Manual Steering Rack Anyone?

[my77stang]

So, i have this wicked clunking in the front whenever i go over small bumps. i looked around under the car and saw both of the inner tie rod ends were loose, so i replaced them but i still have this problem. i looked under the car again and it appears that the rod that goes thru the steering rack and connects to each tie rod is loose inside the steering rack housing. is there a fix for this? does anyone have a parts car that i can buy a good rack from? the auto parts store doesnt have a listing for a new/reman rack, and the local junkyards have nothing.

help =P

car's a 91 swift btw

[fitsandy]

check the disc brake caliper pin, is it loose in the groove ? if yes than open them (all four) clean them with kerocene or thinner and regrease them with wheel bearing grease mixed thoroughly with fine boric acid (buy from a chemist for 1/2 $). This will solve the clunking permanently.

after doing this run the car over bumps, if still there are sounds than your dumper nut ( plunger nut) may be a bit loose, get under the belley of the car with a # 17 wrench and tighten it by 1/4 a turn again test run and if steering is not tight than again turn 1/4th and check for sound,,, keep doing till the sound goes away...

[my77stang]

i've had the brakes apart, and everything else under the front seems to be tight. it really DOES seem to be inside the rack itself.... weird

[fitsandy]

the part problem may be with the following :

1. balance rod rubbers bushes, knurling, bullet grooves - replace first - very cheap
2. brake caliper pins as told in my earlier post
3. control arm and trailing arm bushes - replace first - very cheap
4. check for movement in trailing arm ball joint - replace if worn out
5. check for play in stabilizer links and outer tie rods - replace if play found
6. check for play in steering wheel when car is stationary - if its a collapsible steering and play exists - replace upper bearing (if play) and lower end bush (if lose) - makes hell lot of difference even if rack & pinion play exists.
7. also check if steering column collapsible rods and casing plastic pins are broken - if yes - fix it by small electric spot welds - very simple.
8. if clunking still exists - open rack and pinion and throughly overhaul and fill only with "GREASE MIXED WITH BORIC ACID POWDER" .... Boric acid is a very fine solid lubricant and will act as a solid interface between worn parts of rack and pinion and will almost finish the play in rack and pinion which is responsible the clunking sound over bumps.

BELIEVE YOU ME, I HAVE DONE THIS IN MY 1.3 L MANUAL SWIFT AND DIDNT HAVE TO REPACE THE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. IT IS WORKING AS NEW WITH BORIC ACID TREATMENT AND IN PAST 2 YEARS I DIDNT HAVE ANY POBLEM WHATSOEVER.

YOU KNOW HOW INDIAN ROADS ARE AND I DONT GET ANY CLUNKING NOWWWWWWW.