if i still had an FTP host, i'd get it to you. PM me your email. if it's less than 25mb, i'll email it to ya. otherwise, i can look it up tomorrow. i get home kinda late from work tonight.

 

I just realized something, the rack in the Philippines above, http://m.olx.ph/index.php/view+class...ack+and+pinion, is a "manual" which, now that I look at it, has no hydraulic lines attached. Could it be that the power racks have no adjustment ability?

 

Maybe not:


2002:


2003:


2004:

 

You know, as silly as this might sound, I'm going to check the mounting bolts...I'm shaking my head right now wondering why I haven't already done this....tisk, tisk.

 

LOL. I didn't think about that either.

 

Voila, as we suspected. I'll let you know what all we find as soon as we get everything apart and put in:

 

Any updates?

 

So that is the adjustment screw? My engine comes our next weekend. Perfect timing.

 

I wish I had some good news....

I'm still sitting on the new rack, still in it's box, in the back of my wagon. The guy that was going to do the work renigged on me, so I took it to another young guy that has a lift in the backyard. He's not convinced it's the rack, and tells me he doesn't want to take my money and then find out it did not take care of the problem, so here I sit.

 

So, I finally found a new (not rebuilt) axle for the driver side and installed that...finally no grease leak. The camber wasn't marked prior, so my alignment was thrown off. While getting that adjusted at Pepboys I, again, had them trouble shoot my creaks and clunks, which are now present without the tires being loaded, when the steering wheel is turned back and forth. I stood and watched as they repeated everything that has already been performed, at least twice, by others and myself. I waited with patience until they too became baffled as to where the sounds/vibrations were coming from, although they were migrating in the right direction...towards the steering column. I then asked if a stethescope was available which the "master mechanic" produced. I told him to listen to the pinion/rack joint. He also confirmed that it appeared that the source of the clunks were coming from this joint.

Conclusion: I need to do this myself, BUT...I don't want to, and IMHO, nor does anyone else! The mechanic that originally dx'd the problem as the rack, became swamped with work and lost a mechanic, so he backed out on me. I'm going to keep trying him until he's in a better position to help me out.

 

I think there must be an adjustment. I've had this same situation happen in an older car and tightening the adjustment fixed it. BUT I also had a similar situation with an older dsm that turned out to be worn rack mounts. Best to check both, I don't think tightening the adjuster a bit is going to hurt, especially if your next resort is going to be swapping the rack anyways. The entire rack rebuild is pretty straight forward, it's a simple device don't let it scare you.

 

warped rotors?

 

I got my car back together about 1 month ago. I did end up adjusting the rack itself. I was able to turn in the adjustment about 1/16th turn without adding and rolling resistance to the steering shaft....which had to have taken up a bit of slop. After installing the rack with new TRE's, BJ's, and bushings I took it for a test road trip... and the shake is still there!

Put my stock wheels/tires back on and it is completely smooth.

I will be bringing my wheels/tires to a place that has certified technicians to run a RoadForce machine, and will report back.

It is not the rotors... I have replaced them as well haha!

 

so confirmed that the rack CAN be adjusted?

also, all that and it was just the wheels and tires? aw, man.

 

10-4! The adjustment is very touchy.... won't take hardly any movement to get it too tight. I just used a pair of vise-grips and pinched the input shaft splines. If you constantly turn the shaft back and forth while you spin the adjustment, you will get a feel for where it should be. When it feels good, make sure to hold the adjustment when you go to tighten the jam nut.... it will want to turn in (making the clearance smaller) when you snug up the jam nut.

BTW, I do believe this would be near impossible to do this with the rack bolted to the subframe while in the car.