Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong

TFocker · 06-19-2008, 08:31 PM

Well I checked out all of the installs on the topic and thought it seemed easy enough. It actually seems easier than some people say. Well my problem is that 2 of the rack bolts broke off upon removal, leaving a fair amount of bolt still in the frame. Normally this is no big deal, but neither of them could be extracted. Broken bolt #1 was literally drilled out to the point where there was nothing left, but it still wouldn't break apart and fall out. So the hole was drilled out slightly larger and re-tapped for a bigger bolt.
Broken bolt #2 was moving along nicely until it snapped off the hardened extractor that was attempting to remove it. Now there is a hardened extractor inside a seized bolt.
I don't know that I trust the re-tapped hole and getting this extractor out hasn't gone very well. My how to is more of a request for how to get myself out of this mess. Any help or thoughts are greatly appreciated. I have a good friend who is a master mechanic and has been helping me try to resolve this and he has never seen bolts that won't come out or require this much effort to remove.
One thought I had is to replace whatever crossmember the rack mounts to. But the dealer can't figure out the right part number.
Thanks!

crf-sti · 06-19-2008, 10:38 PM

sorry to hear that, that sucks big time! i just did that mod on my '05 without any problems, it went much easier then i thought it would. i'm guessin you will have to replace that crossmember that the bolt and extractor are stuck in, i don't think any drill bit will be able to drill out a hardened extractor. good luck with it!

oscargarza88 · 06-20-2008, 05:46 AM

man that sucks... i was thinking about changing this myself... but idk anymore...
I guess your best bet is email jamie at subarugenuineparts.com and she will help you find the part #..
good luck!

V8Huntr · 06-20-2008, 07:26 AM

Exact same thing happened to me! Basically what I did was remove the nut on the top side of the cross member with an air hammer. Those bolts thread into a nut welded onto that cross member and basically sit in a pool of water when it gets wet out causing a ton of rust to accumulate.

I took an air hammer and hit the bottom of the bolt with it and it will broke the welds on the nut. Then I welded grade 8 nuts back on and used grade 8 bolts. It was a lot of work but it was really the only thing that could fix it like new.

Partysub · 06-20-2008, 02:12 PM

one of mine snapped so I welded a washer and nut to the snapped off bolt and backed it out. It took about 4 tries but it finally came out.

Mustangkilla · 06-20-2008, 03:15 PM

I recently ran into a similar problem at work, and i used a small carbide burr to ream out the extractor then drilled the rest of the way... Best of luck.

TFocker · 06-20-2008, 08:00 PM

I'm guessing you had to remove the crossmember to do this? How big of a pain is it to remove?

Quote:

Originally Posted by V8Huntr

Exact same thing happened to me! Basically what I did was remove the nut on the top side of the cross member with an air hammer. Those bolts thread into a nut welded onto that cross member and basically sit in a pool of water when it gets wet out causing a ton of rust to accumulate.

I took an air hammer and hit the bottom of the bolt with it and it will broke the welds on the nut. Then I welded grade 8 nuts back on and used grade 8 bolts. It was a lot of work but it was really the only thing that could fix it like new.

Dji · 06-21-2008, 03:27 AM

I'm doing my steering rack today, I wish this will not happen.

Sti491 · 07-19-2008, 03:04 PM

You can put a nut a locking nut up behind it and use a bolt. We busted one of mine when we did it a long time ago. I was soooo bummed. It seemed to take forever to get that nut/bolt started, but eventually got it.

TFocker · 07-19-2008, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sti491

You can put a nut a locking nut up behind it and use a bolt. We busted one of mine when we did it a long time ago. I was soooo bummed. It seemed to take forever to get that nut/bolt started, but eventually got it.

Actually the solution ended up being really simple, hitting the bolt with an air hammer and breaking the welded nut off. It's actually just as good, if not better than new. It just sucks that we spent forever trying to drill out and re-tap the holes. Thanks for all the input!

ilami01 · 07-21-2008, 04:36 PM

I stripped one bolt on my steering rack, any suggestions? Its been like this for a long time ha

TFocker · 07-21-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilami01

I stripped one bolt on my steering rack, any suggestions? Its been like this for a long time ha

same thing I did, break the welded nut off and put a new nut and bolt on it.

jaydow11 · 07-21-2008, 10:15 PM

I have been thinking about getting a WL searing rack for my 06 as I hear it's a wonderful mod that a lot of people recommend...

It's not that expensive ther I don't think...

Does anyone have any pics so I can visually see what you guys are talking about?

Thanks,

Jay

jaydow11 · 07-24-2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaydow11

I have been thinking about getting a WL searing rack for my 06 as I hear it's a wonderful mod that a lot of people recommend...

It's not that expensive ther I don't think...

Does anyone have any pics so I can visually see what you guys are talking about?

Thanks,

Jay

Anyone?

caveguru · 07-25-2008, 05:43 AM

Here's a pic of what the left (driver's) side mount looks like. There are 4 bolts here. There are also 2 at the other end of the rack that hold a bracket in place. I don't know which ones tend to rust first...

