I see a lot of rebuilt power steering racks available here in the US, the average is around $250 for a rebuilt unit. This may sound like a silly question but how can anyone be sure they are replacing the rack bushings when they rebuild them? I see no mention ever in the notes.

 

FWIW, every rebuilt rack I've purchased always had new bushings.....but that doesn't directly answer your question, I know.

Still, I always replaced the bushings anyway, just because I don't like the OEM type/style

Cheers
DD

 

That's a good point, thank you. One of the reasons I'm replacing the rack is that even after purchasing a puller I can't get the original bushings out, so the next think would be to cut them out. I happen to have a new set of sport bushings in fact.

 

JaguarSport rack bushings never deteriorate. To remove then is damn near impossible and pointless. If you must, then the only way I could do it was to cut off the solid outer (that is on only one end of the bush), then heat the rubber and pull out the steel inner, then with a hacksaw blade threaded through rack eye still containing the steel outer; cut it along its length, and once cut prise it inwards and wrestle it out. Never again. I was chasing a wobble and was desperate, and the new bushes made no difference!
This method would work with even the non JS bushes, if they are what you have.

 

The bushes I have are the same as in this picture. They are as you described, flat on one side with a rubber center. The only way I can see to remove (after having tried) would be the cutting method you mentioned.

 

They are JaguarSport bushes, which in my opinion are the best rack bushes for the XJS. They will be fine, so leave well alone, say I.

 

Hey Greg, was this wobble the one you talked about previously (I read here somewhere) caused by the front sub frame bushes?...or the spun inner wheel bearing due to a flat spotted spindle? I have a wobble but the sub frame bushes "look" okay. It could be due to the Pirrelli 600s that are dated 2005; although the tread is great.

 

I never had duff wheelbearings or stub axles. The wobble, about 3 or 4 wobbles per second at the steering wheel rim at and only at 80 KPH, was caused by duff OEM (brand new and tried two sets) front subframe front six shot bushes. I actually fixed this by filling up the holes with hard-ish setting gunk to harden the bush; but I strongly recommend using poly six shot bushes which are now available. Hardening up the OEM bushes made no adverse ride problems and 100% fixed the wobble - after I had renewed literally everything else on the front subframe, dammit!