Am I assuming correctly that at freeway speeds (or better ;) ) when you can feel a little "joggle" in the wheel, that the bushings on the rack need to be replaced? This is not a feel of unbalanced tires or alignment. The steering wheel does not vibrate or move rapidly from side to side. You can feel it ever so slightly in the column at speeds above 60 mph...feels like suspension vibration.

Bushings?

Keith Widom

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Hard to tell. Looseness can be many things. Upper ball joints, tie rods, the rack, the column, the rack bushings, suspension bushings. Best way to find out is to go looking before deciding what it is. Drive the car on ramps so you can get under and watch the rack while someone else steers one way then the other. If it is the rack bushings it will be obvious. Tires must be loaded. No jacking.

jfk

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Bad rack bushings gives a loose feel , a sense of detachment , a surreal quality to driving ..... You hold the wheel in one spot the front wheels both follow angled pavement lines in the road self steering but not a vibration or "joggle" more like the feeling of the wind blowing the car to the side as it follows the pavement joints . Since the rack is moving both wheels stay aligned simply decide to point another direction at the same time .

Jim Bailey

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Biguns and all,

Let me calrify that the suspect bushing is _inside_ the rack. With the rack boot pulled off, when twisting the wheel the shaft is moving up and down a mm or two. The rack body is stationary and the rack is not moving in/out. I spoke with Griff (of Griffiths fame) and he said that there was a steel bushing with a nylon insert or liner that positioned the shaft.

I'll be tearing one apart this winter and might salvage one good one from the two I've got. Yes, there will be a post...

Glen

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> Are the end-bushings a replaceable item?
> Glen
> '80 Euro S

Glenn, the rack bushings are replaceable. Not too expensive, and not terribly hard to change. Rack definitely has to come out, so the work can be done on a bench. The bushings have a lip that is bent over to secure it, which can be a pain to undo on the old ones, and re-do on the new ones. HTH.

Bigun