slack in steering

[smufguy]

Well after i got the car running from last october, i have had this problem. I have gone for alignment twice and tried to do everything i can. but it still has some slack.

What i mean by this is that, u can turn the steering wheel itself left or right for about 2-3 degrees without having the actual tires turn. This is annoying because at higher speeds, the wheel knocks and makes the click click noise. Its not dangerous, but its annoying and slowing down is another problem too. SO if anyone can give me pointers.

This happened after i swapped the steering rack. The splines from the steering column goes in tight inside the splies of the rack itself and the bolt holding it which is a 10mm bolt is tightened securly.

I dont know what else to do. I am thinking of swapping my steering rack this summer cause if i run my car without warming it fully (i dont do it all the time) the steering cuts off after half a turn or one turn. And its horrible cause it cuts off in the middle of a high speed turn and i would be fuckeeeeed up. :(.

[86LXItooFAST4me]

you replace all you joints too right? inner and outer rods, ball joints, all that good stuff?

[smufguy]

you replace all you joints too right? inner and outer rods, ball joints, all that good stuff?

i did not replace them. the rack i took was including the tie rod ends. they dont have any play at all, its just the part where the steering column joins the rack. It sucks.

[86LXItooFAST4me]

try taking the steering column off the rack and wrap the splins with some tephlon tape or maybe some gasket sealer, you could even use a little JB weld. that should take out some play. just make sure and mark it before taking it off. dont want your steering out of wack. again, this wont fix it but might help.

[smufguy]

well i checked it today and seems like the splines are connected tightly and the slack is in the rack itself. I got a spare one, im gonna try and change that and see what i can do from there on. That just sucks to change the stupid rack :(