When I turn the steering wheel to the left and then back right to straighten out the wheels I get a popping noise thru the steering rack...anyone have any guesses?
Grinding/Popping nosie when turning
FUSE
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Did you install the rack and pinion? I have been hearing a clicking in mine, so I took it part some today. The rack is toast, passenger side bushing is in pieces. I'm going to probably get thr rackzilla also.
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more than likely it's the brass bushing that holds the bottom of the pinion gear in place. that gives it slop between the pinion and the rack, and pretty soon it starts jumping.
before you jump the conclusions, we had our 2012 HD that we were sure had a rack failure, but it was actually the steering shaft yoke jumping the splines where it attaches to the rack... turns out that someone at polaris forgot to tighen the bolt on the yoke (imagine that) and it took about 800 hours for this problem to show up! So, I'd look at that first!
it might be possible to disassemble the rack and build your own brass bushing for the pinion gear if yours has failed, but I've never tried it. Sounds like you've got plenty of work on your hands with that thing at present!
before you jump the conclusions, we had our 2012 HD that we were sure had a rack failure, but it was actually the steering shaft yoke jumping the splines where it attaches to the rack... turns out that someone at polaris forgot to tighen the bolt on the yoke (imagine that) and it took about 800 hours for this problem to show up! So, I'd look at that first!
it might be possible to disassemble the rack and build your own brass bushing for the pinion gear if yours has failed, but I've never tried it. Sounds like you've got plenty of work on your hands with that thing at present!
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Yep. Couple Outlaw DHT axles to install, replace the steering rack, install the new gated shifter, full fluids change, aaaand yank the front diff out for the dealer to install the brutus gearing (they are doing it for free if I bring it to them)
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I got mine put in this morning. It is dimensionally bigger and heavier than the stock one. It steers a little harder than the old one also, but mine was in really bad shape. I hope it lasts a little while. I grenaded the front differential the first trip out this morning now.
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602 Posts
Well I'm still getting a rachetting noise thru the steering rack...it seemstighter with the new rack but I think the steering shaft itself is worn out at that first joint down below the eps unit as their is a ton of play between the two shafts. Does anyone have any input on that? Not seeing how u could replace anything in that joint besides the whole shaft.
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Josh- if she's ratcheting and has a lot of slop in the top bearing where the yoke is splined on, I'm afraid she's not long for this world. Usually this is the point where they'll start jumping cogs in the rack! Sounds like the lower pinion bushing in the rack is completely gone, and the upper bearing is getting bad too. Wouldn't make any trips into the boonies until you switch racks out!
FYI, new racks will be a little stiff until they get broken in. at least that has been my experience with them. I have never used a rack besides polaris (although I will when warranty runs out) but I always rake the boots off the new rack on the bench and put more grease in them to help them live. Then I will do this again generally every few hundred hours or so. The last rack I did on my brothers 2011 I drilled and put a grease zerk in-between the upper pinion bearing and the lower bushing so it could be greased every so often and will put the grease exactly where it's needed.
Don't know how the warranty will feel if you do that to a rackzilla, but thats your call
FYI, new racks will be a little stiff until they get broken in. at least that has been my experience with them. I have never used a rack besides polaris (although I will when warranty runs out) but I always rake the boots off the new rack on the bench and put more grease in them to help them live. Then I will do this again generally every few hundred hours or so. The last rack I did on my brothers 2011 I drilled and put a grease zerk in-between the upper pinion bearing and the lower bushing so it could be greased every so often and will put the grease exactly where it's needed.
Don't know how the warranty will feel if you do that to a rackzilla, but thats your call
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There is a drawn cup needle roller bearing at the bottom of the pinion gear. Sitting horizontally, this is the lowest point in the steering rack. This is where any water/dirt will settle, if it gets inside the steering rack, destroying the needle bearing in short order.
Adam's grease zerk mod, IMO, is a good idea, this fills the pinion gear cavity with grease, keeping contaminates at bay awhile longer, this will prolong the life of the steering rack.
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oh, so it's like it's a siezed U joint on the steering shaft? I'm not sure if those U joints are replaceable on their own, you may have to buy the whole shaft. you could try dousing it in penetrating oil (the U joints ) to see if the sound goes away, but it's likely the joint is out.
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I do not sir, but I can't say that I've looked real hard. Maybe another call to Rackzilla? I'm sure another polaris one would be fine. Just not on your wallet.
To date I've never had a U joint fail on a steering shaft. At every service I douse the lower u joint with PJ1 or WD40, chain lube, whatever if I don't have any PJ. that lower joint is exposed to all the elements water, mud snow ect, and needs hit with an oil as often as you can.
To date I've never had a U joint fail on a steering shaft. At every service I douse the lower u joint with PJ1 or WD40, chain lube, whatever if I don't have any PJ. that lower joint is exposed to all the elements water, mud snow ect, and needs hit with an oil as often as you can.
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