new rack, steering wheel 180° out

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skygrabber

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Location
numidia
TDI
15 Jetta 05 Golf
Anyone ever come across this?
'05 Golf. New reman rack installed. With rack centered the steering wheel is 180 out. Spline shaft only goes on one way so that's not it. Thought about making it up with tie rod ends but losing a 1/2 wheel rotation is too much travel to lose as it only has 1 1/2 turns center to end the way it is.
What's my options here?
 
C

Celco

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Feb 7, 2005
Location
Warren, MI 48092
TDI
2002 Golf 4dr ALH 5-speed
You can either reset the splines where the steering column attaches to the rack.... Or remove the steering wheel and reset. Steering wheel splines are not keyed, so you can move it a few teeth to center, or flip to remove the 180 upside down.
 
S

skygrabber

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Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Location
numidia
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15 Jetta 05 Golf
Not sure what you mean by reset the splines where column attaches to rack. I don't see how this can be done. Was looking at flipping the u-joint 180 but that all seems permanently pressed together. Can flip wheel but didn't know if wiring would line up. I'm guessing the rack spline was somehow assembled 180 out? Changed a few racks on different vehicles over the years but never ran into something like this.
 
Tdijarhead

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
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Nov 10, 2013
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Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
I had this happen to me on a reman rack I bought on eBay. Finally figured that the rebuilder put the shaft in 180* off hence your steering wheel being upside down. You probably don’t want to hear this but the cure is take it back out tell them what they did and send it back.

If you can wait they should send you a replacement. Make sure the key is in the correct position before you install this time. If you can’t wait like I couldn’t go to the junkyard and get one from there. Guaranteed that one will be correct.
 
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skygrabber

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Dec 30, 2016
Location
numidia
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15 Jetta 05 Golf
Tdijarhead said:
I had this happen to me on a reman rack I bought on eBay.
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Yeah, eBay. Funny thing is I went with this one over a cheaper one because the guy had sold lots of them with good feedback and had quicker shipping but it looks like at least one other person had the same problem according to his feedback. I didn't even think about checking it for position.

Like they say, We do it nice because we do it twice. :(
 
E

Enabled

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI Manual, BMW 328d SW
Who was the seller?
My rack is starting to leak a little, very minor, but will need to prepare for changing it.

That, or I put a used Audi TT rack in.
 
Tdijarhead

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
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Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
skygrabber said:
AM-AutoParts They have over 2 million feedback so figured it would be good. I'm hoping the will rectify it quickly but still a real PIA to do it twice.
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Yeah love doing stuff twice. The seller I used was in Florida I think its been a while. They should cover it for you they did for me. It’s just all the additional time your car is down and I couldn’t wait, to send it back and then wait to get another. That’s when I went to the junkyard. $40 and it looked better than the rebuild I sent back.
 
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skygrabber

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Dec 30, 2016
Location
numidia
TDI
15 Jetta 05 Golf
Update: I figured I'd let you know what I did in case anyone else runs into this problem. Instead of ripping the thing out, sending it back and having the car down another week or so waiting for a new rack, I did what Celco suggested and flipped the wheel 180. It was easier than I thought. I did have to spin the clockspring an extra 1/2 turn to get everything lined up but I doubt it matters as the spring has more rotations than you need.

Now this may mess with the next guy that has to go in there but I can always pass that info along if I ever sell the thing.
 
Tdijarhead

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
If it works that’s great but if you have ESP then your anti skid light will probably stay on. Is your light on?
 
5

5akman

Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Location
Northern CA
TDI
2003 Jetta
skygrabber said:
Update: I figured I'd let you know what I did in case anyone else runs into this problem. Instead of ripping the thing out, sending it back and having the car down another week or so waiting for a new rack, I did what Celco suggested and flipped the wheel 180. It was easier than I thought. I did have to spin the clockspring an extra 1/2 turn to get everything lined up but I doubt it matters as the spring has more rotations than you need.

Now this may mess with the next guy that has to go in there but I can always pass that info along if I ever sell the thing.
Click to expand...

Skygrabber, can you describe what you did to spin the clockspring? My 19 yr old son has a 2003 jetta. First two ebay steering racks leaked like sieves, 3rd rack from napa fit and sealed up but now the steering wheel is 180 degrees out and no one will align it for him until the wheel is somewhat centered correctly.
 
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