Steering rack

[kpb]

Attatcked the steering rack on my S1 on Saturday so I thought I would add a bit of feedback after reading various reports.
The 17mm and 13mm bolts that hold the rack in have a sided bracket round them so make sure you have a thin walled socket my 3/8 set fitted but the 1/2 drive one didnt and there is two platic edges that pull off that require removing to let the socket in.
If you use as many extension bars as you have on the socket if makes the job so much easier (three 8" ones).
After I had unbolted the track rod ends and the lower pinch bolt on the steering rack UJ ( mark the splines with tippex) there is enough space to pull the rack through the drivers side wheelarch,there was a lot written about having to cut off some hex nuts that were fitted for left hand drive racks but I found by rotating the rack clockwise viewed from the drivers wheelarch it cleared and pulled straight out.
I ordered all the parts from Titan to service the rack for around £28 inc post .
Stripping the rack is very simple and the pictures on the Seloc wikki help but you drill the old securing pin out (located between the chamfer on the locknut and the ball housing) with a 4mm drill and turn the track rod housing till the collar is removed ,remove the old delrin washer and spring ,clean out the hollow and fit new spring and delrin washer with some grease and screw the housing back on.
I left the trackrod end fitted to the ball housing rod on the rack and cut the two cable ties and slid the rubber gaitor boot back up the track rod ,this way it means the tracking should be very close to where it was before stripping the rack as the track rod has not moved the only difference is the wear on the delrin washer which is very small ( I will check the tracking later)
This meant I did not use the new collar supplied by triton but as the ball and socket are not worn this should cause no problems setting the preload on the rack.
Preload setting was done using a fishing spring scale from EBAY ~(£1.99) a line was marked appx 152mm from the grease hole that is on the rack collar measured toward the track rod end and then tighten the collar till between 3-4 Kg is required to move the arm with the scales on the marked line.
Then screw the lock nut up to the collar and check spring loading and if all is well drill a 2.5mm hole between the collar chamfer and the lock nut chamfer and hammer the new pin in ,clean swarf off and grease up area and fit the boot back on.
It is one of these jobs that is easier to do than describe but if you were thinking about doing it I would class it as a very easy job but see if a friend will help as lining the rack back up it is better with someone inside and some under the car as well,make sure to start the 13mm and 17mm rack retaing bolt up by hand first as the housing is only alloy and if cross threaded they would damage very easily.
Rack out in 1 hour
Rebuild of rack 1 hour
Refit rack and align wheel 1-2 hours
I have some pictures that I can post if require but if I can help drop me a line.
Easy job and the difference was amazing even though the car has only done 23000 mls
PS if anyone in the Aberdeen area want to borrow the scales for setting the preload drop me a line.

[tenkfeet]

I would be interested to your pics