On my 1988 I took out the steering rack, lubricated it, installed new rack ends and tie rod ends. I'm trying to set the toe in and something is way out of whack. With the steering wheel centered on the rack movement, it wants to point right. I have to adjust the left tie rod end all the way out and the right all the way in to get close. Also, I thought I had the steering wheel centered on the rack movement when I installed it, but now it seems to be upside down (off 180 degrees) at the center of the movement with the tie rod ends unhooked. It seems like something is blocking the rack for full travel, but I can't imagine what it could be.

I thought I would put the question out there before I pull it apart again. Also, full lock to lock is now just 2-1/4 turns. That seems small but I don't remember what it was before.

Thanks for any ideas.

quote Originally posted by KennyG: On my 1988 I took out the steering rack, lubricated it, installed new rack ends and tie rod ends. I'm trying to set the toe in and something is way out of whack. With the steering wheel centered on the rack movement, it wants to point right. I have to adjust the left tie rod end all the way out and the right all the way in to get close. Also, I thought I had the steering wheel centered on the rack movement when I installed it, but now it seems to be upside down (off 180 degrees) at the center of the movement with the tie rod ends unhooked. It seems like something is blocking the rack for full travel, but I can't imagine what it could be. I thought I would put the question out there before I pull it apart again. Also, full lock to lock is now just 2-1/4 turns. That seems small but I don't remember what it was before. Thanks for any ideas.

Did you disconnect the steering column coupler inside the car? It CAN be installed upside down. I once took my car to the most reputable alignment shop in the city I lived in and they aligned the car with my wheel upside down I had to drive like this for years until I realized what had happened.

Check there first .I'm curious to see how this gets resolved.

Matthew

I only disconnected the shaft at the rack itself. I think I'm at the point of pulling the rack back off and starting over with the alignment process per the service manual. I had hoped to avoid it, but there goes another day I hadn't intended to work on this car.

Honestly
Make sure the rack is center , put vice grip on the end and count how many turns to full lock then put the rack in the middle of full turn

Example So say it took 3 full turns from fully locked left to fully locked right or vice versa , you would put rack at 1.5 turns

That's exactly what I thought I did, but for some reason it didn't work. Maybe I screwed up, but I guess I'll find out when I take it apart.

I pulled the rack today and think I have a problem with it. I originally set it according to the service manual which says you set it with the rack out of the housing a certain distance. I turned it to the center of it's movement and, measuring from the car centerpoint, the right side rod is about an inch farther than the left side. The rack does only have 2-1/4 turns lock to lock. It seems that something is preventing the rack from moving to the left. I may have to unstake the rack linkages, which I had hoped to avoid.

It would help if someone could confirm the number of turns lock to lock so I would know for sure that I have a problem with rack movement.

IIRC, the 88 is 2 3/4 turns.

The 84-87 standard rack is 3 turns and the 85-87 GT rack is 2 1/2 turns

The problem may be solved. When I took the boots off the rack housing, I found the plastic bushing on the passenger side had slid out. When I put it back in place, the rack has about 3-1/4 turns lock to lock. Before I put it all back together, I'm going to think a bit about why it came out and how to make sure it doesn't happen again. Probably user error.

Kenny, I suggest while you have your rack apart as you mentioned the plastic bushing.

I would replace that with Rodney's brass bushing. The plastic bushing is known to have slop
and looseness to it. (up and down movement is the easiest to check, but will have play in all directions.

It's an upgrade that will save headaches and time.

This is an 88 specific issue that has been known for years.

And that bushing cannot be bought new from GM either.

Rodney's bushing is the solution and the way to do it.

Both of my 88s have Rodney's bushing.

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fierogt28

88 GT, Loaded, 5-speed.
88 GT, 5-speed. Beechwood interior, All original.

On my 84 the pinion attaching to the rack has 5 teeth, if i remember correctly. So there are 5 different ways to attach the pinion to the rack. Only one of them is correct.

My car has the "handling package" from the factory, and i suspect that those that have the 5 teeth on the pinion have fewer turns lock to lock. Perhaps the others have 6 teeth on the pinion. dunno

i drove an 88 base coupe and it had a lot more turns lock to lock.

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Astronomy says we will find a coded signal from outer space. Then we'll KNOW that life exists there, for coded signals aren't by chance.

Biology says there are coded genetic signals in every cell, but we KNOW that no intelligence created life.

I'm the original owner of a white ' 84 2M4 purchased Dec 10, 1983 from Pontiac. Always garaged, no rust, 3800SC, 4-wheel drifts are fun!

The connector from the intermediate shaft to the steering rack is barrel shaped.