Re: 5kt brake shimmy Update

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

Pat;

    The screw on the rack adjusts the preload and will eliminate play
between the pinion gear and rack. The standard procedure is to tighten it in
1/8 turn increments until the rack stops clicking when the steering wheel is
turned back and forth. Take it for a test drive. Continue to tighten and
test drive until the steering does not centre on it's own after cornering.
Loosen the preload just until the steering will centre itself.

HTH

Fred Munro
'94 S4  91k km

----- Original Message -----
From: Pat Dooley <pdooley@gte.net>
To: <quattro@audifans.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 14, 1999 9:43 PM
Subject: 5kt brake shimmy Update


>
> I tried to locate the clunking noise in my front end this weekend.
> Driving over speed bumps would cause a loud clunk and anything above light
> braking caused a bad shimmy.
>
> With the car parked and wheels on the ground I can hear a clunk while
> rocking the steering wheel back and forth.
> I crawled around the car while a friend operated the wheel.  The
suspension
> is tight, including strut bearings and strut pistons.  I actually thought
> the strut piston bores may be worn and affecting the braking.
>
> I traced the noise to the steering box(R/P).  It seems like the clunk is
> actually coming from the rack, precisely, at the rack and pinion
interface.
> I noticed something that looks like an adjusting nut on top of the
steering
> box.
> Anybody know if this can be turned to take slop out of the rack?
>
> BTW, I checked the steering rack attachment points on the car body.  I
> figured maybe the rack was loose and clunking against the body.  No such
> luck.
>
>