Its time to replace the steering rack -Suggestions?

[stevedmc]

Yesterday I was driving around in New Orleans and had the privilege of hitting a nice deep pothole. Immediately the steering started acting funny. It is now a bit sloppy and sometimes I hear a grinding noise when I turn. Basically I have to be much more careful when driving as the steering isn't as responsive.

Does anyone have any recommendations for what vendor to use for a steering rack? Originally I just wanted to get a rebuilt one from Hervey but after emailing him last night it seems there is a possibility it might not be rebuildable. He suggested that I send it to him for inspection.

The other option I know of is the DMCH unit but I believe it is $430 and it comes with tie rod ends (which I don't need since I just replaced them).

Basically I'm just curious if anyone has tried either product and are you satisfied with it? If there are any other options I am open to that as well.

Thanks

[82DMC12]

Yesterday I was driving around in New Orleans and had the privilege of hitting a nice deep pothole. Immediately the steering started acting funny. It is now a bit sloppy and sometimes I hear a grinding noise when I turn. Basically I have to be much more careful when driving as the steering isn't as responsive.

Does anyone have any recommendations for what vendor to use for a steering rack? Originally I just wanted to get a rebuilt one from Hervey but after emailing him last night it seems there is a possibility it might not be rebuildable. He suggested that I send it to him for inspection.

The other option I know of is the DMCH unit but I believe it is $430 and it comes with tie rod ends (which I don't need since I just replaced them).

Basically I'm just curious if anyone has tried either product and are you satisfied with it? If there are any other options I am open to that as well.

Thanks

I bought Grady's rebuilt rack like 7 years ago. It works great, no problems. not sure if he still makes them or how expensive.

Andy

[stevedmc]

I really wanted a rebuilt unit but after reading this I think I am going to cough up the extra cash for a new unit.

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?444-Steering-Rack-Q&highlight=steering

[1batt4u]

This info will be usefull to me!! Thank you!!!

[David T]

Before replacing the rack you should get under the car and see what the problem is. A bad rack usually does not come on suddenly. With the car behaving as you say it is VERY unsafe to continue driving it.
David Teitelbaum

[outatym2001]

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?444-Steering-Rack-Q

Please see my post with pics in the thread above.
I didn’t know anyone else besides www.delorean.com was selling new manufactured steering racks.
In the other thread I mention after several years I wore out the tie rod ends that were brand new with the new steering rack.

[stevedmc]

Before replacing the rack you should get under the car and see what the problem is. A bad rack usually does not come on suddenly. With the car behaving as you say it is VERY unsafe to continue driving it.
David Teitelbaum

As soon as I could pull over I visually inspected the suspension and the tie rod ends. Everything seemed to be good and firm. I also made sure the knob for the steering wheel tilt was secure as well.

I can't think of anything else it could be besides the rack. Before the pothole I noticed the wheel would lightly vibrate at high speeds. I simply brushed this off as the car needing an alignment. After reading a document on delorean.com I suspect this could have been signs of a steering rack problem as well.

My guess is that hitting the pothole made whatever problem I had worse.

Edit: Here is the document I am referring to:
http://www.delorean.com/pdf/steeringrack-replacement.pdf

[DMC5180]

I would seriously look at your lower ball joints! Due to the nature of the design the weight of the front end is always trying to separate the stud from the socket. I had a joint fail on a mercury cougar that would crunch and mown when when turning the wheel lock to lock when sitting. I repositioning in a parking spot one winter day a few years ago when I experienced a sudden Baaaooiing and the front left corner dropped 5 inches. The scary part was that I had just driven 300 mi. and was at my destination when it failed. It could have happened anywhere during that trip.

[stevedmc]

I would seriously look at your lower ball joints! Due to the nature of the design the weight of the front end is always trying to separate the stud from the socket. I had a joint fail on a mercury cougar that would crunch and mown when when turning the wheel lock to lock when sitting. I repositioning in a parking spot one winter day a few years ago when I experienced a sudden Baaaooiing and the front left corner dropped 5 inches. The scary part was that I had just driven 300 mi. and was at my destination when it failed. It could have happened anywhere during that trip.

My lower ball joints are about a month old. I replaced LCAs last month.

[DMC3165]

My lower ball joints are about a month old. I replaced LCAs last month.

Yeah but I would look again anyway. Hitting a pothole regardless of how new the components are can still make almost anything break. Especially if your saying the steering is now off. I doubt its your rack. You may have a serious safety issue right now and from what I hear about a certain vendors ball joints it may be in your best interest to inspect them very closely!

[David T]

A quick visual inspection without getting under the car is not enough for me with such a serious safety problem. Besides, you will have to get under there anyway to replace the rack. How are you going to feel when you order the rack, wait for it, pay for it, put it in and it doesn't fix the problem? It is easy enough to check out the front suspension and steering so why guess? Something may be cracked or a bushing may have been damaged. With a Delorean being so low to the ground you cannot properly assess it's condition without raising it up. Vibration is most commonly a wheel out-of-balance, not an alignment issuse.
David Teitelbaum

[DMCMW Dave]

David T is right - you need to get it on a rack. Not sayin' this is your problem but the last car that came in here compaining about "noises in the front and wierd steering" looked like the attachment.

