How to Replace Steering Rack Bushings

Confirm the part and repair scope

Steering rack bushings isolate the rack housing from the subframe or crossmember. Designs vary. Some are split bushes held by U-shaped clamps or brackets, some are solid bushes pressed into an eye on the rack housing, and some racks use one of each. Parts are usually specific to the rack supplier and steering type. Match the replacement by vehicle identification number, model year, engine, and whether the car uses hydraulic or electric power steering. A kit with the wrong inner diameter or clamp width may bolt up but will not hold the rack properly.

Before ordering parts, confirm that the bushings are actually causing the symptom. Support the vehicle safely and have an assistant rock the steering wheel side to side while you watch the rack housing at its mounting points. If the housing moves relative to the subframe, the rubber is cracked or extruded, or a bush has slipped out of its clamp, the mounts are the likely cause. If the housing stays still, the bushes are not the cause. In that case, check for joint play at the outer tie rod ends and movement at the inner tie rod sockets. A knock that remains with tight, sound mounts can also come from the intermediate steering shaft, sway bar links, control arm bushings or internal rack wear, and each of those needs its own diagnosis.

Prepare tools and safe access

Get the service procedure for your exact vehicle before starting. It tells you whether the bushings can be reached from below, whether the subframe must be lowered, and whether the rack has to come out to press in new bushes. It also gives the fastener specifications. Some mounting bolts may be one-time, torque-to-yield fasteners that must be replaced. If the job requires lowering the subframe, disconnecting the steering shaft on an airbag-equipped vehicle, or opening hydraulic lines, it is not a good first suspension project. Mistakes here affect steering control, so a professional shop is the safer choice for inexperienced owners.

Typical tools include: • A torque wrench that covers the specified range; • Sockets and wrenches in the sizes your vehicle uses; • Penetrating oil and a pry bar; • A transmission or floor jack to hold the subframe, where required; • A press or receiver tool for pressed-in bushes; For vehicle support, work on level, solid ground and chock the wheels that stay down. Lift only at the manufacturer's points, and set the vehicle on rated jack stands before going underneath. Never rely on a jack alone. Center the steering wheel and secure it so it cannot rotate while the rack or shaft is moved. This protects the clockspring behind the airbag.

Remove without avoidable damage

Clean around the mounts. If the bolts look corroded, apply penetrating oil and give it time to work, ideally the day before. If the intermediate shaft must be separated from the pinion, mark the shaft and pinion first so they go back together in the same spline position. Reassembling one tooth off leaves the steering wheel off center and can affect steering angle sensor readings. Remove the clamp bolts in the order the manual gives. Where the rack is only clamped, it can often stay in the car and be eased down just far enough to slide the old split bushes off.

Do not let the rack hang from its hoses, lines or tie rods, and keep electric steering connectors free of strain. Hydraulic pressure and return lines kink or crack easily when the rack is lowered, so support the housing and move it no further than needed. Remove pressed-in bushes with a proper press tool or the method the manual describes. Burning out rubber near hydraulic lines, wiring and fluid is a fire risk, and chiseling at the housing eye can crack an aluminum casting. Before discarding the old bushes, note which way any slot, void, flange or arrow faced.

Install and restore the system

Fit the new bushes in the same orientation as the originals unless the replacement instructions say otherwise. Many bushes have voids, flats or locating tabs that must line up with the clamp or face a set direction to control rack movement. Use only the lubricant the bush maker specifies. Rubber bushes are often installed dry or with a rubber-safe assembly lubricant, and polyurethane kits usually include their own grease. Petroleum-based grease can degrade rubber. When pressing in a bush, push on the outer shell, not the rubber center, and stop when the flange or depth mark is reached.

Raise the rack into position and start all fasteners by hand. Then tighten them to the fastener specification in the service manual, in the stated sequence. Do not guess the value. Loose clamp bolts let the rack shift, and overtightening can crush the bush or strip the threads in the subframe. If the manufacturer specifies final tightening at ride height, do it with the suspension loaded, not hanging. Reconnect the intermediate shaft on its alignment marks, using a new pinch bolt if required. Reinstall any subframe bolts. If hydraulic lines were opened, top up and bleed the power steering fluid.

The rack's position sets the pivot points of the inner tie rods, so moving it can change toe. Have a wheel alignment checked after the job if the subframe was lowered, the rack was removed, or the new bushes differ in design from the originals. If the steering shaft was disconnected, some vehicles also need a steering angle sensor reset or calibration with a scan tool. Follow the manufacturer's procedure for that step.

Check the completed work

Before lowering the vehicle, confirm that every fastener has been torqued. Also check that hoses, wiring and the steering shaft clear all moving parts at full lock in both directions. With the vehicle on the ground and the engine running, turn the wheel slowly from lock to lock and listen for binding, rubbing or fluid noise. Check any disturbed fittings for leaks and confirm that the steering wheel sits centered.

Road test at low speed in a safe area first. The steering should respond immediately, return toward center normally and stay quiet over bumps. Some manufacturers call for rechecking fastener torque after an initial drive, so follow that instruction if it applies. Get further diagnosis before regular driving if you notice a persistent clunk, a pull, an off-center wheel, a steering or stability warning light, or any new noise. If knocking continues with tight, new bushes, suspect other worn parts such as the tie rods, the intermediate shaft or the rack itself.