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Steering Problem

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Steering Problem

Hi all, (sorry this is a long one!)

Been getting dirty today at the back of the engine trying to sort out the dodgy steering on my cabby and haven?t really got to the bottom of the problem :roll:

The symptoms: When driving and steering left or right there is a point that you can feel resistance, you have to turn the wheel harder to get past that point and then its looser again for the rest of the turn. I also get a slight clonking/knocking when I waggle the wheel from left to right like there is some play somewhere but there is no noticeable play at the wheels. It passed its MOT like this!

I had a look 2 weeks ago and thought I could feel play on one of the universal joints on the shaft/coupling that connects the rack to the column so managed to source one from Crazyquiff (Cheers Rich, it arrived on Thursday).

The boot that covers the coupling has been split for all the time I've had the car so I suspected that the elements had finally taken their toll! It probably split soon after a previous owner had the down pipe changed as there is no heat shield on it. So there has been excess heat getting to the shaft and the rack too! I'm daft for putting the job off till now :banghead: Its not as bad a job to replace as it seems.

Today I changed the boot and coupling. The old coupling didn't really have any play in it though but I still changed it to see if it made any difference. I looked elsewhere and found the rack pretty stiff and noisy. I prised back the driver?s side rubber gator and some rusty water came out! I guess it must have got in through the split coupling boot over the winter(s) as the other boots aren't split. I regreased the teeth and the bearing where the coupling joins and it seems a bit better but I think I'm gonna have to replace it.
I did find some play in other parts but I'm not sure if its normal. My guess is there shouldn't any be but could do with your opinions please?

Should there be any play at all in the steering column at the bottom? and any play in the splined shaft on the rack where the coupling attaches?

I've also noticed that the left wheel hits the wishbone on full left lock! Is this because the rack isn't centralized? The car is unmodified (except for where garages have made there mistakes and bodges!  :evil: )

Cheers for your thoughts guys  :wink:,

Ross

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I've also noticed that the left wheel hits the wishbone on full left lock! Is this because the rack isn't centralized?

Does not sound good!  I'd replace the rack making sure it's the correct one.

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Think I'll have to. Regreasing it has stopped the binding, but for how long. Its still a bit clonky.

Has anyone replaced the lower steering column bush before? Looks like it could be a nasty job?

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Well? I changed the rack a couple of weeks ago and all is now MUCH better, the handling has improved (unsurprisingly!) and no longer finds potholes in the road. I had thought the camber was out even though it was adjusted recently. It took me about a day to do in total making sure everything was spot on and clean.

I think steering column bush is ok and doesn't need replacing.

I got a new rack from GSF in the end, it looks a bit cheapo compared to the genuine article but at over 1/4 of the price I'm not complaining!


Here are a few points to note when doing this job:

?   I removed the rack from the car complete with the tie rods attached. The Haynes tells you to remove it through the off side wheel arch but I could only get it to fit through the nearside with a bit of jiggling.

?   I think its best/easiest to remove the rack complete with the tie rods as then you can make sure all the measurements are correct when fitting the tie rods to the new rack, and its easier to remove the tie rod locknuts when its on the bench.

?   I?ve never used a ball joint splitter to split the tie rod ends from the hub carrier. First turn the steering on full lock to the opposite side you want to split to get better access. Then give the hub carrier a few sharp, heavy blows around the tie rod end it usually just pops apart!

?   I had to remove the rear engine mount to gain access to one of the steering rack mounting nuts.

?   The new GSF rack came pre-adjusted and the locknut is glued in position. It will also be impossible to adjust once installed in the car as it?s got an allen key head on the adjuster and there wouldn?t be enough clearance for an allen key behind the rack.



?   The GSF rack came with no thread cut for the screw that secures the earth wire. While the new rack is still off the car, screw the self tapping screw into the rack, its easier to do it now so that you can make sure it doesn?t cross thread and go in at an angle.

?   I replaced the rubber mounts with new genuine ones for peace of mind and in hind sight should have changed the 2 horizontal rubber boots as well (mine seemed fine though after a good clean). I used new copper nuts on the steering rack mounts and new clips that hold the boots on. If your vertical rubber boot that covers the UJs is showing signs of cracking, splitting or isn?t very supple any more I?d recommend changing this too they are ?12.59 +VAT from VW.

The other plus point of doing all this is that my gear change has improved! You have to dismantle the mechanism when you take the rack off and Haynes tells you to adjust it after refitting but it didn?t seem to need doing!

Anyway, hope this helps someone out a bit, I'm much happier now :D .

Cheers,

Ross

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Ross said

Well? I changed the rack a couple of weeks ago and all is now MUCH better, the handling has improved (unsurprisingly!) and no longer finds potholes in the road. I had thought the camber was out even though it was adjusted recently. It took me about a day to do in total making sure everything was spot on and clean.

I think steering column bush is ok and doesn't need replacing.

I got a new rack from GSF in the end, it looks a bit cheapo compared to the genuine article but at over 1/4 of the price I'm not complaining!


Here are a few points to note when doing this job:

?   I removed the rack from the car complete with the tie rods attached. The Haynes tells you to remove it through the off side wheel arch but I could only get it to fit through the nearside with a bit of jiggling.

?   I think its best/easiest to remove the rack complete with the tie rods as then you can make sure all the measurements are correct when fitting the tie rods to the new rack, and its easier to remove the tie rod locknuts when its on the bench.

?   I?ve never used a ball joint splitter to split the tie rod ends from the hub carrier. First turn the steering on full lock to the opposite side you want to split to get better access. Then give the hub carrier a few sharp, heavy blows around the tie rod end it usually just pops apart!

?   I had to remove the rear engine mount to gain access to one of the steering rack mounting nuts.

?   The new GSF rack came pre-adjusted and the locknut is glued in position. It will also be impossible to adjust once installed in the car as it?s got an allen key head on the adjuster and there wouldn?t be enough clearance for an allen key behind the rack.



?   The GSF rack came with no thread cut for the screw that secures the earth wire. While the new rack is still off the car, screw the self tapping screw into the rack, its easier to do it now so that you can make sure it doesn?t cross thread and go in at an angle.

?   I replaced the rubber mounts with new genuine ones for peace of mind and in hind sight should have changed the 2 horizontal rubber boots as well (mine seemed fine though after a good clean). I used new copper nuts on the steering rack mounts and new clips that hold the boots on. If your vertical rubber boot that covers the UJs is showing signs of cracking, splitting or isn?t very supple any more I?d recommend changing this too they are ?12.59 +VAT from VW.

The other plus point of doing all this is that my gear change has improved! You have to dismantle the mechanism when you take the rack off and Haynes tells you to adjust it after refitting but it didn?t seem to need doing!

Anyway, hope this helps someone out a bit, I'm much happier now :D .

Cheers,

Ross


Pretty much as said above….  got a jp group rack.. and removed  and replaced In 1 piece through the left/ passenger side… took some measurements and then spit and reused tie rods and bellows..  also had same issue with untapped earth point.

Gear linkage has to be dropped, engine mount removed on bottom allows access to nuts on supports. Anti roll rubber and wishbone left side loosened to allow access.

Sorry rubbish photos but got grubby hands. .
Next is to do alignment check, but for now has improved the steering feel..

Mark carter does a full kit on his website classic-VW.co.uk, has rack tie rods,bellows, and rubbers he does a club rate.

If you want yours doing in retford..may aswell come see me….I'll get parts from mark

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