06-20-2008, 05:46 AM	#3
oscargarza88 Professional STI Racer Car: 06 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: Cobb Xaust! Location: Houston,tx Posts: 810 Join Date: Mar 2006 Trader Rating: (4)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong man that sucks... i was thinking about changing this myself... but idk anymore... I guess your best bet is email jamie at subarugenuineparts.com and she will help you find the part #.. good luck!

06-20-2008, 07:26 AM	#4
V8Huntr Spec C Club Car: 04' WRB STi Fav Mod: TBE Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 1,641 Join Date: Sep 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong Exact same thing happened to me! Basically what I did was remove the nut on the top side of the cross member with an air hammer. Those bolts thread into a nut welded onto that cross member and basically sit in a pool of water when it gets wet out causing a ton of rust to accumulate. I took an air hammer and hit the bottom of the bolt with it and it will broke the welds on the nut. Then I welded grade 8 nuts back on and used grade 8 bolts. It was a lot of work but it was really the only thing that could fix it like new.

06-20-2008, 02:12 PM	#5
Partysub Grassroots STI Racer Car: 04 STi Fav Mod: All of them Location: Wappingers Falls, NY Posts: 507 Join Date: Mar 2006 Trader Rating: (4)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong one of mine snapped so I welded a washer and nut to the snapped off bolt and backed it out. It took about 4 tries but it finally came out.

06-20-2008, 03:15 PM	#6
Mustangkilla Junior STI Driver Car: 04 STI JBP Fav Mod: LC Location: Npt, NY Posts: 153 Join Date: Apr 2006 Trader Rating: (2)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong I recently ran into a similar problem at work, and i used a small carbide burr to ream out the extractor then drilled the rest of the way... Best of luck.

06-21-2008, 03:27 AM	#8
Dji Junior STI Driver Car: 04 White STi Location: Montreal, QC Posts: 72 Join Date: Apr 2007 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong I'm doing my steering rack today, I wish this will not happen.

06-19-2008, 08:31 PM	#1
TFocker Amateur STI Driver Car: Black, 04 WRX STi Fav Mod: Coming Soon Location: Northville, MI Posts: 14 Join Date: Feb 2008 Trader Rating: (2)	Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong Well I checked out all of the installs on the topic and thought it seemed easy enough. It actually seems easier than some people say. Well my problem is that 2 of the rack bolts broke off upon removal, leaving a fair amount of bolt still in the frame. Normally this is no big deal, but neither of them could be extracted. Broken bolt #1 was literally drilled out to the point where there was nothing left, but it still wouldn't break apart and fall out. So the hole was drilled out slightly larger and re-tapped for a bigger bolt. Broken bolt #2 was moving along nicely until it snapped off the hardened extractor that was attempting to remove it. Now there is a hardened extractor inside a seized bolt. I don't know that I trust the re-tapped hole and getting this extractor out hasn't gone very well. My how to is more of a request for how to get myself out of this mess. Any help or thoughts are greatly appreciated. I have a good friend who is a master mechanic and has been helping me try to resolve this and he has never seen bolts that won't come out or require this much effort to remove. One thought I had is to replace whatever crossmember the rack mounts to. But the dealer can't figure out the right part number. Thanks! This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

06-19-2008, 10:38 PM	#2
crf-sti Professional STI Driver Car: 05 CGM STI w/goldies Fav Mod: Advan A048's Location: Sonoma, CA Posts: 475 Join Date: Mar 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong sorry to hear that, that sucks big time! i just did that mod on my '05 without any problems, it went much easier then i thought it would. i'm guessin you will have to replace that crossmember that the bolt and extractor are stuck in, i don't think any drill bit will be able to drill out a hardened extractor. good luck with it!

07-19-2008, 03:04 PM	#9
Sti491 Silver Member Car: 04 JBP WRX STi Fav Mod: ProTune by Hill at Agile Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 325 Join Date: Mar 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong You can put a nut a locking nut up behind it and use a bolt. We busted one of mine when we did it a long time ago. I was soooo bummed. It seemed to take forever to get that nut/bolt started, but eventually got it.

07-21-2008, 04:36 PM	#11
ilami01 Senior STI Driver Car: White 06 STi Fav Mod: Forged Bypass Location: Dallas Posts: 391 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong I stripped one bolt on my steering rack, any suggestions? Its been like this for a long time ha

07-21-2008, 10:15 PM	#13
jaydow11 Silver Member Car: 06 STI UGM Fav Mod: (o)(o) Location: Kelowna Posts: 1,118 Join Date: Jul 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong I have been thinking about getting a WL searing rack for my 06 as I hear it's a wonderful mod that a lot of people recommend... It's not that expensive ther I don't think... Does anyone have any pics so I can visually see what you guys are talking about? Thanks, Jay

07-25-2008, 05:43 AM	#15
caveguru Professional STI Driver Car: '08 STI, OBP Fav Mod: hammer down! Location: Gaithersburg, MD Posts: 456 Join Date: Jun 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Steering rack bushing install gone horribly wrong Here's a pic of what the left (driver's) side mount looks like. There are 4 bolts here. There are also 2 at the other end of the rack that hold a bracket in place. I don't know which ones tend to rust first... This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.