smartboyalex77
10-28-2011, 01:23 AM
Hi all,
I just swapped out my busted up steering rack out of my 1996 Legacy L with a 1998 Outback steering rack. I have three questions:
1. The Pinion and Valve assembly on the Outback rack looks different than my original Legacy rack, I took some quick measurements before I installed and everything seemed the same but remember these were quick measurements. Are these two racks the same with just slight differences in appearance due to whatever reasons they may have had? The outback rack to column yoke is about an inch longer than the Legacy yoke, but that could be to compensate for the shorter Outback steering column.
2. I am restoring my Legacy from a crash it was in from the previous owner. Before I replaced the rack, or even ever considered it, I had a problem with clearance between the column cover and the lower dash cover under the steering column (the cover with the Diagnostics plug on it) and same for the clearance between the steering wheel and column cover, when trying to bolt up the steering column (I tried to replace it with an Outback one that I got with the rack since I got it basically for free only to find out it is a little over an inch smaller than the non-Outback columns so I had to reinstall the old column, I guess I should have read the service manual first huh?) the bolt holes didn't match up at all, I ended up having the move the two rectangular washers that slide into the column mounting slots out about a half of an inch to compensate which doesn't seem safe at all. I am not sure if this was the case before I replaced the steering rack since I didn't bother to notice, but I know for sure it is not how it is supposed to be. Could my column be collapsed from the accident or is this from the new steering rack.
3. Would I be able to use the Outback steering column and tap new holes since there is plenty of room on the metal where the column mounts and use the longer Outback yoke (since I tried this before I know the shorter yoke is too short if I were to use the Outback column)? In my previous attempt it seemed like my only problem was that the mounting holes on the car were about a half an inch too far back towards the firewall, does this mean that with the yoke and the column together the steering column would actually stick out farther than the stock column or is it just the mounting holes are in a different place on the Outback?
Thanks,
Alex
I just swapped out my busted up steering rack out of my 1996 Legacy L with a 1998 Outback steering rack. I have three questions:
1. The Pinion and Valve assembly on the Outback rack looks different than my original Legacy rack, I took some quick measurements before I installed and everything seemed the same but remember these were quick measurements. Are these two racks the same with just slight differences in appearance due to whatever reasons they may have had? The outback rack to column yoke is about an inch longer than the Legacy yoke, but that could be to compensate for the shorter Outback steering column.
2. I am restoring my Legacy from a crash it was in from the previous owner. Before I replaced the rack, or even ever considered it, I had a problem with clearance between the column cover and the lower dash cover under the steering column (the cover with the Diagnostics plug on it) and same for the clearance between the steering wheel and column cover, when trying to bolt up the steering column (I tried to replace it with an Outback one that I got with the rack since I got it basically for free only to find out it is a little over an inch smaller than the non-Outback columns so I had to reinstall the old column, I guess I should have read the service manual first huh?) the bolt holes didn't match up at all, I ended up having the move the two rectangular washers that slide into the column mounting slots out about a half of an inch to compensate which doesn't seem safe at all. I am not sure if this was the case before I replaced the steering rack since I didn't bother to notice, but I know for sure it is not how it is supposed to be. Could my column be collapsed from the accident or is this from the new steering rack.
3. Would I be able to use the Outback steering column and tap new holes since there is plenty of room on the metal where the column mounts and use the longer Outback yoke (since I tried this before I know the shorter yoke is too short if I were to use the Outback column)? In my previous attempt it seemed like my only problem was that the mounting holes on the car were about a half an inch too far back towards the firewall, does this mean that with the yoke and the column together the steering column would actually stick out farther than the stock column or is it just the mounting holes are in a different place on the Outback?
Thanks,
Alex