I pulled back the boot to the steering rack and noticed that the ball
socket end had loosened a few threads and was causing the play in the tie
rod.  I tightened it back but the slot for the locking tab is on the top
and slightly toward the rear.  There is only a few inches clearence above
that so I will have to loosen the rack and try to rotate it so I can
access the locking tab and bend it over.  I hope this works without
removing the PS fluid lines if not, I had an idea to connect a couple
lengths of rubber hose to the PS lines to direct the fluid into a
container and minimize the mess.  Last time I removed one I used a drain
pan but the fluid dripped all over.  I wish VW would have placed the PS
locking slot on the side or bottom like it is on the manual rack.

David Hines
87' suby syncro

On Wed, 18 Mar 2009 08:13:18 -0400, Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
wrote:

>David, I know I have replaced these without taking the rack out before
>so there should be no problem.  I have never seen the rack actually worn
>out to cause this problem.  I have seen the inner tie rod ball/socket
>worn out though so that is most likely what it is.  You should be able
>to see the play in it while someone wiggles the wheel now that you have
>the boot pulled back.  Let me know if you need anything.  I can get
>these parts on the way to you quickly.
>
>Ken Wilford
>John 3:16
>www.vanagain.com
>
>
>David Hines wrote:
>> I have some play in the steering wheel and have narrowed it down to the
ball socket end of the drivers side tie rod.  I have an 87 syncro with
power steering and I have replaced the rubber steering coupling discs and
the tie rod ends.  I jacked up the drivers side front and pulled on the
wheel at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and I get slight movement (about
1/16 - 1/8").  There is no movement on the passenger side.  So I unbolted
the DS outer tie rod end to remove it from the knuckle and pulled in and
out on the tie rod, and noticed the same movement.  This points to the
ball socket on the inner end of the tie rod or as Scott Foss pointed out
in a previous message, it could be the bushing on the end of the steering
rack gear (http://gerry.vanagon.com/cgi-bin/wa.exe?
A2=ind0803A&L=vanagon&P=R18268).  I am hoping it is the tie rod and not
the rack.  How do I diagnose the bushing on the end of the rack?
>>
>> My main question is has anyone replaced the whole tie rod assembly
without removing the rack from the van?  I really hate messing with those
PS fluid lines.  I am concerned about bending the tab that keeps the tie
rod from loosening where it connects to the rack (see pic at:
http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/InnerTieRodEndDS.jpg/InnerTieRodEndDS-
full;init:.jpg)  I have read in other posts that the tab is on the top of
the rack and is hard to get to.
>>
>> My thought is to disconnect the steering shaft from the u-joint and
unbolt the 4 bolts that hold the rack to the frame so I can rotate it to
access the bent tabs without disconnecting the PS fluid lines.  Has anyone
successfully tried this before?
>>
>> I will be careful to clamp to the steering rack gear and not the rack
when removing the tie rod as mentioned in other posts about tie rods.  And
I will be getting an alignment.  Just in case I have to remove a PS rack
again, does anyone have a trick to minimizing the amount of fluid lost
and/or making a mess when disconnecting the PS fluid lines?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> David Hines
>>
>> 87' suby syncro
>>
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I pulled back the boot to the steering rack and noticed that the ball
socket end had loosened a few threads and was causing the play in the tie
rod.  I tightened it back but the slot for the locking tab is on the top
and slightly toward the rear.  There is only a few inches clearence above
that so I will have to loosen the rack and try to rotate it so I can
access the locking tab and bend it over.  I hope this works without
removing the PS fluid lines if not, I had an idea to connect a couple
lengths of rubber hose to the PS lines to direct the fluid into a
container and minimize the mess.  Last time I removed one I used a drain
pan but the fluid dripped all over.  I wish VW would have placed the PS
locking slot on the side or bottom like it is on the manual rack.

David Hines
87' suby syncro