Cret Posted October 15, 2003 Share Posted October 15, 2003 Can anyone tell me if Legacy and impreza steering racks are the same or interchangeable? My 89 RS legacy has quite a bit of play in the steering which seems to be in the rack rather than a worn ball joint etc. Seeing as my chances of getting the proper Legacy one for it are somewhere between slim & none, I wondered if one from a wrx impreza or suchlike will go straight on in it's place, as I can probably get one of those easily and relatively cheaply. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy777 Posted October 15, 2003 Share Posted October 15, 2003 I think they are pretty much interchangable. You'd want to make sure you get one from a pre-WRX era car. There's a possibility the lines won't hook up in the exact same spot....but that's about as far as I know. Someone on another board put a 97 GT legacy rack in his BF legacy. I could use a new one too.....and supposedly the newer racks have a quicker turning ratio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted October 15, 2003 Author Share Posted October 15, 2003 That sounds hopeful then - cheers Josh. I want to get my car as spick & span as I can right now. There's a chip going in tonight, brakes from a 22B going on in a week or so, a new 3" straight through exhaust, and then I'll maybe get the dent in the front wing sorted out and give it a clean! An Impreza guy I know thinks he might be able to find me an impreza rack as a possible freebie so that'd solve the main remaining problem with the car then. Yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted October 15, 2003 Share Posted October 15, 2003 Did you look closely at the steering column universal joints (2 of them in serie on my Legacy) just outside the fire wall? I had play in the steering and found out these joints were slack (Have someone move the steering wheel slightly while you watch the joints). I retorqued them and everything is tight again. Just a possibility but less costly than a new rack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted October 15, 2003 Author Share Posted October 15, 2003 Excellent plan Frag, cheers! I'm sure it's the rack or something above it as the play in the wheel seems to have no resistance at all connected to it (i.e. the slack bit is before its really moving anything), so I guess a UJ could be the culprit! Do these just tighten up then or willit be something like a rubber bush in the joint that might need changing? BTW - just driven the car with the new chip in it and all I can say is WOW!! The difference is amazing - feels like a different car completely! The best thing is that the chip cost me just NZ$179 (about US$110 or so) so power for money it's incredible. In case anyone else has an older Legacy like mine (that uses the 8bit ecu) and wants a chip I would highly recommend these guys, they've been very helpful and I'm delighted with the chip even though I've only had about 30 minutes of driving on it so far. http://www.dynamicrace.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy777 Posted October 15, 2003 Share Posted October 15, 2003 I saw those universal joints when I was under the car last weekend. I was wondering about them too. Do they just tighten up....anything special that you need to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 If I remember well, you have splines at both ends and on my car not only had the connection loosened but the part had moved and one end was on the verge of parting completely. So I would recommend that you look closely to see if the male parts are well engaged in the female parts and if so thigthen everything to specs. I found the torque settings in Haynes and I could give them to you if need be. Edit... And no there are no special bushings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 To be more precise, the slack was not IN the joint but at both ends where the shaft from the steering colum enters the joint and where the shaft from the rack enters the other end. Just two bolts to tighten to the proprer torque if everything is in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted October 16, 2003 Author Share Posted October 16, 2003 Frag - I owe you a pint! I'd noticed the joint before down by the turbo chimney, but it didn't seem to have play in it. What I hadn't realised however until yu mentioned it, is that there are two joints there. Bingo! The lower one which I hadn't spotted had the slack in it so it's been tightened up tonight in a couple of minutes and has made the steering go from horrible to perfect in a few turns of a ratchet! Top marks to that man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frag Posted October 16, 2003 Share Posted October 16, 2003 Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy777 Posted October 17, 2003 Share Posted October 17, 2003 I'll be checking mine this weekend too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy777 Posted October 19, 2003 Share Posted October 19, 2003 I checked the u-joints and they were all tight. I could move the shaft below the joints and see the steering wheel move with the slightest change by my hand, and same thing if I moved the shaft above the joints, I could see the wheels move ever so slightly. I do think the poly steering rack bushings will help. Under centrifugal and normal driving forces there will definitely be more resistance to change then when it's sitting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleiades Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 It'll work! I've got a '00 RS Impreza rack in my '98 GT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROSSTBOLT Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Josh, I cannot believe ANYTHING in your car is worn that badly! I am going to check mine even though the Baja has only turned over 20k miles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legacy777 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I do have 174k miles though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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