Can anyone tell me how?
The internet is rubbish.
I have more than suspected my steering rack has been dodgey for some time.

Constant Symptoms:-
Vibrations from 70mph +
Car never seems to go where you want it too,
If you shake the steering back and forth you get a nice knock.
When I start to steer in any direction I get a "BomBom" noise, sounds like a bubble going up through water or oil?

Intermitant Symptoms:-
Sometimes I can't keep the car in a straight line and it wanders. (I have been trying to blame this on the ruts that the lorrys make in the road but I've had it happen on the flatest of roads, roads that i've never had an issue with before.)
Getting lots of creeks and crunches from the front end while steering excessivley, mainly when I'm braking at the same time.
Vibrations vary, sometimes it goes away above 80mph, but I have also been clocking 120+ for it to start shaking randomly.


In general the car drives ok, the car always tracks straight and true but does give a torquesteery effect when I change gear at full throttle?

All four wheels are straight and true with new tyres on them. All balenced correctly etc.

The car has brand new inner and outer track rods along with full four wheel alighnment.

There is no play in any of the bushes or ball joints on the car.

All CV Joints are fine and well greased. All the driveshafts run straight and true.

So how to I diagnose that my steering rack is at fault before I go buy one and replace it?
Is there any tests I can do?

Cheers, Bailes.

 

Doesn't sound like the rack, I'd be checking the top bearings on the struts are not binding, also put some wynns power steering system conditioner in, it will ensure the pump/rack are nice and free.
tabetha

 

No play in any of my struts and the noises seem low down.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATjdVu1Ff-Q

if it does that ^^^^ then the rack is fucked. its either a tooth or a seal.

mine does it but no way near as bad. had it when i bought the car 2 years ago and ford diagnosed the seal on mine (something to do with changing the steering direction and the pressurised fluid swapping sides) and replaced the fluid which helped and is the only reason why its lasted any longer but does need swaping asap. incidently i think i have a little play in one of the track rods too.

hope that helps you mate, i know you've had the odd issue with your car which is a shame as they're good motors.

what colour is your pas fluid? if its grey then thats probably why its gone. i think if it was regularly changed then this wouldn't be such a common fault.

 

Yeh mines like that but not half as loud...

Ahh well
Had myy front wheels balenced again.
They were both okish.
I took it elsewhere to balnced my new wheels and then fine fined them so they are 100%...
Alas... still got steering vibrations

 

sounds to me like its your rack then which is an expensive job at a garage as the subframe has to be dropped.

new ford items are dear (cant remember how much) so for me its a toss up between a recon rack from a motor factors (with a surcharge for your old rack), a used rack from a breakers or a used one from a private seller. i will probably get one from ASM as they are only down the road from me so easy enough to exchange if theres any problems. just need a bit of cash to do the job!

 

Right I've been looking into this.
Recon rack is £120 with a £144 Surcharge.
I'm getting prices for all the bolts just incase I have to drill any out from FordPartsUK.
I have spare drop links here.
Not sure weather to get a spare set of Ball joints just incase I have issues seperating them? my worry is having to drill out the previous rivets to bolt on the new ball joints?
And what about the power steering hoses? Whats the chances of these breaking?

 

spare drop links is good as i know the nuts on mine are seized so they could be on yours.

spare bolts is a good idea, not sure if any of the subframe ones need to be replaced, would have to look into that.

ball joints should be fine separating them though its a good idea to replace the pinch bolt and nut. the way i seperated the ball joints on mine (lower arm ones) was to blast with wd40, loosen the 3 top mount nuts to create some movement and the lever the arm down with a big bar. might have to tap the nuckle with a hamer just to brake it free first though. only replace them if they need it and if not doing the whole arm then get an angle grinder on the rivets and do both sides incase the new ones are a little longer/shorter.

the hoses should be fine but you'll need new o ring seals where they join the rack.

are you doing this job yourself?

 

I'm going to have a go.
I've changed struts, springs on my Pug.
And I've changed the inner and outer trackrods on this car too as I thought they were at fault at first. Also done brakes and general servicing.
I don't think I'ts much more complicated. Just goto make sure I align the subframe properly before I bolt it back in. Just a bigger job really.

Got some videos...

(Ignore the matteress I crashed into)

 

i can't actually hear anything apart from the engine in those vids i'm afraid.
if the pas fluid is anything but red then try replacing that first and add the wynns stuff tabs suggested as that might just cure it for a year or 2 if its not tha bad now.

 

Really?
I can hear the noise more than i can hear the engine
I think the rakcs past it's best to be honest, the steering vibrations are a little silly now as is the wandering of the car.
How would I go about changing the fluid anyway?
And do you know what o rings you need and where you can get them?

 

haha must be my laptop speakers then.

i'd imagine the o-rings to be pretty cheap from ford to be honest so prob best to go to them.

the wandering sounds weird, as if it could be something else like tyre pressures, but then it could easily be the rack if thats past its best.

i don't think its that hard a job tbh just time consuming for a garage to do. easiest way to realign the subframe though is to reuse the original bolts in the same locations and jiggle it about so the dirt marks all line up. if they do need to be replaced you can then just wip them out and replace them one by one.

good luck, let us know how you get on. i'm still in two minds about where to source a rack, will prob get a recon one though as i will end up spending more money on a breaker one by fitting new track rods and ends.

 

I'm getting a Q-Drive one from Euro Car Parts.
Cheers for the help mate, everyone I've spoke to in person has tried to put a massive downer on it saying it's a massive job and too hard for you etc etc. Mehcanics should do it Really winds me up.

 

yeah some people do like to go a bit ott. i had only had mine a month when i took it to ford to be diagnosed, he said for them to supply and fit it would be about £4-500 so i should just scrap the car. it was worth about 3 grand at the time so no chance of scrapping it but i got it cheap £1700 as it was way under priced and just in need of some tlc. it should easly fetch what i payed for it now but its mechanically really good so i want to keep it a track toy.

it really isn't that bad a job, just one you need to take your time with and keep calm when you hit little problems like stuck bolts. plan to spend a whole weekend on it so you don't rush it and it'll be a top job.

i wonder if the remy is worth the extra £70 on top of the q-drive??

 

Thats what I was wondering?
I don't really want to keep the Focus much longer.
Hoping Sept 2012 I'l start an apprentaship so can get something Diesel (prefer driving DERVS).
But it's something that needs sorting out, if it lasts me till I change it i'l be a happy bunny

 

give them a ring, they must come with some form of warrenty and if it didn't last 12 months + it isn't really fit for purpose so should be easily ok till then.

and if it does fail i'm sure there will be a thread started saying "my shitty recon q-drive steering rack failed after x months"

right, must get on. i'll keep my fingers crossed the job goes smoothly for you.

 

Cheers for the help mate Chucked some rep your way

 

ta very much, i'l throw some your way when you help me :P

 

Mines the same as yours! So the rack is creamed then.My car is a 04 ST 170,are all the racks the same?
J.

 

Opps late reply, ermm yess I assume there the same.
Unfortunatley I've no time at the moment and the cars going in next week for a new steering rack and a good look over the whole suspension and also make sure theres no buckles in my hubs or anything.
A family friend is doing it, well let you know how much it costs
Do you get any steering shudder or anything?

 

No,No steering shudder. Thanks for the reply.
J