DIY steering rack repair for suzuki sx4

The price of a new original steering rack.

... the culprit of the knock is a plastic bushing, which, although it has a sufficiently large bearing surface area for the shaft, is not wear-resistant enough.

... the issue is solved by our revision of the rail, which allows us to increase the resource of the mechanism up to 150 t. km. mileage.

... subframe mounting bolts. we lower it on the hydraulic prop ..

... 4 rail attachment points and mechanism removed.

... disassemble for components and eliminate factory defects ..

Extraneous sounds when turning the steering wheel, crunching knocks on uneven road surfaces.

They pierced the steering shaft of the Suzuki cx4, made a reinforced steering rack support sleeve.

We dismantle the steering rack, clamp it in a vice to avoid damage to the case, clamp it by the steering rack silent block, then turn off the rods.

We put marks, unscrew the nut of the pressure mechanism, remove the shaft with the worm gear.

We remove the steering shaft from the body, the rack is completely disassembled after that I wash it from rust and dirt.

An ill-fated bushing that made driving a car uncomfortable.

We start processing the steering shaft, nominal size 25 mm.

We remove corrosion, we also align the shaft, after grinding its size is 24 mm.

Next, we proceed to the manufacture of the support sleeve, we measure the inner diameter in the steering rack housing 30 mm.

The most suitable pod material with good characteristics is caprolon. The length of the sleeve is 40 mm, the inner diameter should be made with a slight interference of 29.90 mm. Also, to fix the sleeve, we leave the edging of 0.4 mm.

We install the support sleeve into the steering rack housing.

Apply grease, install the shaft, check the shaft should move without difficulty, creaks, gaps and backlash are unacceptable.

The SX4 steering rack is a vehicle unit that determines the maneuverability of the vehicle.

Suzuki rail designs may vary depending on the model and brand of vehicle, but in general, the principle of operation remains the same. The unit consists of several interconnected parts: a toothed bar, gears, bearings, oil seals, bushings, anthers.

There are three types of steering racks:

• mechanical
• hydraulic
• electrical.

The principle of operation of the mechanical rack is based on the gear ratio of the main gear, which meshes with the bar. The functioning of the hydraulic mechanism depends on the oil pressure coming from the power steering. Electric, as the name implies, operates with the participation of an electric drive.

Any steering rack, including the SX4 steering rack, can deteriorate over time, especially if operated in less than favorable conditions. A car enthusiast can understand for himself that there is a problem requiring repair of the SX4 steering rack if one or more of the following symptoms appear in the car:

• knocking in the area of ​​the front wheels, which is the most common symptom of a rack malfunction;
• increased steering play;
• tight steering wheel;
• noise, hum, buzz in the power steering;
• oil leaks, which can be identified by stains remaining in the parking lot.

There are several main reasons that provoke the occurrence of malfunctions of the SX4 steering rack and increase the level of wear of the unit:

• lack of due attention to the condition of hydraulic oil, its untimely replacement, which leads to subsequent contamination;
• mixing different types of liquid, which can also cause problems, loss of oil properties;
• torn anthers of the steering rods, due to which dirt and moisture get inside, as a result of which the sliding surface of the bar is injured;
• insufficient heating of the car, due to which the hydraulic oil does not reach the proper level of viscosity, which, in turn, leads to a malfunction;
• careless driving on uneven road surfaces, where there are a large number of holes, bumps, bumps.

If during the operation of the car one of the above signs of a malfunction occurs, then it is necessary to go to the car service for diagnostics and repair, if necessary, because it is possible to determine whether the steering SX4 repair is necessary or not necessary only after the diagnostics.

Diagnosis of the SX4 steering rack is carried out by inspecting and feeling all parts that may cause knocking or play. Sometimes there are situations where these problems are not related to a malfunctioning SX4 steering rack. If the point is in it, then it is checked whether the knock comes from the sliding bar to the right or to the left. If there are no problems with the bar, then the condition of the steering rack shaft should be diagnosed. If everything is in order here, then the problem is an increase in the gap between the toothed bar and the gear. This problem is solved by using an adjusting nut.

