Hi
Pictures would help I think - you are very supportive to do this, thanks - here is somemore explanation of my clarity now from last nite getting more info.
The problem is that there is a rattle under the car when I go for instance across a dirt road or grassy area or sometomes hit a bump. The mechanic who put it up on a lift sai that one of two bolts that bolt the rack of the rack and pinion - is missing its spacer rubber grommet and the metal washers that go with that rubber grommet. That bolt is in there just as the bolt on the other side of the rack is in there but the one on the other side has the rubber grommet and the washers.
The fellow who looked under tha car with me who would help me fix it ourselve confirmed thismissing rubber piece and the washers are indeed not there and the ones on the other side are there and that both bolts are there screwed in.
The mechanic who put it on the lift and looked at it said the rack is bouncing and that makes the noise.
The fellow who looked under the car with me - who looked at the rack part (I did not crawl that far under.) said the other one looks somewhat worn.
He also saw that he tie rod end on the side where the rubber grommet and the washers is missing, that tie rod boot is gone and the tie rod end may need replacing.
The fellow who looked right at the bushings said - yes it is bolting to the frame of the car not to the engine as someone else said. The suto parts store guy said there are big rubber things that are split in half and go around the tie rod and there is a clamp around each one to hold the rubber on - on either end left and right of the rack. They have a clamp around each one left and right sides. He says they are both on there.
What is missing he said are - where two bolts bolt the rack to the frame of the car (the car body) - and one has the bolt and it also has washers and a rubber piece that goes around the bolt. One set of washers and the rubber piece with the washers - for one of the bolts - is missing.
This part blots the rack to the car body-frame. He said we would have to drop the fram that's of the car body lower to the ground - the part of the car on the bottomof the car in the front of the car - drop it lower by removing some bolts -
and then remove one of the big round rubber things over the tie rods, with its clamp - remove one of those to get to be able to unscrew the bolt that connects the rack to the car frame-body - in order to be able to unscrew the bolt so that we can put washers and the littler rubber grommet (or is it calles a little bushing) onto the bolt and then screw the bolt back into the frame and rack and then put all the big rubber bushing with its clamop and then the car frame piece we lowered - put them back where we loosened them from.
Where do we get the washers and rubber grommet for that bolt and what size is it? Do I go to the dealer? How does one undo the clamp around the big rubber piece?
Does that rubber piece with washers get pressed onto the bolt or does it just slide on?
How hard is it to unscrew and recrew the bolt?
HOW DOES ONE drop the frame to get to the rack and is it hard to do that and to put it back onto its bolt. And do we have to drop four or we see six bolts - three on each side left and right of this frame piece and then two at its rear on the rear side of the frame piece - and we only see so far that the rear side bolts (not the rear bolts) - the two of the three on each side - have the bolt going through a donut shaped round piece - the other bolts seem to go right onto metal frame.
Where do I get the rubber grommet and washers - dealer?
The big grommets are from auto parts store for $19.95 for the pair. But they are still on the car.
Is it hard to undo that clamp from the big rubber grommets?
The mechanic who put it on a lift weeks ago said the rubber and washers were missing and that they rarely go out so it is not easy to access them in the way the car is put together - whereas the big rubber things with clamps on them are easier to get at.
The fellow who looked under the car at the rack part said the bolts for that I have to replace one of the rubbers and the washers - goes into the rack from the sides left and right - through the frame and that is why we have to remove one of those big rubber things and a clamp. I had imagined they were vertical up and down but he explained otherwise to me last nite.
Are we missing anything that we need to do?
How long should it take a regular mechanic on a lift to do the rubber and washer replacement?
Are these big bolts going into threaded holes or do we have to look out for loose nuts?
Thanks Lou
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