Play in steering rack?

[justin kieffer]

hey folks long time forum stalker, just now joined.

'07 tahoe ltz- i have play in the steering. replaced pretty much the whole front end so far as ball joints and tierods. still has play.

i can grab the steering shaft by hand and rotate back and forth- engine on or off. there's not slop from the shaft to the steering wheel, but seems to still have play in the rack itself. do i need a new rack or is there something else i should be checking?

thanks in advance

 

[2007tahoe]

hey folks long time forum stalker, just now joined.

'07 tahoe ltz- i have play in the steering. replaced pretty much the whole front end so far as ball joints and tierods. still has play.

i can grab the steering shaft by hand and rotate back and forth- engine on or off. there's not slop from the shaft to the steering wheel, but seems to still have play in the rack itself. do i need a new rack or is there something else i should be checking?

thanks in advance

I do not have my tahoe here to look at it but i think there is a universal joint in the steering shaft a few inches above the rack. I would look at that first. Cant say I have ever seen a rack and pinion with play in it. Not questioning you but did you change all 4 tie rods or just the outer tie rods? Some people do not realize there is 4 of them.

 

[08grey]

Center bushing on the rack is shot. I'm on my forth rack.

Turn the wheel full lock. Then observe the rack. If it mooves it's shot. I have threads on here about it of you search.

 

[justin kieffer]

Center bushing on the rack is shot. I'm on my forth rack.

Turn the wheel full lock. Then observe the rack. If it mooves it's shot. I have threads on here about it of you search.

center bushing what the heck? i'm assuming since you're on your 4th rack it's not a rebuildable part? where are the links man?? searching on forums usually sucks.

I do not have my tahoe here to look at it but i think there is a universal joint in the steering shaft a few inches above the rack. I would look at that first. Cant say I have ever seen a rack and pinion with play in it. Not questioning you but did you change all 4 tie rods or just the outer tie rods? Some people do not realize there is 4 of them.

yessir replaced em all. and the ball joints up front! gonna do what 08 said and check for that center bushing business when i get home.

 

[08grey]

 

[08grey]

 

[Dneel81]

all this talk about racks and I'm forgetting what I was reading about in the first place.

 

[Wake]

I'm thinking about replacing my rack as well. Complete suspension rebuild and now have slop in the steering to deal with. Alignment is good, tires new and balanced. The only thing left is the rack.

I'm curious. Has anyone tried pressing these bushings out and replacing them? I can't find replacements on-line anywhere but there has to be a replacement out there somewhere.

 

[Truestyle Scott]

people have gone to gm and even they dont offer the bushings. they dont want you to press them in. a reman rack is about $160 from rockauto, not terrible but more than bushings. Maybe dorman will come out with some someday

 

[Wake]

Yeah, I see they're not too expensive to replace. It would be nice though to be able to replace the bushings instead of the whole unit.

With the current stock unit I know what I have, I have to cross my fingers and hope the reman until would be a good one.