Yes, the nut is nice and tight, I can also not detect any play in the steering rack. I just looked at our host's Web-Page and the only puck I can see is made from Aluminum (D-Zug). I wonder since I have everything apart if I should replace it anyways.

Juergen

1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible - Steering System - Page 3

I've not heard any feedback on those solid metal pucks. The part number for the rubber version is 901.347.201.02.

When the funny locking plates are new enough (not squashed some), and everything is tight, the plates are held to the steel tubes, which bear on the cross piece on the other side, so well that you don't get movement. When things wear, you can get some. In my case, it was a sort of stick/slip. But it certainly wasn't 20 degrees, and when on the track or road you really didn't notice it. It was not like the car wouldn't steer where you wanted it to.

So something more than worn rubber puck parts is involved here. and there are really only two likely suspects - the nut you haven't gotten to, or something has failed inside the rack. There are springs and things holding the rack tight up against the pinion. I haven't looked at Draco's tutorial, but I bet it explains all this. A loose nut sounds like a more likely cause if it happened rather suddenly.

I checked the nut on top of the pinion and it is tight. The rack moves smoth and I can feel no play in it. The play I noticed when the rack was in the car was not noticable while driving, only when turning the steering wheel while the car was standing still. I can open up the rack tonight to see what I find.

Juergen

Walt, did you replace the rubber puck to solve the "stick/slip". Did you notice how large the holes are in the rubber puck where the metal sleeve sit in?

Juergen

Thanks a lot, I found it on the host's page now. The question of course now is, do I spend now $100.50 for the original rubber coupling, or $94.00 for the D-Zug Aluminum coupling? In any case, I don't want to put the old part back in.

Juergen

Pelican Parts - 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe Parts and Accessories

There is an aftermarket version too, which is about $40.

I'm amazed that you say that amount of play was not noticeable during driving.

I'm actually amazed myself and makes me question my sensitivity driving the car. I'm not sure for how long the problem existed before I noticed it. Even after I noticed it (when the car was sitting still) I could not tell when the car was moving.
I will do more inspection on the rack itself tonight after I get it cleaned up, but I will replace the rubber coupling for sure. A friend of mine in Germany went to a Porsche garage and was told the coupling definitely looks worn out.

Thanks again for all the help, I will post pictures after I get the new part for a side by side comparison.

Juergen

Juergen

I replaced everything - the bolts, the steel tubes, and the funny locking clip pieces. That solved it, I don't know which of these parts was just every so slightly worn.

I never noticed this when driving either. There was enough pressure that it didn't just slop around. It was a sort of stick/slip. And it never approached anything like 20 degrees, though I didn't try to measure it back then.

The rubber part is probably good, but why not replace. Here is an older rubber part from my '68 race car. I didn't notice any play at all, and found this only when I was figuring out how to install a U joint and get all that rubber out of there. You can find, with a search, my discussion of that process, but it is more than you want.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1412145089.jpg

This is a different design, with the bolts (here just inserted so they all show) in sleeves which are tight to the rubber, but with hollow spaces in the rubber in between. Someone has just filled the space between rubber and steel sleeve with silicone and reported good results.

You probably know about the failure of the plastic sleeve by the ball bearing up by the steering wheel - how that lets you move the steering wheel what seems like a fair amount left or right (or up and down) while sitting there in the car. But you don't notice this driving unless you make a conscious effort to move the wheel side to side while driving along. Perhaps the gyroscopic effects of the front wheel assembly is enough to prevent noticing these things? And we are gentle enough on turn initiation that we don't notice we are taking out some slop? We drive with our eyes as well as our hands, so if the rate of turn seems about right, what is to notice?

Walt, the plastic sleeve at my steering wheel is less than two years old and doesn't have any play in it. I should get my new rubber coupling tomorrow and will let everyone know how it worked out.

Juergen

Break a Leg Brother, you are lubing everything since you have it out, Yes?

Yes, since I was waiting on parts anyways I did. Can't wait to get it back together and drive my car again.

Juergen

OK, I received the rubber coupling and Ferrino was correct. The holes for the metal sleeves were a little smaller than in my old coupling, but not by much. I greased everything, installed the new coupling and mounted the steering rack back in the car. What the heck, the play is still there :confused:.
So today I had my wife wiggle the steering wheel (car sitting on the ground) while I worked my way down from the smugglers box to the tie rods to see anything. Here is what I could see:
Left side tie rod moving up and down :confused::confused:??? (Click on the images, they are links to the movies)
http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...psbfd6e99a.mp4

The right side also, but not so much:
http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5c8c6880.mp4

I guess tomorrow I have my work cut out to see what is going on under the tie rod covers and maybe the steering rack???

Juergen

I had a similar problem on an 86 Carrera. The end bushing on the rack had popped out. You can push it back in, but you will need to find a way to secure it. I drilled through the housing and put in a set screw.

I'll check it out today. I guess my mistake was not to pull the tie rod covers back when I had the steering rack on the bench. I opened the two diamond shaped covers to inspect and put grease in, but didn't check under the tie rod covers. The bushing popping out would explain why this happened more sudden.

Juergen

Definitely sounds like bushings popped out of rack. Surprised the tie rods didn't feel all floppy when it was out?

OK, the rack is back out (isn't it amazing how easy it is the second time?). After I pulled the rubber cover (while under the car) I could see the bushing did come out:
http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...ps59b7119f.jpg
This picture is after the rack was back on my bench. The star shaped retainer ring is broken so the bushing was able to slide out:
http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...psfae99ba5.jpg
This is the retainer ring that broke. I looked in the parts catalogue, but it only shows the steering rack as a whole. I asked a local shop who works on Porsche. He didn't know where to get the ring, but offered me a whole used rack.
http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...psea58469d.jpg

Any idea where I can by this retainer ring? BTW, the right hand side is OK. This time I looked.

Juergen

Whoa :eek: was a stress fracture or just wear???

I don't think it is wear. There is nothing rubbing on the retainer ring. It may have been damaged 28 years ago when it was installed, who knows. Maybe me lowering the front and not using a bump steer kit induced some stress, I don't know. The big question is, where can I get a new retainer ring?

Juergen

In my search for a new retaining ring I even called ZF in Germany (they are the manufacturer of the steering rack) to find out if they would sell me a new ring. They were happy to sell me a new full steering rack, but not just the part.
Then I went and searched for metric internal retaining rings and found it on the MSC Web-Page for just $0.67, but shipping is $10.50 !!!!!!
I guess my next step is a trip to the local hardware store since now I know what I am looking for. I may get this fixed after all without spending $1,600 for a complete new steering rack or somewhat less for a used one.

Juergen