How do you get the guide ring thingy off the rack? Is it a grub screw holding it on, as I can't see or feel a hex in it, so am I barking up the wrong tree? Also, how do I tell if the ring's worn, or the ball pin things for that matter.

Then, when I put it back together, how does one appropriately tension the castellated nuts? Until they touch the springs and half a turn more?

Oh yeah, also, where do I drill for the grease nipple in the guide ring bit? I guess I need a long grease nipple to protrude through the rubber anti rattle bit?

Russell,
on older racks, the guide ring was secured with a rivet, later ones are a press fit.
In both cases, I use a few dots of weld on each side of the ring to attach the ring to the rack...

You will see the wear, most noticable on those parts of the ring closest to the slot in the guide tube.
Best to carry out a trial fit of the guide ring into the tube before gunning it on. I've used oversized guide rings in the past and they sometimes needed reducing a shade.
There's usually most wear close to the centre of the guide tube.

Same as at the other end of the track rod; tighten the castellated nut fully home, then back it off by 1/6 of a turn. Check that the ball pins turn freely without stiffness or free play.

Weld a 6mm nut to the outside face of the dust cover, midway between the two square/rectangular openings.
The angled grease nipple screws onto the nut, poking through that hole you've drilled/punched in the anti-rattle rubber.

Back to that @@@@@y VAT return now...

If you have access to a lathe

See here viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3557&start=20

Thanks chaps. I feel like a right thicky having to ask but I've never taken one to bits before and I'm a bit reluctant to cock it up as I don't have any spares.

I cleaned all the old grease and shit out and put it all back together with new grease. It's a bit notchy and feels worse now than when I started, in fact, before I took it apart it was fine. Why does it feel lumpy and shit now? Did I mis-adjust something?

Did you remove/replace the steering pinion? Be very careful not missing one of the loose needles at the bottom.

Here a worn guide ring



Welded the new guide ring

Russell,
how did you adjust that castle nut which sets the spring pressure of the guide against the underside of the rack?

It should only be nipped up enough to allow the rack 'to move smoothly from lock to lock without movement of the teeth being felt'.
Too tight and the rack will feel 'notchy'...

Well I thought I had only just nipped it up but I'll definitely double check that. I didn't take the pinion out so I wouldn't have thought I'd lost a bearing pin but I wonder now if that bearing is knackered. Pretty disappointed that the first time I've bothered fixing anything it's now worse than before!

Thanks chaps. I'll have a look tomorrow.

I thought the pinion had to be removed to be able to dismantle the rest?
Did you test it by turning the pinion by hand? Steering racks do feel very different with a steering wheel on them.