replace rack pinion
HI,i just replace a rebuilt rack and pinion,why is the steering wheel vibrating and shaking so much after 60 miles,i dont have that problem with the old rack pinion .Great bear auto and tire store did the work for me.The store guaranteed all their work, I dont want to go back there and telling me some other problem need to be fix and getting my hard earn cash out.
Last edited by Niceprelude; Dec 1, 2006 at 09:42 PM.
Could easily be wheel alignment. They should have performed a wheel alignment on it when they replaced the unit. I would take it back to them and have them fix it. What most likely happened is that they just slammed the new unit in and let it go.
Even if it is not the alignment and something is loose/wrong, it sounds like their work is to blame.
Even if it is not the alignment and something is loose/wrong, it sounds like their work is to blame.
That doesn't mean it's right, tho. A little too much toe-in or toe-out will create a nasty ride and wear out the tires really fast. Your car doesn't have to drift one way or the other for the wheel alignment to be off. If you just want to check this for yourself to be sure, here's how:
Firstly, drive the car forward to wherever you're going to do the check and have a buddy make sure you are traveling straight (curbs work GREAT for gauging this, but you can use any good straight line... including one you draw). Essentially you are trying to make sure that the tires are not turned even a little bit. Get a tape measure and mark the very center of the treads on both front tires in two places -the front and the back. Measure the distance between the marks at the front of the tires and then at the back. You should have just a little toe-in (meaning that the front measurement will be shorter than the back measurement). Commonly 1/4" or so of toe-in is normal.
If it weren't for the fact that the problem didn't start until you got the new unit put in, I would suggest that it was a tire developing problems or out of balance, a wheel bearing going out, or a loose/faulty suspension component.
Firstly, drive the car forward to wherever you're going to do the check and have a buddy make sure you are traveling straight (curbs work GREAT for gauging this, but you can use any good straight line... including one you draw). Essentially you are trying to make sure that the tires are not turned even a little bit. Get a tape measure and mark the very center of the treads on both front tires in two places -the front and the back. Measure the distance between the marks at the front of the tires and then at the back. You should have just a little toe-in (meaning that the front measurement will be shorter than the back measurement). Commonly 1/4" or so of toe-in is normal.
If it weren't for the fact that the problem didn't start until you got the new unit put in, I would suggest that it was a tire developing problems or out of balance, a wheel bearing going out, or a loose/faulty suspension component.
I had assumed the vibration was constant...
Have you jacked the car up, placed it on jackstands, and tried jiggling the wheels (all 4) to see if anything is loose?
Once I had a CV joint start to go out on me and it would make a weird kind of vibration at about 70mph. It would get worse as I got into the gas and better when I let off a little. It never made the clicking when you turn (as is the normal telltale sign).
Have you jacked the car up, placed it on jackstands, and tried jiggling the wheels (all 4) to see if anything is loose?
Once I had a CV joint start to go out on me and it would make a weird kind of vibration at about 70mph. It would get worse as I got into the gas and better when I let off a little. It never made the clicking when you turn (as is the normal telltale sign).
I need a new rack in my car. I drive a 91 accord and I have had the power steering pump taken off. What I want to do is put a manual rack in but accords don't come with optional power steering, so I would be needing to put one from either a civic or prelude (i would assume prelude would fit better) but i'm not sure. Does anyone have any idea what would work?


