Rack and Pinion Excessive Play?

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Yung4Lo

Yung4Lo

Joined
Jun 20, 2021
Threads
11
Messages
53
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Is this amount of play normal? I thought the play might have been coming from the inner tie rod but after I slid the boot off and looked, there was no inner tie rod play.

The OEM rack only has 10k miles on it. I can’t imagine that it’s already gone bad. Maybe this is a normal amount of play?

The reason I’m looking into all this is because I’ve noticed that my tires wander on the road. It feels loosey goosey and when I hit a pothole / washboards, my steering wheel flies left and right.

I did notice some play at the outer CV to drive flange interface. Took the grease cap off and noticed that the snap ring was loose. I think this could be cause the wandering but not sure. I have new snap rings on order so we will see.

 
Looks excessive to me. I judge that, by feel of new installs. I pull rack to one side then push back later. Never notice any play.
 
2001LC said:
Looks excessive to me. I judge that, by feel of new installs. I pull rack to one side then push back later. Never notice any play.
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What’s odd is that when I have both wheels in the air and turn the steering wheel, there is zero lag between the two. The wheels move instantly.
 
Hard to see in your video. But does seem like your rack was moving in and out of rack housing. I couldn't see well, if any play between TRE & rack?

I do and inspection. Where with only 1 wheel off the ground. I rotate side to side the lifted tire, holding tire at the 9 & 3 o'clock. If I hear a sound like a clunk. I grab boot over inner TRE locking washer where inner TRE threads into rack. We've found a very few of these, locking washers, unstaked. When this happen inner TRE walks of. We get play and same sound. The sign this is happening, is steering wheel that was centered. Start moving to one side off center. The more TRE walks off, the more the steering wheel become off centered.
23-5-8 LH TRE inner found loose.webp
 
2001LC said:
Hard to see in your video. But does seem like your rack was moving in and out of rack housing. I couldn't see well, if any play between TRE & rack?

I do and inspection. Where with only 1 wheel off the ground. I rotate side to side the lifted tire, holding tire at the 9 & 3 o'clock. If I hear a sound like a clunk. I grab boot over inner TRE locking washer where inner TRE threads into rack. We've found a very few of these, locking washers, unstaked. When this happen inner TRE walks of. We get play and same sound. The sign this is happening, is steering wheel that was centered. Start moving to one side off center. The more TRE walks off, the more the steering wheel become off centered.
View attachment 4011738
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Great, thanks. I’ll check that out

Do you know if play between the drive flange and CV would cause wandering? It isn’t part of the steering technically but it does go to the knuckle.
 
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