1642

[A Van]

What balljoints did you fit?

[82DMC12]

David T is right - you need to get it on a rack. Not sayin' this is your problem but the last car that came in here compaining about "noises in the front and wierd steering" looked like the attachment.

1642

Dave,

how was that 'little crack' repaired?

Andy

[stevedmc]

What balljoints did you fit?

I'm using Herringers LCAs. The balljoints came preinstalled. I'm going to go ahead and jack the car up this evening to inspect everything.

[A Van]

I wonder which joints he fits then?

If they are machined VW joints then they have the incorrect taper for the DeLoreanhttp://tapatalk.com/mu/568c7b01-fe2b-d8aa.jpg

More here, in fact a lot more

http://www.deloreaneurotec.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2198

[1batt4u]

Interesting video!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZxazoEY1Gw&feature=player_embedded#at=402

[DMCMW Dave]

Dave,

how was that 'little crack' repaired?

Andy

So far it hasn't been.

[stevedmc]

I've got some really good news and a little bad news. The really good news is the problem doesn't seem to be steering rack related or ball joint related. I jacked up the front of the car and was unable to find anything making noises.

The little bit of bad news is I found the problem. It seems something is actually loose inside of the car. I went driving trying to get the problem to occur and noticed the noise is actually coming from somewhere between the steering wheel and under the dash. It doesn't seem major but there is a rattle and I certainly want to correct it.

Is there a bushing under there that goes bad?

Btw, a big thanks goes out to Dave at DMCMW. I called him this afternoon ready to give him some money for a steering rack and he gave me a few things to check before spending a bunch of money.

[DMCMW Dave]

This should be painfully obvious but did you check the bushing where the steering column goes through the hole in the pedal box? When it's gone (and it can leave rather suddenly) the whole steering column will feel like its about to fall out of the car. Simple test. Open the door. Don't get in. Grab the steering wheel and push/pull on it from the side. If you hear the noise you found the problem.

Also - stick your head under the dash and look at the "cage" that surrounds the steering column inside the car. If that breaks (not all that uncommon) it makes everything really loose and rattly around there.

[stevedmc]

This should be painfully obvious but did you check the bushing where the steering column goes through the hole in the pedal box? When it's gone (and it can leave rather suddenly) the whole steering column will feel like its about to fall out of the car. Simple test. Open the door. Don't get in. Grab the steering wheel and push/pull on it from the side. If you hear the noise you found the problem.

Also - stick your head under the dash and look at the "cage" that surrounds the steering column inside the car. If that breaks (not all that uncommon) it makes everything really loose and rattly around there.

Yep. The wheel pulls and after further inspection I found the bushing had come unseated. I tried pushing the thing back in but didn't succeed. Is this one of those deals where disassembly is needed to get that sucker back in? I'm guessing it might be a good idea to replace it if I have to take stuff apart to get to it.

I also inspected the cage around the steering column and surprisingly it is fine.


Edit: A quick search answered my question about replacing the bushing. It looks like its going to be another all day job for me.
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?42-How-To-Replace-steering-column-bushing&highlight=steering+bushing

[DMC5180]

I wouldn't call it all day. You could easily spend a couple hours messing with it though. Prior to disassembly you will need to make some kind of witness alignment mark at the upper U-joint. The biggest issue will be reassembly. The lower splined of the inner column shaft will try to push into he column when you putting through the new bushing. There is a trick that makes things much easier. The Inner steering column shaft slides out of the column. There is a big plastic bushing may come out of the cage when you pull the shaft out OR pull the steering column off the inner shaft before disconnecting it at the upper joint. don't worry it goes back in just as easy as it comes out. With the inner shaft out you or at least extended a foot or so, you can now push the splined end through the NEW bushing and hold the shaft from pushing out while you get the upper U-joint reconnected. That's pretty much it. Then simply reassemble the rest of what you took apart in reverse order. Oh Yeah, Installing the NEW bushing. You guys in the south probably use a big hammer. Us northern mechanics have found that making a simple draw thru puller out a bolt/nut/2 washers and a large socket works nicely without damaging things. :biggrin:

[DMCMW Dave]

You can push the newer bushings in with your fingers.

[DMC5180]

Good to know the bushings have been redesigned slightly for easier install. I replaced mine more than a decade ago with an earlier replacement version.

[stevedmc]

Well this past weekend I went ahead and installed the new steering column bushing. I had a little difficulty installing it with just my fingers so I got a big hammer, a socket extension, and just gave the thing a couple of hits.

Now I can turn all I want and I don't hear the noises. Yeah!

[AirmanPika]

Yea I went ahead with that steering rack install myself last week. Sadly the car was stuck at the alignment shop a day longer than planned and I got the call that it is done while sitting here at the airport waiting to go back to Afghanistan (family is going to go pick up). I didn't get to see how my car felt after being aligned with the new suspension and rack ;_;

Anyway I happened to get lucky and the inner shaft of the column went a bit too far in and caused the thing to fall out of the hole making the bushing easy to pop in. Luckily it moved rather easily and I was able to slide it back out and its secure again but my bushing is secure finally. We'll just see how long it lasts.