It is also important to check for oil leaks, which may indicate torn anthers. If this is not a problem, then it is necessary to measure the level of the hydraulic fluid. If it is not enough, then it should be topped up to the desired mark.

If there is a knock or backlash, but there is no serious damage, then it is necessary to adjust the Suzuki rail. For this, special devices are used, with which the mechanic acts on the adjusting nut-screw, which is located in the steering shaft housing.

If serious problems with the rail are identified, then the rail needs to be repaired.

First you need to remove the unit and disassemble it. All parts are carefully examined and washed. Worn out parts should be replaced; for this, repair kits sold in car dealerships are used. The assembly is carried out in the reverse order, and the assembled SX4 steering rack is checked and adjusted at the stand.

Professional auto mechanics, as well as experienced car owners, recommend adhering to the following guidelines to extend the life of your Suzuki steering rack:

• it is necessary to constantly monitor the condition of the hydraulic oil and change it in time;
• do not mix different types of hydraulic fluid;
• warm up the car thoroughly before driving;
• periodically it is required to diagnose the suspension in a car service;
• you must not leave the car stationary with the wheels turned out, especially in winter, because this can lead to freezing of the anthers and their subsequent rupture;
• you need to watch out for neighboring parts, their malfunctions can also affect the steering rack;
• it is necessary to periodically inspect the parking lot of the car in order to exclude oil leakage;
• drive on uneven roads while observing the speed limit.

This is a non-adjusting bolt. It simply presses the gear against the rack teeth. If there is a bump in the “gear tooth - rack tooth” pair, the rack should be repaired. It's useless to pull something here.

In general, this bolt lasts until the moment when the hold-down spring completely sits down “turn by turn”.
Further opinions differ. Option 1 - leave it that way, if only the rail does not bite. Option 2 (I like it better) is to turn it back by 5 degrees. so that the clamp is confident enough, but not rigid.

Can . if you really want to

usually drill a hole from the street. cut the thread. there is a bolt. and grab the bolt!

We got to Berlin, we’ll get to Washington.
The soldier was getting drunk, a tear was rolling down, a trophy googlephone wheezing and a medal "For the city of Washington" sparkled on his chest

The author thanks the alphabet for the letters kindly provided.
All of the above is just my personal opinion. If you disagree with him, well, that's your right. For example, I never remember evil, but I can burn a hut.
And an earnest request: do not let your children go to the Internet, they spoil it.

I probably misunderstood the question.
“Without disassembling” - I thought about disassembling / not disassembling the entire rail.

Otherwise, I am generally against any linings / footcloths, etc.
Reducing cravings. from the end of the rail we take out everything that we find there (usually there is some kind of end washer.This washer is pulled off with a hole / thread / bolt). then a new end washer is made, based on the dimensions of the rack body and the exact measurements of the removed thrust rod (with an accuracy of one hundred parts). then everything will work as it should - and do not play, and do not bite

Faced the problem of the incessant knocking of the rail. Having climbed the forums, I found out that if this knock is not heard on the SX4, then the car simply does not go at that moment, as soon as the knock starts))). For some reason, only one of the methods of cure in the network was found. Sharpen the sleeve to size (from the network) and insert the rail without removing it from the car. The method is extremely dubious and, most likely, such repairs will not be enough for a long time. This means either changing the rail (60-something rubles at pre-New Year prices, with the current ones, most likely the amount will be absolutely terrible), or fix it. The renovation work is not festive, to put it mildly, but the main thing is to start.

We fix the steering wheel (I do this by throwing the seat belt over it) so as not to break the train.

We mark the position of the shaft and the cross with a marker, so that later it is correctly assembled.

We loosen the upper steering shaft bolt and unscrew the lower one, remove the shaft from the rack.

Disconnect the two chips (the steering angle sensor and the power one) and unscrew the mass wire.

