isnt in correct alingment with the wheels,when the front wheels are straight the steering wheel faces to the left ,not drastically just a fraction,im nearly sure he said the rack was off a 97 model(mine is mk2 98 model)..but now iv looked into it abit more could it be that it was just the steering pump was leaking?

Any help with fixing the steering would be greatly appreciated

Dave

Post by **RichardW** » 05 May 2010, 19:27

If it tracks straight, ie runs on reasonably straight if you let go of the steering wheel on a level road, then you just need to tweak the track arms to get the wheel in the centre. As the wheel is off the left, then you want to lengthen the NS track road and shorten the OS one. Count the flats you move each one so they go the same amount and the tracking is not upset. Try 1/2 a turn to start with and see where that gets you.

Post by **xantia_v6** » 05 May 2010, 19:44

In addition to Richards advice, check the angle that the steering wheel goes through at left and right lock.

If it has more degrees of rotation one way than the other (from the point where the steering wheel, not the steering appears to be centered), then the steering wheel needs to be taken off its splines and re-centered before you start adjusting the track rod ends.

XantiaDaveEire · Post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 05 May 2010, 19:47

Cheers chaps il have a look tommorow and see what i can do

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 06 May 2010, 07:42

hi Dave, otherwise just have the tracking done... it's likely to be out after a rack change, and wheel centering is part of the service..

XantiaDaveEire · Post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 06 May 2010, 10:46

Its a no brainer then isnt it

save me the trouble

Cheers Jgra1

Dommo · Post by **Dommo** » 06 May 2010, 11:04

You're best checking the steering wheel angle. Turn it full lock one way, and see how far the steering wheel turns, then turn it full lock the other way, and see how far it turns. If it turns one way more than the other, and the way it turns more also happens to be the way the steering wheel is out as you're going along in a straight line, then the wheel needs taking off and putting back on a different spline.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 06 May 2010, 12:29

Dommo wrote:You're best checking the steering wheel angle. Turn it full lock one way, and see how far the steering wheel turns, then turn it full lock the other way, and see how far it turns. If it turns one way more than the other, and the way it turns more also happens to be the way the steering wheel is out as you're going along in a straight line, then the wheel needs taking off and putting back on a different spline.

Is that not EXACTLY what "Xantia_v6" said above ??

Paul

Dommo · Post by **Dommo** » 06 May 2010, 13:22

It is, but I was making sure he understood exactly what it entails - it sounded as though he wasn't going to do it before taking it to a garage.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 06 May 2010, 14:21

sorry got me thinking about this now.. if the track rods are different lengths, then am i right in thinking the steering lock will never be the same, left versus right?

so ideally, a garage would get the wheels pointing ahead, and equalise the track rod arms, check and lock the steering wheel, then fine tune the tracking?
and if the car is presented with a steering wheel substantially out, they would either refuse to track it, or charge to move the wheel a notch or two in either direction?

thought a bit more.. yes of course if there is an inch more thread showing on a track rod end to the other, (as in my coupe) then an inch of total rack travel has been lost... and the car simply wont turn as far one way to the other... in my case the track rod is seized

so, how uneven do the track rods lengths have to be before they can no longer 'iron out' steering wheel alignment? ...

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 06 May 2010, 14:49

http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm

quite useful...

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 06 May 2010, 14:55

Personally I think your being a bit too "pointed finger"

Id like to throw another thing into this... The UJ joint to the Rack pinion valve has to come off to get the rack out.. Now, unlike the inner UJ at the bottom of the steering colum which can only go on ONE way round, the Pinion UJ can go onto the Pinion Splines IN ANY POSITION!

This then can easilly end up putting the Wheel out of line in the car! Beleve me its impossible to get the lower UJ in exactly the same place again!

Personally then - If the car is driving straight, then its simple a matter of lining the wheel up in the car.. Not messing with track rod ends. Id also be inclined to think if the rack was fitted professionally, then they should have tracked the wheels up to finish the job.

Paul

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 06 May 2010, 14:59

who sir me sir?

erm..

on the coupe the lower clamp to the pinion valve can only got on one way.. or in one position.. the shaft has a flat on.. and I must get my tracking done but I am waiting for the inevitalbe fluid loss to force me into buying a new rack, so not quite ready to throw more money away

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 06 May 2010, 15:10

I think i have convoluted this thread

Dave, as Richard says, assuming the tracking is out, or if you dont know whether its ok, get it checked - slight adjustments to the track rods should get the steering wheel into line

if the wheel is quite far out, (but you think or know the tracking is good) turn the wheel a notch left or right.(as others have said).

as Paul says, if the rack was fitted by a garage, then it should have been tracked really....

sorry if that doesnt make sense.. my communication skills are very bad right now...

I will leave my coupe tracking problems for another thread

John

XantiaDaveEire · Post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 08 May 2010, 11:14

No worries John...hindsight is a wonderful thing

All the signs are pointing to just getting it tracked,but like you have said i paid €650 to get the steering rack and have it fitted ,it was all very rushed and for that you would expect the job to get done properly ...but hey ho i wont be going near him again