Steering Rack Replacment

[Monkgti]

I think ive finally narrowed down the knocking and rattling noise in the front to being the steering rack. There is play in the rack itself, when getting someone to rock the steering back and forth and watching and putting your hand where the shaft goes into the rack you can see the shaft moves a bit either way before moving the rack and wheels. So looks like a new rack is needed, does anyone know if all the racks are the same between the vectra c's or does it have to be a facelift cdti 150 as thats what mine is?

[Monkgti]

Anyone know???

[John LE]

Are you sure it's not the ball joint on the inner tie arms that has play? It's a common problem on the Vec and caused a knock on my car

[Sebastian]

Are u 100% sure is not inner tie rods , to replace steering rack u need to drop subframe

[m8internet]

It would be best to compare the steering with the engine off then on
Have someone sit in the drivers seat and hold it firmly, to prevent any movement
Take the steering to the end of each travel direction, there should be no movement once in this position
Equally, it is more common for liquid to be seen coming from the seals when the rack itself has failed

As above, most knocking noises come from the Anti-Roll Bar bushes or the bushes on the control arms themselves
If the steering rack bushes have failed, then you should only hear this when you turn the steering wheel and it reaches the end of travel

[ScottyV6]

I had my tie rods changed last week. and asked them to look at my steering rack as well. the outcome/report from mechanic said the steering rack has a little play, but it wont get worse, or fail an MOT. he advised to live with it rather than fork out £700+ for replacement. It doesn't leak or anything just a small knock

[Monkgti]

Yep its definitely in the rack, the uv joint just before the shaft enters the rack is dead tight, but its right where the shaft goes in to the rack with someone moving the steering wheel slightly right and left the shaft moves a little each way before it starts to move the rack. With both wheels off the ground and grabbing the wheels at 9-3 positions theres no play whatsoever, and ive also changed both droplinks and anti-roll bar bushes hoping it might sort the noise even though i found no play in those either
With the engine off, if you rock the steering wheel right and left quickly you can hear the exact knocking and also feel it at your feet down by the pedals, when i do the same thing in the girlfriends car which is a vectra aswell its dead silent and no play before the wheels move

When driving there is no wandering of the steering and the car even passed NCT 2 weeks ago, but its more annoying now than anything, because you can hear the rattle and feel it up through the wheel when on a rough road and over speed ramps.

[m8internet]

If you are experiencing play at 12 and 6, then try the same test on another Vectra and compare
I think you will be in for a surprise...

When performing this test, is the engine running or not?

[Monkgti]

On the road wheels there is no play at 9-3 or 12-6 on the 2 of them, and thats with the engine off. And when turning the steering wheel right and left quickly and hearing the noise the engine is switched off also. Do you mean check the steering wheel for play at 12 and 6?

[m8internet]

On the road wheels there is no play at 9-3 or 12-6 on the 2 of them, and thats with the engine off. And when turning the steering wheel right and left quickly and hearing the noise the engine is switched off also. Do you mean check the steering wheel for play at 12 and 6?

No, each of the front wheels
You need to compare with the engine off, and then on
If the play is the same the issue is in the steering rack
If the play is only with the engine off, then it is the steering components (bushes)