Mot Advisory "play In Steering Rack Inner Joints"

[BillNick]

Hi all,

About to collect my car (2008 IS250 51k) and the owner promised he would put through MOT so that I have 12 months to drive away with.

However, there is 1 advisory: "Play in steering rack inner joints".

Can anybody tell me what this is, and what work/parts are involved in correcting please?

May need to use it as a point for further negotiation.

Thanks
Billy

[The-Acre]

Ultimately it will result in a replacement rack. However, testers can sometimes be over zealous. I had this exact advisory on my other car two years ago. My last MOT in April this year made no mention of it! Much depends on the extent of the play. It's possible if it was tested elsewhere it wouldn't even be noticed. I would check on what they mean by play, if it's only an advisory it can surely only be slight otherwise it would have failed.

[normski2]

+1 to that.

Get it checked out, that could be expensive in 12 months time!

[BillNick]

I will call the garage that did the test and ask for more info......

My cousin who is in the motor trade said that normally comes up when the tester is a bit over zealous like you have said.

[BillNick]

Just spoke to the MOT Tester that did the test yesterday. He said very minimal play in the joint between inner arm and rack, not noticeable through steering wheel but only when car is in the air. He said nothing to worry about for a few years if at all, car is mint otherwise.

Anyone know if you can replace the rack joints or its a reconditioned rack i'm looking at?

[johnatg]

This play is due to wear in the inner joints of the steering arms - you'll have heard of 'track rod ends wearing' - the inner joints are (obviously) at the other end of the track rod. The units are the track rod/steering arms (less the track rod ends) and they just unscrew from the rack and are fairly easy to replace - don't know how much the parts cost but shouldn't be huge. Lexus call them 'Steering Rack end sub-assembly' - other manufacturers just call them ball joints. Probably a good idea to change the track rod ends too when doing the job.

Incidentally, the wear is caused by turning the steering wheel when stationary - easy with power steering - I see it all the time when people struggle to park and it's horrible. Often women do it (oh - sexist remark!) but they're not alone - (put your hand up!). The car should be moving, even slightly, when you turn the wheel, otherwise it puts huge stresses on the steering and particularly on these inner ball joints.

If you drive a car without power steering you'll know how much difference there is in steering effort between being moving and being stationary.

[BillNick]

Oh ok, so its just new inner arms then as I assume the joint comes attached to an inner arm assembly? (Will do both sides at same time).

[normski2]

Aah, as long as it's not the steering rack itself! That can be bloody expensive.

Why don't the testers just say "track rod ends"....most folk will understand that.

[johnatg]

Yeah - it's actually the whole track rod - there's a ball joint built in to the inner end.

Here is a pic of the assembly. (Edited to a single jpg)

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/926yad7vxaevxic/AADzQC4yZOYBRDwc6af_202ma

It's that ball joint labelled with the square box with numbers (torque settings) in it which wears.

[BillNick]

Yeh I had inner arms fitted to my IS200 as they seized. Cant imagine they are too different to the IS250 ones. Rod with ball joint on the end that screws into the rack piston right? Its the ball joint on the end of the rod that has the play. Play in the rack itself would mean a leak surely?

[madasahatter]

They are called rack ends on skodas a doodle of a job just a large nut on the end about 36mm,require an open end spanner or a socket like the 02 sensor ones. When i had an advisory bought both sides drivers was absolutely shot, couldnt believe i could not feel it through the stearing. Power stearing is a brilliant thing.

[toffee_pie]

bit of a difference between track rod ends and a whole steering assembly.!

good luck with car, 50k miles is nothing.

[BillNick]

Thanks all......pickup in 5 hours, I am like a kid at Xmas!

[madasahatter]

Nice one mate enjoy im nearly on 51000 miles now puts a big smile on my face i love it.

Just bought 4 x Wheel centres £12.00 really nice bit of kit look oem.