We unscrew the four bolts securing the rail to the subframe and the bolt that holds the protection over the rail is on the right side of the spar.

We remove the steering tips.

All the rail is free, for one small nuance, the stretcher does not allow it to be pulled out. The nuance immediately becomes large and not pleasant, removing and installing the stretcher, especially on the all-wheel drive version, is not the most festive job. Maybe the rail can be pulled out without doing it, I don't know, I didn't succeed.

So the stretcher was removed, the rail was taken out, brushed on metal, washed.

We remove the clamps, anthers, tie rods, and sign the rods from right to left. I have already photographed the assembly, so everything is covered with grease.

I had a factory mark with paint on the shaft and the oil seal, if it is not there, I need to apply it.

In this position, we measure the output of the rack shaft on the left and right, write down the result.

We remove the part with the oil seal and the steering angle sensor from the shaft.

We mark the position of the plastic gear relative to the body.

We remove the spring stopper of the shaft on which the electric amplifier becomes, so that the shaft begins to move, it may not be necessary to touch it, but I did it just in case.

We mark the position of the rail adjustment (if there was a knock in this place, you can tighten it a little during assembly)

We unscrew the locknut and unscrew the plug, take out the spring and washers. The adjusting piston itself cannot be reached, the rubber cuff holds it quite firmly.

We mark the bottom plug, under which there is a nut holding the shaft.

We unscrew the plug, unscrew the nut under it, take out the bearing.

We take out a small shaft and a large one.

We take the rack housing and the large shaft.

We go to the turner. You can order the bushing in advance, but it will not work well to put it in a garage. The turner measures the inner diameter of the rack body, the diameter of the shaft and sharpens the bushing. The size is naturally larger than the factory size and significantly. On the outside, three cuts are made so that air escapes during operation and the anthers on the steering rods do not puff, the cuts are not through naturally. Three protrusions are also sharpened, which fix the bushing inside the rack body, so that through cuts are made more easily on the bushing next to them.

In the photo there is a homemade sleeve next to the native one. The sleeve is fitted into the body through the mandrel. The projections are straightened with another mandrel. Trying to insert the shaft, it doesn't fit. We pass the sweep along the sleeve. The shaft now fits snugly into the sleeve. You can clamp the shaft into a lathe and, putting the rail on it, twist it, it will immediately begin to walk more freely, but if there is even a small ellipse on the shaft, a backlash may then appear. I prefer to ride a few days later with a "sterner" steering wheel until the shaft is rubbed against the bushing.

We go to the garage and collect everything in reverse order, following the marks. It may not be possible to combine them the first time, on the small shaft the teeth are cut in a circle and when combined with the large one the marks leave, it is necessary to insert it on the tooth earlier, then when settling it turns into the mark. Naturally, we smear everything with a good lubricant. I take the blue lithium Mobile, there have never been any problems. More pictures.

We install the rail on the car, we put the stretcher with the mats. We start driving, enjoy the silence and the burning sign "Slippery road". If we don't have our own scanner, we move to the diagnostician. I have. We connect, an error in the calibration of the steering wheel rotation sensor. We carry out calibration with a scanner.

That's it, we ride until the shaft gets used to the bushing without noise. You can forget about knocking.

Steering (rack, cardan, tips, rods, column, train for signal)

Suzuki Chevrolet Cruze 4WD steering rack repair.

All Suzuk owners know about the thundering steering rack on our roads. There are several ways to deal with rumbling. You can just ignore it and turn on the music louder. But there are options for repairing the rail. If the tie rods and ends are new or in good condition, then most likely the cause of the knocking is in the rubber-metal bushing of the rack. On a cruise, the rail is not collapsible and this part does not have its own code. The manufacturer proposes to change the entire rack body! You can take a chance and order this bushing from another Suzuki model, in which the rail is collapsible and the bushing has its own code, but there is a risk of getting a part that does not fit in size. You can order a bushing from Daewoo Tiko, but it is completely plastic and quickly falls apart. Steering rack diagram (click to enlarge):

On the left in the photo is a bushing from a Daewoo Tiko, and on the right is an original Suzukov bushing made of rubber and metal.

