Power steering rack help/advice
 

Hi guys,

Would appreciate your views on this. I purchased a fully reconditioned UK rack for a friend SE Asia (fortune to replace) B5 A4 1.8 auto, NA engine. He had the rack fitted by an Audi specialist and got it back yesterday but it is making a creaking noise. The mechanic said that if it doesn't disappear in the next week it will have to come back in and have a part from the old one changed over. I am not familiar with the technicals on racks but he pointed to the area of drivers side of the rack under the new rubber boot. Don't know what to make of it to be honest.

I find it hard to believe it would have gone out faulty (company has a very good reputation for reconditioning) wondering if it hasn't been fitted correctly and if so is there anything that can be checked e.g. air in the system? Equally though, I know the garage and can't see the guy making a mess of have fitted this either :)

Any help would be appreciated.

Could be inner tie rods are too tight.

Thanks for the suggestion I will pass this on. Is this quite time consuming or something he can easily check and adjust at the garage? He's told me that the steering feels heavier than before and he has ruled out any of the usual weak suspension pieces as these were replaced as a kit when the rack was done. As there is now warranty on this it is a tad frustrating!

If it did not have this problem before I would get another rack or swap inner tie rods with the old one if theta are still good.

Many thanks for the help Mike. I know it wasn't making this creaking noise before. The rack was leaking so had to be swapped. Spoke to him earlier on the phone and he said it's still the same. Going in Saturday I presume to have the tie rod ends changed over from the old rack. I will report the findings for anyone else who may have the same symptoms.

Mike take a bow Sir :) Mechanic loosened them off a tad and no more creaking. To give him his due he had already suspected it was this chewing it over the night my friend had phoned him, just glad the rack was OK and nothing amiss.

Cheers again.