Previous owner who I purchased this car from installed a set of NEX SS coilovers on it. The front end rattles, and the car has been through 3 racks within the last 4 months or so. The rack seems to be having extreme stress put on the tie rods as it continues to fail at the same points. I know these coilovers are shit, have done plenty of research and the car has been raised to prevent this rack failing again. Are there any modifications that need to be done to the rack to ensure that lowering the car will not effect it? The boot had a nice size rip in it, and when sitting on the ground you can see how much the tie rods are flexing. They will be changed out for a set of StaSiS, but for now this is what I'm forced to ride on. Could the shock rebound the NEX's are configured with be causing this? (My main question) Like, if I were to install a coilover setup that allows dampening would it do away with the issue? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Car is a 2002 Audi A4 FWD 1.8t

Thanks,

-Jared

 

I've seen high end coil overs that use a flat thrust bearing on one face of the spring seat so that as the spring is compressed it allows one end to rotate so it doesn't apply any twisting forces to the strut.

If your current ones don't have such a device perhaps that is causing the undue stress on your tie rods and racks?

 

Good point, if the shocks don't have spherical bearings on the top mounts they very well could be twisting.

The parts are cheap.
Global West Suspension 4002 - Global West Suspension Coil-Over Thrust Bearing Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com

 

I fail to see how a twisting force on the strut is going to cause a steering rack failure. This force would be on par with your steering input (and the equal/opposite force imparted back from the road through the tires), and should be a force that the steering rack is more than capable of dealing with.

I'd guess you're dealing with a range-of-motion issue on the inner tie-rod ends. The car is lowered to the point that the angle of the tie-rod end at the rack is somehow binding and putting a force on the rack that it was not designed to handle.

Solution: Raise the ride height up closer to stock, lower the steering rack, or modify the mounting point of the outer tie-rod end to reduce the angle at the inner end.

 

Loren makes a good point, but Jared claims he can see the tie rods flexing if its just sitting on the ground. I've seen quite a few lowered cars that were in major need of a bump steer kit that never ate through multiple steering racks though.

Its the reason why I'm leaning towards thinking something is binding up on the suspension, and crappy coil overs are his only listed mod and could be a suspect.

I asked before if he had any subframe damage that may be trying to flex his steering rack body but he says it appears intact.

I know that racks have to deal with some big forces sometimes depending on road conditions and steering inputs, but the fact is that for most of your straight line driving they shouldn't be having to deal with a lot of force all the time so short of subframe damage I suspect something else is really FUBARed.

Since a second set of eyes looking things over might help, let me know when you have the time and I'll be happy to roll around under your car and give it a look over and perhaps I may be able to find something you've missed up till this point.

 

Loren and s60R have some good points.

I would remove one boot to inspect if the inner tie rod has reached the end of it's verticle travel, and if that is why the tie rod end can be seen bending.

Fixing the bump steer would stop it from reaching the end of travel......as long as the shocks are not so bad that they would continue to allow extreme angles and reduced verticle travel.....and if they are really bad, at the extremes of shock travel there will be some force against the end of the rack............example: when bad shocks bottom out on both sides at the same time...t-rod ends are forced into the rack or pulled out of the rack, and bent upward....

I would like to know the specifics of "rack continues to fail".

I would like to know specifics of "front end rattles".

I would like to know if you buy another tie rod end,
will it allow the same amount of mis-alignment/same angle/range of motion as what you have on the car, if your current shocks bottomed out?

I would like to know if there was more than one part number for the steering rack that is supposed to be on your car. A rack that is too long will run out of mis-alignment/range of motion, sooner than a rack that is the proper length for the ride height.

For the record: My stock shocks have no bearings. My car is dropped 3 inches under stock.-Bob

 

The inner seals on the passenger side were repeatedly being destroyed somehow. An OE rack has been installed (first two were reman racks). It's been concluded they were just crap parts.

 

Damn, sorry to hear it was just defective crap Jared. Even if they comp you the part it still sucks having to change it out on your own dime and/or time though.

I too would have suspected the above mentioned tie rod limit-binding issue as well if not for that fact your car isn't that low. Looks like you only have a couple inch drop at the most when I've seen your car.