Steering rack - need advice

[J A Blazer]

I took my 2000 OBW w/ 150K to my independent mechanic, complaining of play in the front end. He tells me that the steering rack is bad. He assures me that it is not something simpler, like tie rods (incl inner & outer ends.) What is the best source for a reman rack? When I replaced the axles I was advised that Marshall Wolf was the 'go-to' guy; does he have a rack equivalent? TIA.

[idosubaru]

Steering rack "play" is highly unlikely. Subaru steering racks generally last the life of the vehicle - the only failure sometimes happens is fluid leaking out the seal...play is extremely rare.

 

What kind of "Play" are you experiencing?

 

If it's a "delayed" steering - like you turn the wheel and the wheels sort of seem to take a fraction of a second before they'll turn....then you probably just need steering rack bushings. Cheap and easy to replace. They can firm up steering responsiveness. Though I never really see this on such new cars anything is possible depending on usage, environment, and if they've ever been subjected to chemicals, automotive fluids.

 

If you have some clunking/play on bumps, etc - then your sway bar is likely needing bushings. Or struts could be bad.

 

Have the struts ever been replaced? They are essentially replacement items by this mileage.

 

I would never buy a new unit, they fail so rarely and have so few issues I would buy a used one. There is no demand so they're not worth anything, which means they're cheap. I throw them away when I used to part Subarus out.

[Ricearu]

it's usually inner tie rods. unless the steering wheel has play and the tie rods are tight

 

remember, the inner tie rods are under the rack bellow tubes, so he may not have pulled the bellow back and seen the inner tie rod

[nipper]

The inner tie rods are sneaky. They can actually feel and look fine, untill you watch how they move with a load on them.

 

The rack can become loose (it happens) physically. Otherwise racks don't get loose. Racks fail be seal failure.

 

IF you need a rack, and i seriously doubt you do (at this mileage it can be tie rods or ball joints get another opinion) buy used. I have this issue of a bad rack and after much research i have found out that there does not seem to eb a 100% good rack supplier.

[Fairtax4me]

Occasionally the bushings in the ends of the rack housing wear out and allow the rack to move around a little bit. Usually only noticeable if you go over successive bumps in the road or hit a pothole just right while turning, that sort of thing.

In general the inner tie rod joints are MUCH more likely to be worn than the bushings in the rack.

 

Also if you've EVER had an oil leak, the rubber bushings that hold the rack to the lower cross member will fall apart. that lets the rack walk around in the mount brackets and cause all sorts of strangeness in the steering.

 

Other things that cause funny feeling steering, the rear control arm bushings, Subaru calls them transverse link bushing, are silicone fluid filled, and when they get old the rubber splits, all the fluid leaks out and they move around all over the place. Make clunks when braking or when accelerating, and will cause a "wandering" feeling at higher speeds.

[J A Blazer]

Thanks folks. I've decided to take it to the dealer on Tuesday morning. I'll report back.