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left hand steering shaft problem

Started by _UCV8_ , Feb 27 2007 02:42 PM

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13 replies to this topic

#1 _UCV8_

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 02:42 PM

My car is off the road more than it is on the road right now :cry:

Last time I drove it I heard a noise in the front end, hence other thread about replacing springs. Jacked it up thinking it was the tie rod ends it turns out it is movement from inside the rack. Cut the retainer holding the boot nearest the rack pushed and pulled the tyre side to side again, felt the car up in where shaft enters the rackand plastic dark brown peices fell out. I have looked in my manual and can't find anything that remotely looks like what I have found. It is round or used to be, ribbed markings on the outside. Oil appears to have leaked out from it. Can someone please help. I am starting to think of selling it, anyone want to buy it?

Hope this makes sense. Any help would is very much appreciated cheers steve

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#2 _LX8VD69_

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 02:50 PM

sounds to me like the nylon bush that supports your rack end has worn out they do over time, trying to find one could be a drama unless rares are making them, it would probably be easier to just replace the whole rack with one that doesnt have movement as it seemed like a decent job to pull them apart. changing the whole rack is suprisingly easy job to do, i just did one on a VL with power steering so i wouldnt expect a torana rack be all that difficult to do. dont give up just yet you are only catching up on near 30 years of wear and tear

adam

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#3 _The Baron_

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 04:12 PM

Yep,

Bite the bullet and replace it with a serviced/remanufactured rack. It will sting for a little while as they are not cheap.

I think that those bits are a good indication that there is worse inside and it will cost you as much to stuff around trying to patch yours up as getting a reconditioned unit.

Save you time being off the road whilst yours is repaired.

Good that you found where the noise was coming from before it fail, not a nice thought.

Cheers.

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#4 _UCV8_

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 04:43 PM

where in wa would you buy a rebuilt one? a bit out of touch with car places now as it has been about 10 years since anything major has been to car!

I might put a wanted ad in section for the time being as well. cheers for all the help

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#5 _LX8VD69_

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 05:26 PM

what about a good quality second hand one?

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#6 _UCV8_

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 09:16 PM

UC Chev tells me that LH/X racks fit in as well. Does anyone knwo if they are exactly the same and a straight swap. I am going hunting for one in the next few days. cheers steve

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#7 rodomo

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 10:22 PM

I'm sure Rares do a kit but I can't get the site up to confirm. I was looking at steering bits on the weekend on their site and I'm pretty sure I saw a kit.
(Boy's UC needs a steering uni and coupling)

Edited by rodomo, 27 February 2007 - 10:23 PM.

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#8 rodomo

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Posted 27 February 2007 - 11:07 PM

Or there's this.
http://cgi.ebay.com....1QQcmdZViewItem

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#9 _UCV8_

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Posted 28 February 2007 - 12:17 PM

Above ebay got back to me $190 for total recond unit including tie rod ends which I don't think I need. $40 approx del to WA. FYI steve

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#10 _LX8VD69_

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Posted 28 February 2007 - 12:42 PM

if i was gonna replace my rack id be putting new tie rod ends on it and rack boots as well, it woll make you life easier in the future as you will only have to do it once :spoton:

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#11 rodomo

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Posted 28 February 2007 - 04:04 PM

I'm sure Rares do a kit but I can't get the site up to confirm. I was looking at steering bits on the weekend on their site and I'm pretty sure I saw a kit.
(Boy's UC needs a steering uni and coupling)

I don't know what I saw on the weekend. :blink:

The site is back up and, no they don't do a kit.
I also PMed Les from Rares (when I couldn't get the site up) and he confirmed no.
Cheers Les.

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#12 _UCV8_

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Posted 10 March 2007 - 01:47 PM

OK here goes. Well finally looked at my car. I removed the robber boot as previously mentioned and found the plastic bush inside it was damaged.

I sourced a new one from my old local auto shop, for everyones info the commodre uses the same bush in the steering as torries.

Bought two in the vision of replacing both sides.

Got home very excited after a 1.5 hr drive. Pulled the wheels off, calipers off etc.

Followed the manual for pulling steering off car. For anyones info who has or is planning to put an 8 in their UC while you have the engine out check your steering. Not sure if LH/X is the same but you need to seperate the steering pinion from the column.

To do this you need to remove the cover that is over the steering dampner. Impossible to do with extractors. hence needing to remove engine to remove steering.

Scratch bald head now.

Move back to steering arm to discover ball pivot is held in by locknut with pin bewteen it and ball housing. Drilled pin out but unfortunately destroyed locknut in process. I now have steering(tie rod arm) off and bush fits in perfectly. I have not put it back together as I need fluid, new boots, locknut etc.

Drivers side pin is impossible to drill out so will need to either leave it or find another way.

Anyway just thought I would let the UC owners know of problems with an 8 installed.

Cheers

steve

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#13 _v8slrtorana_

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Posted 24 April 2007 - 09:22 PM

Bump
I was going to ask if the UC's have this bush. Thought id search before asking.
I just put a UC rack in LH and i felt the movement when i grabed the tie rod end after installing the rack.
I remember having to replace the bush on my brothers old VC.
So, how did you go?
Did you end up replacing both? Or is their only one bush?
Oh, im doing a engine change at the moment, so im finding it easy :tease:

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#14 _UCV8_

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Posted 10 May 2007 - 04:17 PM

Have only just seen question. Managed to buy a new lock nut for the left side. Bushing I got was from a VB commo. Had a few extra plastic nibs that I removed(made smaller). Placed bushing on shaft with steering oil on inside and outside. Screwed nut back on turned steering wheel quite fast to use as a press to push bushing in. Placed tied rod on and screwed to required torque and tightened locknut up against it. Drilled hole for locking pin. I used a 4mm screw cut to length with head cut off. Hammered that in hole. Put tie rod ends on greased all wheel bearings and nipples and whacked it all back together. Didn/t do other side as I could get to pin to drill locknut out. Replaced both side rubber boots while doing it. Topped steering fluid up ad end.

Steering is the best it has ever been on the car. Feels really tight and responsive. This makes me wonder how long the bush was breaking up for.

All up took less than an hr to put back together. Hardest bit was to find lock nut. Tip be very careful drilling pin out of locknut if you decide to do bush.