Porsche 914 Steering Rack and Turbo Tie Rod Install

Here's how I tightened up my steering using a refurbished rack from 914 Rubber and Elephant Racing turbo tie rods.
The wrench I used on the tie rods is here:
www.amazon.com...
Remember, I'm not a qualified mechanic, and accurate steering is kind of important. Proceed at your own risk. If you're not sure about doing this upgrade, please consult a professional. As always, be safe and enjoy!

[@IanKarr]

Thanks so much for watching. If you like these videos, please give a 👍, subscribe and hit the 🔔 . I make these videos alone in my garage and your subcriptions motivate me to keep making them. I try to answer all comments quickly. Be safe and enjoy the addiction!

[@tekmantis]

Importance of rebuilding the steering rack! First Off Ian, thanks for doing all these videos Extremely helpful. In 1986 I had purchased a 1972 911S. Love affair would be a mild description I had with that car. Around 1988 I went for a couple fast runs on beeline highway in the Arizona desert doing 110 to 132mph. Came home, my wife comes out as we were going to do some errands. Once in the car, I put it in 1st gear and started with a right hand turn and we both heard a Pop, and the steering wheel kept turning but the car went straight. After realizing how severe this whole experience could have been if this happened before I came home to get my wife. The failure was internal to the rack. I have made it a priority to never assume that the old faithful Porsche rack is in top shape. I have owned ten 914 since that car and I at least have the whole steering assembly and brakes checked at the time of purchase and before attempting those high speed runs. Just to mention it, I had an intake valve break as well. After removing it, we - "Stuttgart South West and myself" found a "defect" - air bubble in the casting inside of the valve where it broke. It lasted for 15 years but eventually went during my ownership. Other than those two items that car was a locomotive on steroids.

[@IanKarr]

Wow. Glad no one was hurt. Definitely always a good idea to check all major components. These things are half a century old! Like me.

[@grantlingley5099]

Thanks again Ian! Awesome video how to. I need to go back and look at those washers to be certain I put them in where they need to be...did this years ago...hope to have car on the road this summer!

[@IanKarr]

Glad to help. Hope your car makes it back on the road soon...

[@jockellis]

My car, named Rusty for obvious reasons, is Ravenna green. Under a coat of yellow which is under a coat of dark green. I’m getting ready to renew the front suspension and add Weltmeister front swaybar. Really informative and well done video. I’m planning on going back to the original color probably because is is the same color as Zyglo fluorescent penetrant which is used in one of the NDT inspections I do in my job. Lot of work ahead.

[@IanKarr]

You’ll never regret being the car back to Ravenna Green! Check out my swaybar video if you wanna see how the stock one is installed. Pretty sure a lot of the process is similar. Be safe and enjoy!

[@jockellis]

Finally getting around to taking off the steering rack. Your video is a godsend. I note that the bolts in your hockey puck appear to be new. I couldn’t afford a rebuilt rack so I bought a new pick and mounting hardware. I’ll soda blast the rack itself. That worked pretty well on my cylinder heads and sheets on my ‘91 Civic work car. Is your car on the road now? You’ve done a really professional restoration. Incidentally, I see the 914-6 GTs are up in the million dollar range at auction now. Hope that tide raises our boats.

[@IanKarr]

Thanks, man. Yes, my green car is on the road and doing great. The bumblebee is another story....

[@Van-tastic]

Of all the times he doesn’t use soap lol!

[@IanKarr]

Yeah, that would've helped!

[@N911GT2]

Please invest 15 dollar in a camera stand. Your video's would be so much better then they already are! Thank you for them!

[@IanKarr]

HA! What? you don' t like the shakycam? Glad you enjoy the videos. I do have a stand and use it when practical..but sometimes the best place to put the camera isn't stand-friendly. And rigging it takes more effort than it's worth. As it is, shooting these videos nearly doubles the time of the project. The best thing is to have another person hold the camera. What are you doing this weekend?

[@jockellis]

You failed to tell how much fun it is to disengage the rack from the steering shaft. The scary part was wondering if I would break through the rusty floor pan. And the farther I get into the project the more I find out I need to do to get the rack out.

[@IanKarr]

Yes, it is fun ;). Way easier with a helper and a very long heavy duty screwdriver or pry-bar

[@jockellis]

Ian Karr You are right about having a helper. My son came over today and helped -actually, I helped him - get the rack out. So all the front suspension is off and all apart but the right front control arm that I have been unable to separate from the strut. I’m planning to take it to Automobile Atlanta tomorrow and let them deal with it. Your videos are such a blessing.

[@victorlaporte7054]

Ian, I don't get this. There is no way to remove the steering gear without removing the support/torsion bar. What am I misunderstanding?

[@IanKarr]

Hi Victor. Sorry but I'm not understanding what you're not understanding ;). The steering rack connects to the auxiliary support bar.

[@victorlaporte7090]

@@IanKarr In this version (yellow car), the edit jumps to removing the steering rack without detailing the removal of the auxiliary support. At the time I was confused. I did more research and also watched you do the same thing on the BumbleBee where you show all the steps. I'm so new to all this at the time I just didn't know why mine didn't look like yours.

[@IanKarr]

@@victorlaporte7090 We were all new at one time. hang in there. yes, the rack is unbolted from the aux carrier before you can remove the carrier.

[@jockellis]

Ian, if I’ve removed the steering wheel all I have to do is get the steering rack, with tie rods spaced correctly. back on the donut with the wheels straight, don’t I?

[@IanKarr]

Whenever I say "All I have to do", it usually gets me in trouble. If you're asking about how to get the wheel on straight, I'd make a mark on the face of the column and turn the rack hard to one side. Then count the number revolutions to the other side, and back it off by half that amount. Put the wheel on and you should be centered. Sometimes you have to move it by a spline or two. OR...for those who haven't taken the wheel off yet, it's easy to draw a line that connects the metal collar of the steering wheel across the shaft, then just line them back up when you put the wheel on.

[@jockellis]

Ian Karr Wheels come off pretty easily. Had to take mine off so I could get under there to loosen splines.

[@g13realty79]

The two racks look different. Can you please explain? Thanks!

[@IanKarr]

One is much cleaner :). Seriously tho...what looks different to you?