[TurboWeasel]

Highly unlikely from BMW or ZF, but check Lemforder's catalogue as ZF is part of the same group.

Or see if a breakers yard will sell you just the cover, but that is also unlikely.

Or phone around a few steering rack refurbishers to see if they have any spares kicking around, or can suggest where to get one from. They obviously need to get parts, so they might have contacts the public don't.

[james280592]

Couldn’t locate one anywhere 😟.

[APJ]

Are the genuine kits far superior to the compatible ones, seems to be huge difference in cost, have not rung a dealer yet, but online genuine ones seem to be around £120

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by APJ

Are the genuine kits far superior to the compatible ones, seems to be huge difference in cost, have not rung a dealer yet, but online genuine ones seem to be around £120

I had my kit for £25 off a dealer last year, watch out what you are buying.

[james280592]

Would the repair kit adjustable screw fit the ZF rack or is it to big? Thinking of welding a nut onto my stripped 17mm nut good or bad idea?

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by james280592

Would the repair kit adjustable screw fit the ZF rack or is it to big? Thinking of welding a nut onto my stripped 17mm nut good or bad idea?

No it won't fit as its bigger. There are few racks on ebay that are being broken for parts.
For consideration - if welding a nut or a socket on-to a rack's nut, is made of aluminum!
There are nut extractor sockets available to get it out, if replacing.

[james280592]

Might have found one definitely worth a £20 gamble from a Vauxhall insignia

[TurboWeasel]

Worth a punt at that price. Assume the Vauxhall uses a ZF rack as well? Certainly looks like it, but you never know until you get the bits in your hands.

[james280592]

Originally Posted by TurboWeasel

Worth a punt at that price. Assume the Vauxhall uses a ZF rack as well? Certainly looks like it, but you never know until you get the bits in your hands.

Yes ZF do make the steering rack for the Vauxhall insignia. Hopefully I'm on to a winner

[TurboWeasel]

Originally Posted by james280592

Yes ZF do make the steering rack for the Vauxhall insignia. Hopefully I'm on to a winner

Good luck with it, keep us posted Could be a good solution for other ZF rack owners.

[james280592]

**UPDATE**

The part from the Vauxhall insignia steering rack is a 100% match. Now installed knocking has gone away (for now)

[TurboWeasel]

Nice one

Vauxhalls are good for something then Vauxhall bits on a Bimmer, what has the world come to

Still, it does prove how incestuous the car industry is I suppose.

[Warrdg]

Originally Posted by james280592

**UPDATE**

The part from the Vauxhall insignia steering rack is a 100% match. Now installed knocking has gone away (for now)

I can sense the relief you must have felt when this worked out. I have the hot weather knocking on the ZF rack and I've made a small adjustment to the adjusting screw (34) but the shallow soft alloy nut has given in slightly. I'll be sure to use a 6 point socket for any further adjustments, and one that has faces as close as possible to the open end of the socket. Fingers crossed.
Did you take out the yoke (30) and insert foil (30.1)? And swap over from the Insignia rack? Was the insert foil showing wear on the BMW rack?
thanks, Douglas

[Warrdg]

Originally Posted by Allworth

ZF = no kit (thats my rack, where you just tighten nut)
Thyssenkrypp (repair kit available)
Difference is obvious by looking at rack, if its a standard 17 hex nut = ZF, if its a 3 pin slot drum = Thyssenkrypp

Images of ZF rack with 17mm nut

thanks for all you have posted on this - really useful.

I have the hot weather knocking on the ZF rack and I've made a small adjustment (initially c.36 degrees - but the self centering was too reduced, so knocked it back to c.23 degrees) to the adjusting screw (34) but the shallow soft alloy nut has given in slightly. I'll be sure to use a 6 point socket for any further adjustments, and one that has faces as close as possible to the open end of the socket. Fingers crossed.

I realise no similar kit is available for ZF racks but I wonder if the the yoke (30) and especially the insert foil (30.1) are available as spares, as I assume the foil is where the wear is.

thanks again, Douglas

[nemz]

Originally Posted by Allworth

I had my kit for £25 off a dealer last year, watch out what you are buying.

Yeah those £25 quid dealer repair kits all gone up the swanny, now they want closer to £90.

[TurboWeasel]

It's around £110 now.

Most of my steering woes turned out to be knackered shocks and tension arms in the end, but it's good to fit the repair kit anyway.

[F23Power]

Originally Posted by james280592

**UPDATE**

The part from the Vauxhall insignia steering rack is a 100% match. Now installed knocking has gone away (for now)

Do you have more information regarding the Vauxhall steering rack? Part no or certain models/years which are equipped with ZF racks. Appreciate your answer!

[fredyluger]

Originally Posted by F23Power

Do you have more information regarding the Vauxhall steering rack? Part no or certain models/years which are equipped with ZF racks. Appreciate your answer!

Helo have you found the part number? We dont have vauxhall car her in indonesia maybe i can get it from ebay

[bruggers100]

For anyone who adjusts the ZF rack via the 17mm nut, if the problem persists, there is a service bulletin on it. It’s the inner tie rods from factory. I had a knock that I felt through the steering wheel but wasn’t audible when hot of after a significant run of about 30 miles. I tried tightening the nut which didn’t work. Change the tie rods both sides and it was resolved. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...66230-9999.pdf

[R1d3r]

Originally Posted by bruggers100

For anyone who adjusts the ZF rack via the 17mm nut, if the problem persists, there is a service bulletin on it. It’s the inner tie rods from factory. I had a knock that I felt through the steering wheel but wasn’t audible when hot of after a significant run of about 30 miles. I tried tightening the nut which didn’t work. Change the tie rods both sides and it was resolved. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...66230-9999.pdf

Тhank you man! Will give it a try !

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by bruggers100

For anyone who adjusts the ZF rack via the 17mm nut, if the problem persists, there is a service bulletin on it. It’s the inner tie rods from factory. I had a knock that I felt through the steering wheel but wasn’t audible when hot of after a significant run of about 30 miles. I tried tightening the nut which didn’t work. Change the tie rods both sides and it was resolved. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...66230-9999.pdf

Issue described in that thread reads as 'A “thumping” noise is heard from the front axle area during slow speed steering'
My case was something bonking, clunking, wobbling when driving straight at slow speeds, and never when turning.
That manual mentions that 'TK' racks are unaffected, is hard to agree with this, as I have witnessed videos where people sorted their issue with a kit.
Although is interesting material; they show corrosion on ball joint, as if it is worn out by friction due to lack of lubrication -- can see a loose fit on the right ball joint comparing to snug fit on the left ball joint.
IF tightening the yoke stabilizes steering rack's shaft and ball joints are worn as it is on the right image, then this explains why tightening the yoke or changing ball joints rectifies the issue. Is quite complex.
It seems to me, these two issued can be related to each other, and, if it is the case, then reserving the right to say that tightening the yoke can help either way.
Lastly, temperature difference is crucial for knocking occurrence. Looking at how loose is the fit on the right image, and knowing the expansion coefficient of metals, a temperature delta of even as much as 50 degree hardly explains how the knocking may depend purely on this factor. Seems to me to do with lubrication, or the lack of it...