156 GTA Steering Rack excessive play

[Maser3200]

My 93,000 miler has been diagnosed with excessive steering rack play anyone with experience or advice on repair/replacement.

Do I a) replace or b) repair. What are the comparative costs of either option and where can replacements or parts be sourced ? If replace is it new or a decent second hand unit and what would either cost.

Secondly is the 156 GTA rack unique to the GTA or is a more recent (GT) one suitable.

[Captain Slow]

Operation Alfa had his changed a little while ago IIRC

[Laptop_Matt]

Was it a specialist that diagnosed it?

My old one had a note in the MOT about excessive steering rack play but after having the suspension tightened up it was never mentioned again in tests.

If you do need one Autolusso have them (mine from autolusso feels like new)

[Dr GTA]

I had a quote of £150 to recondition it but I located a nearly new one amazingly...

A refurbished one from alfa is £800!

Not sure if the 147 and 156 rack are the same? If they are you can have my old one for next to nothing.

With mine steering felt very vague and not as direct as my old one.

[Maser3200]

Yes it was a specialist and he is excellent at diagnosing issue. He diagnosed suspension arm play on my Abarth at 5,000 miles. The dealer could not find it last October and guess what I am waiting for the part to come in now as even I could detect play but now it has done 9,000 miles.. The prices quoted sound horrendous. I understand the 156 is different to the 147. I'll call Ned and see what he has.

in what way does it have excessive play? on the rack/pinion or in a track rod end arm [ which are easy enough to replace ]

[fa57gta]

Mine had the same problem, unique to the 156 Gta, I got a good second hand rack from autolusso, think £190 Inc postage if I remember rightly?

[Maser3200]

Thanks for the info. The play is in the drivers side arm, a suspected collapsed bush . The track rod ends are good no play there. Have been offered 2 used units for between £120 and £150 one off a car that had done 51,000 miles. Given the large differential on price compared to an alfa refurbished one (630 + VAT) and the bill from yesterdays service (£1100) a second hand one is attractive.

Surely you can buy new track road arms & replace the worn arm, much eaiser work than replacing the entire rack.

http://www.ebspares.co.uk/alfa_156/T..._only/info.cfm

[Maser3200]

Apparently not.

[Dr GTA]

You can buy the arms, see above lacken linked it for you.

[Autolusso]

Originally Posted by OperationAlfa

You can buy the arms, see above lacken linked it for you.

The ones for a GTA are longer, standard 156 147 arms won't fit

I can get GTA arms

Ned

[hyperlink]

the link is to GTA arms not standard one...

[Maser3200]

Autolusso (Marco) are supplying me with a recycled rack from a GTA SW they have recently received for breaking. That works on two levels, one it is much cheaper than a refurbed one, that is one less SW making the rest rarer. And on a third level - I can look at getting the old one refurbed and learn something. PS - It's the bushes inside the rack not the arms.

[Maser3200]

I will be looking at refurbing using the arms Lacken has highlighted.

best of both worlds but rem AutoLusso said they can supply arms too.

[Maser3200]

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