96 wrx steering rack into 86 rx turbo

86rxturbo · Post by **86rxturbo** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:00 am

Hi there i've just put a 96 wrx steering rack into my 86 rx turbo and was wandering if anyone else has done this,

because i think the angle of the uni joint is now different and is making the steering a little weird.

when turning a corner the steering will go hard, soft, hard, soft has anyone had any experience with this, or can anyone offer some advice as to what can be done to fix this problem.

thanks
David

BlackMale · Post by **BlackMale** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:13 am

Hmmm, I have not done this mod so it may be different however I think the only time I have had this issues has been when the rack and/or joints have been on their way out (going to fail).

Do you know the condition of the rack?

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:26 am

I'm having this exact problem - steering going hard, soft, hard, soft when steering around corners. Standard EA82 PS rack in an L series.
I was putting it down to something being bent / generally munted as it started to do this on the way home from a particularly rough 4x4 trip.
I'd also like to hear from anyone else who's had this problem!

86rxturbo · Post by **86rxturbo** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:30 pm

i went to get a wheel alignment done today and the guy said it might be the rack ends are bent or something is bent,

sound like what may have happened to you AndrewT? but who knows.

the wrx rack was good it had 80,000 on it same as engine.

i might undo the uni joint on the steering shaft straighten it and turn it by hand to make sure its not the uni joint trying to go past maximum with the new angle the rack has.

if that does nothing get a new rack maybe?

could the tie rod ends possibly do this, although it only started with the wrx rack?

PeeJay · Post by **PeeJay** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:53 pm

I doubt it's rack ends or tierod ends.
Perhaps all it needs is a bit of lubrication?

Chris_Rogers · Post by **Chris_Rogers** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:53 pm

look at the steering uni's . they may be a bit out of kilter. I have this problem with mine (BG5 legacy in L series.) using a forester uni. which I have to replace again.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:34 am

I'm starting to think it might be that.
My steering uni joints do have a rather large turbo dump pipe litterally within millimetres of them. I'm thinking I may have evaporated whatever grease was left in them.
I'll grease em up tomorrow and see what happens!

stamp_licker · Post by **stamp_licker** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:16 pm

definately pull the steering uni off.Had the same prob and the uni was siezed to the point were it was moving the rack back and forth inside the rubber mounts and you would go round a corner and just about couldn't straighten it.Ended up spraying it and soaking in wd 40 ,what came out looked like rusty water.Then i soaked it in oil for a day and it came good.hane heard you can get new unis and put em in

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:11 pm

Put some oil on the uni's. Drove it to my other house and back, problem seems to be 90% gone.
Hopefully thats the only problem with yours 86rxTurbo!

86rxturbo · Post by **86rxturbo** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:50 am

Excelent,
thanks guys i'll grease it up today and see what happens.

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:59 am

Had another 15 min drive last night, its 100% gone now - Hope its the same for you mate. It worries me that you say the angle of the joint is differrent, but hopefully its just because its never had to bend at that angle before so the joints may be dry in that particular position.

By the way - what mods were required for you to fit that rack into the L series? I wouldn't mind getting one of those different ratio ones for less turns to lock....

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:10 pm

-----------------------------------------------

AndrewT wrote: By the way - what mods were required for you to fit that rack into the L series? I wouldn't mind getting one of those different ratio ones for less turns to lock....

PeeJay · Post by **PeeJay** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:17 pm

Just swap the rack ends for L series ones and I think that was it.

Chris_Rogers · Post by **Chris_Rogers** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 5:40 pm

and in my case make the mounting hole a bit bigger.

PeeJay · Post by **PeeJay** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 6:06 pm

Ahh yeah, for the sensitivity dohickey?

Chris_Rogers · Post by **Chris_Rogers** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 6:09 pm

correct - it doesn't fit otherwise.