131mirafiori forum

Has anyone rebuilt their manual steering rack?

I have a TRW rack 3750208 in which the long end plastic bushing is disintegrated.

I removed the inner tie rod ends and have a replacement bushing 4323104 but I can not figure out how it goes in.

The inside diameter of the bushing is larger than the outside diameter of the toothed rack over which it is supposed to fit.
The outside diameter (particularly with the 3 plastic pins which are supposed to hold it in place) are too large to fit inside the rack housing.

The only choice I see is to cut the bushing lengthwise so that the end sections can be overlapped and pushed into the rack housing until the 3 pins click into place, and perhaps then the inside diameter will be opened enough for the toothed rack rod to fit inside the bushing.

Can anyone give me some advice on how to properly fit this bushing?

Thanks
Chuck

I think you've got the wrong bushing! Maybe it's a bushing for the power rack?

I replaced the bushing in my 131 manual rack a few years ago and didn't have any of the problems you describe. 

See the bush I fitted to my rack below. Looks different (smaller) to the one you have?

See also my old post from seven years ago at http://131mirafiori.com/smf/index.php/topic,7997.msg66512.html#msg66512

Thanks for your comments. I agree that although the part number on the plastic part would appear to make it the right one that it is in fact not correct - maybe not made to spec.

I will check with the supplier.

Thanks again for your replies.

Chuck

Looks like the steering column bush you have there.

Supplier send a new bushing and it works like was stated above - relatively easy to install new bushing once inner and outer tie rod ends are removed.

I compressed the bushing with a jubilee clamp and drove it in with an appropriate sized socket.

Thanks for the help!

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