You can try to repair your own sleeve by sawing it along the factory seam. By squeezing the sleeve along the cut, the inner diameter of the sleeve can be reduced. But if the cut is too wide and the bushing is compressed more than necessary, then you can get the rail wedging in the turns! This method with sawing was recommended to me in one car service. Today, the best way to repair a steering rack is to carve a bushing out of caprolon or fluoroplastic (caprolon is stronger, but it has a lower melting point). The plastic sleeve makes less noise and can be machined to fit and to the desired size. In the photo, the parameters of the bushing and the bushing itself. I turned a longer sleeve. I had to shorten it later. Having estimated in place, I realized that the sleeve longer than 40mm will not fit.

After turning the bushing out of the turner, you can start replacing it. Better to do this on a pit or lift. If you can unscrew the steering rods under the machine, then you do not need to unscrew the steering tips from the steering knuckles of the suspension. To unscrew the rods, you need a 30 open-end wrench with a short handle (there is very little space) and a second 17 to keep the rack shaft from scrolling.

But it is better to guess and change the rods and tips in one go. Original steering tip number 48810-76G00... Analogues: I18004YMT, OPTIMAL G1-1188, CTR CES-5... Tie rod number 48830-70H00... There are several substitutes: I38010YMT, Kavo STR-8518, Optimal G2-1161 (Optimal rods collapsed 9 months after installation on the machine)... Comparison of the original 48830-70H00 steering rod and OPTIMAL G2-1161: Optimal has a larger ball joint diameter (the lock washer no. 48841 on the diagram from the original rod does not fit in size) and the length of the rod itself is several millimeters shorter than the original.

After replacing the steering rods and tips, it is imperative to check the wheel alignment at the stand! I removed the rack along with the steering rods. To do this, unscrew and knock out the ball fingers at the steering tips.

Then we unscrew the cardan under the steering wheel at the driver's feet. Before this procedure, you must fix the steering wheel by removing the key from the ignition switch. Otherwise, you can break the loop on the signal and the SRS pillow in the steering wheel!

The cover that covers the cardan is simply put on the pins and is not screwed on by anything.Under the cover is the lower cardan, which tightens the rack shank with a 12-head bolt.

By the way, often knocks can be emitted by a spline connection in a cardan, and not a rail. To eliminate these knocks, you need to tap the spline connection with a hammer on 4 sides in order to eliminate the play in the splines.

After that, you can start unscrewing the rail housing. The rail is held in place by two brackets. Each bracket is screwed in with two 12-socket head cap screws. Be careful with these bolts. Tearing off the threads inside the body is a huge problem!

We take out the rack without steering rods down, lifting the edge with the sleeve up to the hood.

The rail bushing is held inside the housing by bead-rolling along the circumference from the end of the rail housing.

It is necessary to grind off this rolling in order to remove the bushing. I grinded with a "grinder" with an end disc. Then the most difficult thing is to remove the old bushing from the rail. I did it like this: I inserted a thin screwdriver into the gap between the shaft and the bushing and with a sharp blow displaced the shaft from right to left inside the rail. You will have to repeat it several times. The main thing is to try not to scratch the rack shaft!

Thickening at the end of the rail into which the sleeve is inserted. The length is slightly over 40mm.

Tie rods, anthers and tie rod ends.

Original rubber-metal steering rack bushings. The metal ring of the bushing rattles against the rack shaft.

Comparison of the length of the original sleeve and the turned from caprolon. It can be seen that the homemade sleeve is longer than the original.

We drill 4 holes for the wire, which will hold the new bushing inside the rail body (instead of the ground rolling). We lubricate the shaft, the gearbox (after thoroughly cleaning it from sawdust and debris). We insert a new sleeve. We fix it with wire. And you can put the rail in place. After installing the rack, we fasten the steering rods (the anthers on the rods are different, on the left there are 12 rings on the corrugation, on the right there are 9) and tighten all the connections well! There are special washers on the shaft (number 48841 in the diagram), which must be bent so that the steering rods do not unscrew. After the performed procedure, be sure to go to the service station and adjust the wheel alignment.

