I'm thinking of attempting these and the outers myself, but wondered if there's any special tools I might need or whether a pair of mole grips or adjustable spanner would do? I think I heard something about a special tool but wasn't sure.
There is a special tool which is more adequate at £30 but I used a pair of small stilsons. Worked a treat. Access isn't too bad on these.
Worse case they can be removed with some mole grips and a bit of brute force, I think any replacement items will have cut outs for a 32mm spanner too.
I'll be taking it for tracking afterwards, but I'll be trying to get it as close to the way it was as before. Simon, I believe you are a client of mine!
Yeah you won't see many people in my industry with an R26, they all have golfs and other dull cars. Work going well?
How does anyone do this? Even with the steering fully turned there's barely room to get grips on it at all, let alone well enough to grip and turn it.
I'm also extremely pissed off to note that there is play behind the inner rods, does this mean a new rack or might I be lucky and just require a steering Bush? How do I check this?
I'm not 100% sure but I think off side can be adjusted and near side has a bush that can be replaced. Steering issues another common 'theme' amongst these it seems - mines the same. If your taking it to get the tracking done, I'd just ask the garage to replace the rods as well.
It might be the mole grips I used, blunt and shit. I've borrowed some better ones and will have another crack at it and inspect this bush now I know where it is. Are there any other cheap bits that play, is there any push or link at the steering column that wears?
Correct. If there's play in the rack after changing axial joints and track rod ends, then the drivers side rack yoke can be adjusted or we sell a replacement bush for the passenger side.
How do you adjust the yoke? Do you have a photo of what it looks like? Should I be taking the inner track rod off with two sets of mole grips/pipe wrenches? When I tried the rack beyond the rod was turning a small amount with it, not a lot but I didn't like the look of it and worried about caused damage.
The yoke can be adjusted on the car. You need to remove the subframe braces (4 nuts) and then you can guide the socket on to the adjuster. The adjuster is on the rear of the rack next to the pinion box. You will need a 12mm socket on a universal joint and socket extension. Its rare that you need to adjust this but if there's still play or knocking after replacing the balljoints and passenger side plastic bush, then give the yoke a nip. Don't tighten it much. I nip it up and then back it off just slightly. If the steering won't self centre then its too tight, so it might take you a couple of goes to get it right. See photo for the yoke adjuster location.
I paid 200 for RS Murray to do mine but they're based in leeds . If works heaving then just fork out for bits like steering as you don't want that to go wrong on a car like the R26
£200?! Sure this is an hours job for a professional mech with the right tools? I wasn't even going to seperate the two parts of the old arm.
I've finally had it done but there's still a small amount of play. I will experiment with tightening the yoke, at least it looks easy enough to do myself.
Sorry to be a dumb-arse but which four bolts? I can see where I need to get the socket and almost had it without removing anything.
Its 4 nuts, (not bolts) that holds the subframe brace on. You will get the socket on just about without removing the brace but you are best using a second hand to guide the socket - for this simply remove the brace so you can get your hand in.
I haven't go a photo I'm afraid but the yoke adjuster is basically directly below where the column goes through the floor. If I get a car on a ramp, I'll take a photo.
I've found the adjuster no problem, just unsure what four nuts you mean. There's a lot under there and when I saw they held the wishbones in I lost my nerve. It problably needs new wishbones too, knowing my luck. Steering is improved, but there is some tramlining still.
