Hello,

Well, here is a nice tricky job for me to have to do tomorrow. A new rack bush is on the way for my Uno Turbo - it failed its inspection because there was 'play in the left of the steering'.

I think this means the rack bush, inside the steering rack.

I have a hazy memory of replacing one of these (unnecessarily) about ten years ago. Has anyone done it more recently?

Or, has anyone taken the rack out of an Uno Turbo? Is it a long job/does the gearchange linkage have to come out (I think the linkage has a bracket on the subframe with a heat-shield over the rack?)

I also wonder how much grease needs to go into the steering rack, and whether it's worth taking the old stuff out first.

Thanks,
-Alex

You need to find a new place to get WOF's. Thats a poor description. Ive never seen a worn Uno steering rack.

LOL - Thanks Steve...

Well, my Uno does knock and rattle at the front, so it's quite likely. It had done only 400 miles since the last WOF six months ago! I think some people do that mileage in a week...

I've ordered two control arms (yes, both sides!) from Autolign. This is for piece of mind and because I think the bolts are pulling out of the bodyshell captive nuts, so I want to change the left arm again. The second-hand one I put on a couple of years back was not in perfect condition, so it's probably shot now.

Autolign quoted $144 each +GST. I said that last time I bought one for my red Uno, a year or two ago, it was much less than that. They said, OK, what price did you pay - roughly? I said, about $80... OK then, they replied, how about $72 +GST...

In the meantime, I'll try to get the rack out tomorrow. Should be fun.
-Alex

I was going to say $144 is way too much. Genuine Fiat prices are much less. $72 is good! I have had to replace a steering rack mount bush once. maybe thats what they mean.

i know this is an old thread but i need help i know my steering rack bushes need replacement and i have the pieces of the oldone to prove it.

Problem is i have no clue where they go

do i needto remove only the rack end or the whole thing

would like to do this one myself as ive never attempted this before

will post pics later.

kasedie said:

i know this is an old thread but i need help i know my steering rack bushes need replacement and i have the pieces of the oldone to prove it.

Problem is i have no clue where they go

do i needto remove only the rack end or the whole thing

would like to do this one myself as ive never attempted this before

will post pics later.

Click to expand...

Hi Kasedie!
Good on you for searching first, you did your homework
There is only the one bush inside the rack, at the end away from the driver. It is a sort of triangular shape, with a round hole in the middle.

You do have to get the inner balljoint off the rack. On the really old FIATs like the 128, the inner balljoint was retained by a large nut. For some reason the newer FIATs have a round balljoint retainer - so to undo it, you have to grip something round - which is almost impossible. One reason might be so that there are no sharp corners to catch on the rubber boot.

When I replaced my rack bush, I found the old one was actually quite new but had been worn away by "mash marks" (imprints from vices, grips etc.) on the rack itself! The moral is that you must not damage the rack surface that slides in the bush, otherwise you'll be back to square one soon.

I'm almost certain that you should remove the rack from the car, even though it might be possible to do it in place. It's not hard to remove the rack - the steering column attachment is particularly easy to get to on the Uno, but mark all connections with white paint before you undo, and remember that the pinch-bolt must come all the way out before the column joint pulls off the rack. Under the car you have an easier time than I did - with my Uno Turbo the gearchange linkage had to come off. I think there are four bolts going up through long (deep) holes in the subframe.


There's no need to take off either of the outer balljoints, so you can save yourself from needing a wheel alignment.

To get that inner balljoint off, it's probably best to clamp the outer rack housing in a large bench vise and then use a hammer and chisel to undo the road balljoint retainer, hitting the edge near the bent over locking tab - I'm serious - I think that will do less damage than vise grips, a pipe wrench, etc.

Before you fit the new bush, give some thought to replacing the lubricant in the rack. I wiped mine with paper towels and spooned in CV Joint grease (grey molybdenum disulphide), as I reckon this is the best grease that you can get. The older FIATs had 90EP gear oil in the rack. I tried filling an Uno rack with this once and it was fine, but it was a mess, and one day it will probably leak out. So I reckon the grease is a better idea. The proper name is FIAT K854... but yeah, CV joint grease... about half-fill the housing.

Something else I did was to fiddle with the rack damper, which is the diamond-shaped plate opposite the steering shaft going into the rack. There are some shims under this to set the amount of damping (anti-knocking) force. I fitted thinner shims off... an old FIAT 128.

Actually replacing the rack bush is a matter of pushing it in with screwdrivers etc. until the tabs fit into the slots in the rack housing.

Hope this helps a little in some way...?

Cheers,
-Alex

Thanks a lot Alex that is a big help.

Went to most of the shops that sell fiat parts today and i was i bit unlucky so the car may have to sit for a week or so.

none have any of the steering boots at the moment the one shop that may have them is closed for relocation. mine are in tatters

will take the time to change the oil seal inside the dizzy with help from a earlier post on here as well as the left cv joint inner and outer boots.

Should also do the back hub but none will be available for two or so weeks either.

This car is fun. I'm getting to work on all its vital organs.

Is it not easier to simply replace the entire rack? There must be some in wrecker yards, and as Steve says they dont often wear out, so most of the wrecker ones will be fine.

jjhepburn said:

Is it not easier to simply replace the entire rack? There must be some in wrecker yards, and as Steve says they dont often wear out, so most of the wrecker ones will be fine.

Click to expand...

Good thinking James, but I wonder if kasedie has the only Uno in Jamaica...?! I would have thought it would be all large American cars...

-Alex

Hello again well i replaced the bush, actually easier done than said. I removed the whole stearing rack from the car but that seems not to have been necessary. the experience was good tho and the descriptions on here were very helpful
Mine is the old one i guess because it had the flat sections i fit a very large spanner over it so it was easily removed. the bush worked out much cheaper for me as two cost less than the equivalent of 1 pound.

Up to a year ago quite a few unos were being privately scrapped but they are being resurected because of a sharp increase in gas prices

We have very few american or european cars here. its all japanese. I think we have every model toyota produces. honda, nissan, mitsubishi, suzuki are all close. those are the used parts available in abundance.

Also changed both distributor oil seals cam cover gasket and a tripod ball joint while i was at it.

Thanks for all the help