Himself only on a Ford did the same thing myself, well, except for the groove of the sleeve.

The main point is to find a turner who will immediately grind ..
If you don't want to do it yourself, then
I think we need to negotiate with a service station that can remove and disassemble and then assemble the rail. For the money, I think within 3000 rubles (remove the supply - pick up the rail) it will cost. Carve a sleeve about 500 rubles, material on hay 100-200 rubles.

The problem with such knocks of the rack is typical for many monks and usually, apart from replacing the bushing, nothing is required (for runs up to 100 tyk)

Shl
There is no point in going to autohydraulics, because rake ELECTRO and that kind of money (8-10 tyk) to pay for nothing.

Himself only on a Ford did the same thing myself, well, except for the groove of the sleeve.

The main point is to find a turner who will immediately grind ..
If you don't want to do it yourself, then
I think we need to negotiate with a service station that can remove and disassemble and then assemble the rail. For the money, I think within 3000 rubles (remove the supply - pick up the rail) it will cost. Carve a sleeve about 500 rubles, material on hay 100-200 rubles.

The problem with such knocks of the rack is typical for many monks and usually, apart from replacing the bushing, nothing is required (for runs up to 100 tyk)

Shl
There is no point in going to autohydraulics, because rake ELECTRO and that kind of money (8-10 tyk) to pay for nothing.

And what is there to check. The rail can be removed at any service station. Rebuild at any service station that goes through the racks on the VAZ. Carving can be a problem right at the service station right away - this moment must be taken upon by looking for a turner or punching through at the service station in advance. Well, calibrate the steering wheel at the officials or also by agreement at the service station if there is a scanner.

Shl
On my own I can recommend the service station on Filtrovaya next to the Carriage. There was a Temka about them

You make really good videos, clear concise, informative and well edited. Keep it up man.

Should there be some lube put on the spindle before you re install it thru the rotor?

Should there be some lube put on the spindle before you re install it thru the rotor?

Great video. Everything is clear and competent!

Nice video. Really nice cv axle design by suzuki for diy mechanic. You did not need to uninstall any suspension components.

Love your videos. Clear video footage, to the point and proper!

Could you make a video on how to change suzuki sx wheel bearings plz?

You make it seen so simple! Congratulations! Are you a professional mechanic or thats just a hobby?

Hi, thanks you for the video. I am wondering if you can explain how to replace windshield washer pump do i need to remove thetire

Half of the video was trying to understand what was wrong with me, in the end it came to others. The video behind the drum brakes, here are the discs. How many sx s with high mileage do you have? The video itself is very informative, although I have a Hungarian wd.

Big mileage, that's pouring in on the sly. Thanks for the video.

With all the variety of modern cars, there are only two types of steering: a worm gear and a rack.
The first appeared earlier and, in comparison with the rail, had one significant advantage: with it, the driver had to apply less effort to the steering wheel to turn the wheels of the car. In all other respects, the worm gear loses to the rail: it has a lower gear ratio and lower reliability. Nevertheless, for a long time, this very mechanism was installed on large machines.

It was with the advent of various power steering systems that the rack took a leading position in the steering systems of all types of cars. Both small cars and huge trailers are equipped with a rack and pinion mechanism. Its system is simple and reliable: the rotary motion of the steering wheel, turning into a translational motion in the rack-pinion assembly, is transmitted to the front wheels of the car. The wheels themselves rotate by a predetermined amount under the influence of the rail ends. The driver does not need to have a lot of physical strength to make a turn - thanks to the power steering system, only a small push is enough.

In the Suzuki Sx4, as in most modern cars, this role is played by the hydraulic booster. It is generally accepted that the hydraulic power steering system is more reliable than the electric one. True, it has less power, but for a passenger car and it turns out to be enough for the driver to feel comfortable behind the wheel.

