Art20c

After replacing rack for second time in 14 years there is no way of telling what rack and what rack stops I have, earlier or late version. The thing is, after replacing rack(short) we used stops from previous rack. Now when I cut the wheel, it goes too far out. So, I figure I need fatter stops. But which stops are fatter, earlier once or late once?

87 928S4, Auto

GlenL

The stops are the same width, it's how they mount to the rod that's different.

You can tell what rack you have by measuring the length of the rod. From memory: 80.5cm for old rack and 79cm for newer.

What goes too far out? Are you rubbing stock wheels?

karl ruiter

I recently got a rack from a well known vendor and, while I am pretty sure I had orderd a late rack, I got an early one. I assume the error was that the rebuilder labled the box wrong. Since shipping was expensive, I just put it on. So it is not impossible that your rack was swapped early to late or vice versa at some point, even if you did not know about it.

Mrmerlin

if you have an early rack in a later car you can always put on an extra stop as one or more will fit

Art20c

Wheels are rubbing, and it even feels as if wheels turn too much from side to side, car even not moving with wheels cut to any side, unless I let steering go a little bit, or hit the gas. Obviously, I need extra spacers. What is the difference in mounting?

GlenL

Are they stock wheels or something else? Non-stock wheels may rub with the right rack and stops.

The early spacers fit around the threads to the ball joint. The later spacers just go around the rack.

Art20c

It just hit me. I still have an old rack in my possession. Will I be able to tell what rack was it?

Art20c

Wheel are stock, nothing special. By ball joint you meant tie rod?

GlenL

Yeah, threads to inner tie rod end. If you've got more stops you should be able to make something work. Cut out the middle of early stops and put them on the rack rod.

Art20c

So, early stops are sitting a little out, partially on inner tie rod end, thus providing more space on steering rod causing more movement from side to side?

GlenL

Yea, that's the way I'm recalling it.

soontobered84

Racks also have a build date embossed in the casting IIRC

Art20c

So I guess I need newer stops

Art20c

Checked an old rack. Imagine my surprise when I saw stops on it. One intact, even has a number on it 928 347 329 03. Strange number, its suppose to be 04 at the end. The other one was destroyed , only two metal washers remain, rubber between them is gone. Rack dated 1981. But stops look like newer once. They have rounded hole in the middle. The main thing is and what pisses me off the most, that mechanic never installed stops on my rack.

Mrmerlin

+if you dont have any stops then just fit 2 and see how far the wheels turn,
if they still rub then fit another set with the originals,
or replace the rack with the correct part.

IIRC early and late stops all fit on the rack and are not on the threaded portion of the inner tie rod.

Though to get a wrench on the inner tie rod,
you do have to tap the stops inwards so to move them away from the inner tierod,
then counterhold with a 22mm wrench the tierod is a 32mm