Suspension & Steering

Steering Play

> Can the 928 steering rack be adjusted? I have quite a bit of side to side
> play in the wheel, and it is not ball joints. I've been under it and removed
> the lower plate on the rack, which revealed nothing. Any tips out there?

#1
The short answer is NO. However, the play may not be in the rack,it may be in the tie rods. Where the tie rods screw into the rack there is a steal ball within a plastic socket. That socket has been known to wear and allow excessive play. Solution: replace the tie rods, and get a new, proper alignement.

#2
First, you need to see if the play is from the rack or the wheel bearings. If its the rack then you can try what I did. I placed a _thin_ washer inside the lower plate on the rack. This was enough to tighten it up. Be sure to test drive to make sure the steering is not too stiff and the wheel will retrun to center. What we really need is someone to manufacture the plastic block that wears out in the rack. Are you listenening Mr. Roberts?

#3
Of course I am listening. That is one of the things on my list since it is a very common and misdiagnosed problem. I am sourcing a more durable "Poly" bushing for those as we speak. However, at the moment I do have factory replacement bushings available, cost is not too bad, only $12.50 each
www.928gt.com

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If you are experiencing sloppy steering the first thing I would recommend is that you tighten all the
bolts on the steering rack. It is very common for these to become loose over time.

To check the bushings, lift the front left corner of the car and look underneath while an assistant moves the steering wheel. Place your fingers on the steering rack and see if you can feel an excessive amount of movement. This is how you can determine whether the bushings need to be replaced or not. The bushings are rubber filled, so there should be some movement.

Removing and installing the bushings is not a very easy operation because of how they are crimped into the steering rack. A rebuilt steering rack comes with new bushings, so if your rack is leaking it would probably be wiser to replace the rack instead of just the bushings.

Good Luck,

+Greg Nichols
Alexandria, Virginia
'87 928S4, 5-speed, Venice Blue Metallic