Thus, the Sx4 steering rack consists of a transmission gear, a toothed rack, handpieces, two rotation bearings and a power steering.

Suzuki Sx4 manufacturers claim that this car is capable of traveling more than 200 thousand km. without rail repair. In practice, this is not always the case. The rate of wear of the rail is influenced by many factors: weather conditions, the quality of the road surface, the driving style of the car owner. There is only one way to extend the service life and delay the repair of the Suzuki Sx4 steering rack as much as possible: by caring for the car. Regular inspection of the steering mechanism, timely adding fluid to the sx4 hydraulic booster, repairing the rack as planned, replacing worn out oil seals is a guarantee of your safety on the road.

It is the appearance of cracks in the oil seals and their rupture, leading to a breach of the tightness of the rail structure, that are the most common rail breakage. As a result, liquid begins to flow out of the hydraulic booster, gradually reducing its power, until it stops working at all.

It is almost impossible to detect this malfunction while the car is moving: the steering wheel in a moving car turns without effort, and the leak itself is so small that it does not leave marks on the asphalt. But after a long parking of the car, it forms a small puddle under the hood. Power steering leaks can be easily distinguished from oil leaks by their characteristic odor.

Replacing the oil seals would not be difficult, if not for one thing: these parts are designed to ensure the tightness of the hydraulic booster, and therefore are installed as tightly as possible. To do this, you must first clean the shaft from dirt and corrosion - only in this case the oil seals will fit snugly against it. And, of course, the new oil seals should be a complete copy of the old ones. In this case, it is recommended to contact a workshop and repair the sx4 steering rack.

Sx4 owners know that problems can arise with spare parts for their cars - this car is not assembled in Russia, and therefore even such trifles as an oil seal in a spare parts store may not appear, which will slow down the repair of the sx4 steering wheel.But they are always available in a specialized car service. Add to this the need to replace a lift or overpass - and it becomes clear why it is better to entrust even such a simple operation to the master of the service station.

A hydraulic booster leak can also be caused by a violation of the integrity of its hoses. You can, of course, repair them with electrical tape, but, firstly, for this it is necessary to accurately determine the place of the leak, which is not so easy to do, and, most importantly, the result of such a repair cannot be called durable. All worn out hoses must be replaced.

Important: Use only Suzuki spare parts to repair the Sx4 power steering. Numerous fakes and so-called "analogs" are not able to ensure the proper quality of repair and durability of the entire structure.

Grinding or knocking sounds when the steering wheel is rotated indicates a more serious malfunction of the vehicle's steering system. There may be several reasons for the appearance of extraneous sounds, and only an experienced car service technician can determine exactly where they come from and identify their cause. When they appear, it is definitely not worth delaying the repair of the Suzuki sx4 rail!

A loose "cracker" can knock, providing fixation of the neck rod. Sometimes it is enough just to pull it up to ensure the reliability of the neck attachment. But since this part is already worn out, pulling it up in most cases leads to a slight backlash, and therefore to a deterioration in vehicle handling. Therefore, it is more correct to replace it.

A knock may indicate both loose tips, and the breakdown of one or even several teeth of the rack or transmission gear as a result of a pebble flying off from under the wheel between them. In this case, the damaged parts require replacement - they cannot be repaired or restored.

Another alarming symptom that you should pay attention to is the appearance of backlash during the rotation of the steering wheel. Most often, it makes itself felt gradually. Having barely appeared, it increases every day, making the process of driving more and more difficult. The backlash of the steering wheel is the sum of the backlash of all movable joints of the rack and indicates its wear.

Important: to determine which parts are to be replaced, and which ones can still serve, the master will be able to determine only after disassembling the rail and scrupulously examining its components. The vehicle's steering system is directly responsible for the safety of the driver and passengers on the road, therefore, when repairing it, it is necessary to exclude even the slightest possibility of its incorrect operation.