I made an effort to search out my issue and came up empty, so here goes. Rebuilt Rack, ready to put on all the goodies from Mr. Dickman. I got it on the car, followed preload directions, and tried out the wheel...it looks like I got the rack centered, but the wheel is very very difficult to turn. It's bad enough that I'm afraid I'll break the column. Has anyone had this experience? I don't know if I've bound up the column somehow, or have misaligned something. The effort required to move the steering wheel (in the air, and connected to nothing), now is similar to what it took to turn the wheel with everything connected, and on the ground parked. Any advice from you folks would be appreciated.
Thanks for the advice. Two turns loosening made no difference. Daylight tomorrow, I'm going to take the boot off the passenger side to see if I botched installing it somehow. I am totally stumped. I guess if it comes down to it, I'll grease up the old rack, and put it back in. See if it makes a difference.
If you installed a new bushing did you get it in properly? I redid a rack long time ago on my 88 and installed a Rodney brass bushing on the right side. I thought I had it properly fastened down. Years later the pop rivet or screw that I used came out and boy was it fun steering that thing.
[This message has been edited by solotwo (edited 04-13-2014).]
I didn't. I had neither vice, nor press, nor confidence to rebuild the rack. I had a specialty shop here do it. They put in a steel bushing by the look of it. I'm not sure how it was fixed in place. should I drill/tap it? My solution presented itself upon inspection of the rack and bushing. I noticed galling on the rack, added suspension grease, and voila, sweet sweet steering. Think I should drill and tap that bushing? I've never seen a steel one, just Rodney's brass, and the original plastic.
[This message has been edited by Cygnus (edited 04-13-2014).]
Probably not on the busing. That was on my 88. I would see what others say. When I put a used rack in the 87 I had to install new inner and out tie rods, boots etc. . Seeing when I got the 87 it didnt have a steering stabilizer on it, I removed the bolt on the "new" used rack and put some grease in the hole where the bolt is and then moved the rack a little and repeated until it was greased from lock to lock, reinstalled the bolt, and as you say it steers very easy.
You had a specialty shop rebuild the rack (by specialty I assume you mean they rebuild racks), and they put it back together dry? You need to take it back to them and have them go through it or redo it yourself.
After I saw that, I did. Inner tie rods weren't staked down, the rack teeth had been greased, just not the bushing. What really got to me was the tie rod ends, I was indifferent, because Rodney's stuff was going on it anyways, but they stuck a used inner tie rod on it. I thought about going back, but who knows what condition it would have returned to me in? Just another reason why I try to do everything myself, but steering racks don't exactly grow on trees. I didn't want to chance ruining it. Next time, I'll take the risk. Thanks for all the help!
You should contact them and report on your problems and findings. If they are standup business people they would want to know so they can prevent this from recurring. They may show you their appreciation in the form of a partial refund. If they don't care to hear about the quality issues, please let the forum know who they are.
Glad you caught it before any damage occurred. Be sure to go through the whole rack before you drive it.
