Steering rack issue

[DarrenS3]

Hi all, I have just bought an S3 8L, which is a beautiful car and I love it. But, when driving it back from where I got it, I came to a roundabout 20 miles away from home and the power steering went and leaked fluid all over the road

I got the S3 back home very carefully and my mechanic has a look at it and shows me the problem. it is the steering rack that is totally shot! The problem now is that when Eurocarparts went to put the order through the other day for a new steering rack it came back saying they needed my steering rack to send it off to be reconditioned and it would be a 4-5 day turn around. My mechanic is off on holiday for a week and a half tomorrow and he can't take it off his ramp if the steering rack is removed! I am gutted to say the least!

But, a good friend from a tuning company has offered me a Golf R32 steering rack. Does anyone know if it will fit my S3, which is an X reg.

Any info or advice is greatly appreciated as I am so gutted about this and I can't drive the S3 at all.

 

[snowy]

The R32 steering rack will work, as will one from a TT or LCR

 

[DarrenS3]

Thanks for the reply. I just found out it is a Golf 4-Motion rack, do you think it will still fit?

 

[snowy]

nope
different turn rate
i think it would mess with esp

 

[vrbob]

Yay another semi local S3

Sorry to hear that its already causing an issue though

check out this thread as me and Tom managed to swap out his old steering rack http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...-another-silver-s3…lets-see-what-happens.html

here is the thread where he worked out he needed a new rack http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-...3-power-steering-has-just-spilt-its-guts.html

 

[jasongtr]

nope
different turn rate
i think it would mess with esp

really? people do it the other way around all the time (fitting an R32 or S3 rack to a slower rack car) the 4motion rack will physically fit but is a little more lock to lock although not a huge amount

 

[snowy]

It messes with the ESP system when putting the 'quick rack' on a 4mo Golf/Octavia 4x4/Leon4

It would have a similar opposite effect the other way round too

Basically the ESP system measures the physical position of the steering rack/wheel angle angle the steering column angle sensor

If they don't meet what he computer has been programmed to expect, it thinks something whacky is going on and applies brakes to try to correct

Folks who fit the quick rack to 4mo/Octy 4x4/Leon4 have in the past had to disable the ESP system via VAGCOM

A chap in Russia has allegedly found a method of using components & sensors from the LCR ESP system to get the rack working with 4mo/Octy 4x4/Leon4 ESP

ps

Non ESP equipped cars cause no issue when changing rack-type

 

[DarrenS3]

Yay another semi local S3

A semi local LOL.
Yeah, I was and still am well gutted, so I am having to still drive around in my Golf GTI (with R-Tech Power), which I have had to re-insure twice again as the insurance ran out and swopped to the Audi when I picked up the new car. As I needed to use my car to get to work the following day I had to search on the internet for 3 days worth of insurance as my broker isn't in the office at weekends Then the problems with Eurocarparts saying they could get one, then saying they needed mine as the price was for it to be reconditioned, not for a new one! It has cost me a lot more than I had budgeted for!

Anyway, I have managed to purchase a genuine Audi one today that is in good condition that has come off a 2002 BAM engine TT with 64000 on the clock. I just got to wait another 12 days for it to be fitted, as my mechanic has gone on holiday today!

Thanks for the links to the threads, I'll have a good read of them later on

 

[DarrenS3]

Just to check with you guys, the rack of an Audi TT 225BHP 2002 reg will fit my S3 8L 2000 Reg?

 

[jasongtr]

It messes with the ESP system when putting the 'quick rack' on a 4mo Golf/Octavia 4x4/Leon4

pah, turn that nancy boy stuff off

 

[snowy]

some elements of the ESP system work very well though

They are all the VAG haldex drivetrain has to compensate for the laughable open diffs they put in the transaxles (making the car 2wd whatever you do the haldex)

Even when you've fixed this manufacturing fault, the EDL component of the system can brake a lifted wheel [upto 50mph], reducing the amount of torsen unwind you get the amount of 'hunting' you get on snow/ice/gravel