mk4 steering rack questions

[pkhoury]

I've been noticing on DSEL (in my signature) that steering has been somewhat sloppy. I'm just wondering if a new steering rack and new tie rods might help stiffen things up.

On DSOL, after I got it, I found that both ends of the steering rack were leaking, so I replaced it. So in comparison, steering is a lot tighter feeling on DSOL than DSEL (along with replacing tie rods). DSEL just hit 304K miles, and alignment never seems to really hold that long. I also had a steering problem a few years ago which resulted in hydroplanning - when I turned the steering wheel, the wheels didn't really move like they were supposed to and I ended up doing a 180 in the car with the trailer (though I think some other factors contributed).

And... I just realized that a new steering rack is only $329 from Cascade with new tie rods, so I'm almost thinking this could be a no brainer, though I'd need PS fluid and replacement TTY bolts for the subframe, and about 2-ishhours of my time to do the replacement.

Either way, it'd still be nice to see others' thoughts, but I might just go for this option to see if it helps with steering slop. Everything else on the car was replaced, albeit about 80-90K miles ago - LCA, ball joints (which I think I might've replaced more recently), shocks and struts, rear control arm bushings, swaybar links, etc.

 

[pkhoury]

One other question - is only the M14 subframe bolt TTY? Or are the smaller bolts also TTY?

 

[P2B]

I would only replace a rack if it was leaking. The slop is likely in the tie rods, you should be able to feel it with front wheels lifted if it's that bad. The bolts that hold the rack to the subframe are not TTY.

 

[CanadianALH]

My rack died. It definitely was noticeable when it was replaced with one from a lower km car that it was a little tighter. The best upgrade is a TT steering rack.

 

[AndyBees]

Below is a pic the left side on my formerly owned 2000 Jetta in 2012 with about 325k miles on it. (my son owns it now).
Today, it has 400k miles on the clock and the right side is still just fine (OE).

Anyway, it was quite noticeably loose!

 

[Prairieview]

I had to hire an attorney to make sense of this whole dsel dsol thing. finally, I gave up.

I suspect you have control arm bushing problems.

 

[pkhoury]

I would only replace a rack if it was leaking. The slop is likely in the tie rods, you should be able to feel it with front wheels lifted if it's that bad. The bolts that hold the rack to the subframe are not TTY.

That I know. I was more referring to the subframe to the car. But I think it's just 13mm bolts that hold the rack to the subframe itself.

 

[pkhoury]

I had to hire an attorney to make sense of this whole dsel dsol thing. finally, I gave up.

I suspect you have control arm bushing problems.

If you look in my signature, I have two 2002 Golfs. I tell them apart by their license plates - they say <3 DSOL and <3 DSEL (meaning "love diesel"). Thus, this is how I tell them apart. Or I can call one car zero and the other three, going by the last digit of the VIN, but that sounds dumb.

The control arm bushings looked good last I checked, though I did replace them about 80-90K ago. Audi TT style bushings. The subframe is also new. I opted for an expensive OEM subframe and replaced that, I dunno, like 40-50K miles ago?

 

[ghohouston]

My rack died. It definitely was noticeable when it was replaced with one from a lower km car that it was a little tighter. The best upgrade is a TT steering rack.

I also put a TT steering rack in mine, felt like a new car after that!

 

[CanadianALH]

I also put a TT steering rack in mine, felt like a new car after that!

Unfortunately I didn’t do a TT rack I would have liked to but the rack died mid week and I needed my car so I bought a lower KM rack off Jetta and it’s been working awesome.

 

[pkhoury]

I also put a TT steering rack in mine, felt like a new car after that!

Are these TT racks considered like OEM parts, or are they knockoff Chinese parts?

 

[CanadianALH]

Are these TT racks considered like OEM parts, or are they knockoff Chinese parts?

Audi TT steering rack. I would look for a lower mile parts car and do the swap. I think you can take the whole subframe, knuckles and everything. Bigger front brakes too. It’s an all around win swapping the whole front end but even the steering rack would be good too

 

[P2B]

Are these TT racks considered like OEM parts, or are they knockoff Chinese parts?

Both are available.

 

[pkhoury]

Audi TT steering rack. I would look for a lower mile parts car and do the swap. I think you can take the whole subframe, knuckles and everything. Bigger front brakes too. It’s an all around win swapping the whole front end but even the steering rack would be good too

That would be pointless in my situation, as I already have the bigger 1.8T brake pads/rotors in the front, and I bought a new OEM/genuine VW subframe in the past two years or so, so those items are already covered. I think I've had to replace ball joints more than once, though. I might try jacking up the car again and inspecting to see if it's leaking, though I'm not finding any fluid loss in the reservoir.

 

[CanadianALH]

That would be pointless in my situation, as I already have the bigger 1.8T brake pads/rotors in the front, and I bought a new OEM/genuine VW subframe in the past two years or so, so those items are already covered. I think I've had to replace ball joints more than once, though. I might try jacking up the car again and inspecting to see if it's leaking, though I'm not finding any fluid loss in the reservoir.

Mine failed slowly over time. I had a hose that was leaking almost unnoticeable. I even left cardboard under it one night cause I thought it was and nothing dripped on it. Best my guru can figure is that hose over time slowly pulled air in and eventually pushed the one of the seals out the end of the rack which was the catastrophic failure I had. A good reminder to check your power steering fluid from time to time.

 

[MAXRPM]

My steering rack just went out on my ALH, 00 jetta, I got my jetta on the OR, and shoot previous owner welded 1 of the bolts that bolts to steering rack to subframe,, so I'm going to replace the whole thing, subframe and all, I ordered audi tt bushings, I got me a good oem steering rack from 02 golf tdi from wreckers, and oem subframe, I have to bring the whole thing down at once steering rack and subframe,, it is heavvvyyyyy, I'm debating how to bring them down right now