Using VW Inner Tie Rods with Manual Rack - A couple of questions

[Das944]

Hi,

I'm converting from power steering to manual, and will be using VW inner tie rods due to the much lower cost. The geometry seems to work fine, but I have a couple of questions regarding the stop ring.

The Porsche manual inner tie rods include a stop ring that slips over the the inside end of the inner tie rod (#6 below), in order to stop the rack from traveling too far and allowing the rack to engage the pinion gear at the end of its travel.



The outer diameter of the VW inner tie rod where the stop ring is installed is different than that of the original Porsche tie rod, so I will need to machine a new stop ring. The Porsche stop ring is made of some sort of rubber with steel bearing surfaces. Do you think it is important that the stop ring be made of a resilient material? I'm inclined to make it of aluminum. On the rare occasion that the rack is at full lock, the aluminum would stop the travel more abruptly, but I don't really see a problem with that.

Also, please note in the photo below that there is a steel shoulder on the inside face of the original stop ring. I assume this is present to give a little more structural integrity to the rubber stop ring without placing steel in the compressible portion of the part. What do you think?



Further, the rubber portion of the original stop ring has a concave circumferential surface. I plan to machine a cylindrical part.

Thank you for any help you are able to provide.

Jeff

[Rasta Monsta]

Machine shop can turn your TRE down to fit the stop ring. Fwiw, I run the rabbit tie rods without them.

[Das944]

Thanks Rasta Mon.

Yes, I suppose turning the inner tie rod down to fit the stock stop ring would be the easiest way to do it, though I do think it would be cool to come up with a stop ring to slip on to a Rabbit/Jetta tie rod.