Hello All,

A R32 rack came up for sale on a VAG site I am part of in Ireland, only thing is he is selling it with hubs ect.

This is what the add says:

"R32 Steering Rack (Quick rack), R32 front hubs, R32 cast camber adjustment wishbones, under the driveshaft arb. Before I had this on my car I fitted the wishbones with new genuine bushings, the hubs with new genuine bearings, the steering rack with new genuine track rod ends, the ball joints and drop links didnt need changing. Everything you need for the conversion is included. This is an excellent addition to improve the handling of any mk4. - €500"

My question is, do I need the hubs and the wishbones and the track rod ends?

I was going to see if he could do just the rack, but if all the other parts are necessary, or worth having, should I take it all off him... hopefully not for €500.. :p

Any help would be appreciated.

Gavin

yep to make the best of it you would be best changing all that over onto the car will handle really well

just have to double check the driveshafts are the same!!?

i pretty much have this setup minus hubs

driveshafts wont be the same, need to change the hub bearing/flanges iirc

get the tierod ends too if you are getting the (whole) setup as you will need them,

if you are fitting the 23mm front arb you really want a 25mm rear arb at the least

Just the rack is fine

The wishbones and ball joints will be ace to have. Use your std tie rods and ends on the R32 rack.

No need for the hubs. Don't use R32 tie rods on the octy hubs tho as they are thicker and catch on the rims on full lock.

Some say you need washers to put the hubs onto the ball joints but you don't. They jus go straight on. Believe me I've had mine apart that muck already. There is mm of clearence so its tight.

Need:

Cast wishbones

New TT ball joints

New tie rod ends(octavia)

Nyloc nuts for both

Steering rack bush (might as well change while off)

2x New steering rack boot kits for Octavia

1 bottle PAS fluid(green stuff)

New nuts and bolts for wishbones to sub frame

Your std tie rods

Std hubs and drive shafts

Get a good fine metal saw too as you will prob need to cut the ball joints and tie rods off yours.

Awesome mod mate. Oh and don't turn the steering wheel when you disconnect the 13mm bold and take the rack off the column or you'll brake the horn and airbag ring behind the wheel lol. (Thank god I had a spare off the other car lol)

Good luck mate

Billy

+1 to all off above

IMO the wishbones + castor increase SuperPro bushes ( SPF3397K ) are actually the more significant part of the upgrade

Check this thread

billy the washer is used to space the balljoint from the hub to correct the angle that occurs when mismatching a non tt hub with a tt balljoint. Its to do with the taper of the balljoint not being correct otherwise in the hub. I use it as according to the few others that have done this mod, IS a requirement.

Thetie rod ends are only needed if using the r32/tt hub.

The best way forward is fit the whole lot and fit 2wd flanges/bearings to the r32 hubs. Then replace all the vrs stuff with the r32 stuff available.

Then you will have correct alignment and negate the need for the washer i just mentioned before.

I run the castor adjusters, and they make a massive difference to the vrs, if you are going to the effort of fitting cast wishbones, do not miss fitting out those bushes.

billy the washer is used to space the balljoint ...

is that berty the balljoint ?

Lads you are an absolute treasure trove of info!!!!

What do you reckon about the price? Is it a fair price? (bearing in mind I wont need the hubs!)

billy the washer is used to space the balljoint from the hub to correct the angle that occurs when mismatching a non tt hub with a tt balljoint. Its to do with the taper of the balljoint not being correct otherwise in the hub. I use it as according to the few others that have done this mod, IS a requirement.

Thetie rod ends are only needed if using the r32/tt hub.

The best way forward is fit the whole lot and fit 2wd flanges/bearings to the r32 hubs. Then replace all the vrs stuff with the r32 stuff available.

Then you will have correct alignment and negate the need for the washer i just mentioned before.

I run the castor adjusters, and they make a massive difference to the vrs, if you are going to the effort of fitting cast wishbones, do not miss fitting out those bushes.

mmm

Amateurstuntman didnt have them on his and it was perfect. same on mine? it fits nice and seems good.

on looking at the TT hubs I can see now what the diff is, the TT hubs in effect lower the car while keeping the arm sloping down so in a corner the car basically widens out if that makes sence? also know now why not to use TT tie rod ends with std hubs lol :S

the TT ends point up and ours go down, mind a way round that would be to fit them on the op side to the way it says lol so they can be used.

Right, now I need some TT hubs lol. if I get some, I take it the octaiv a bearings will press in?

will the outer part on our hubs go into that? the part the wheels bolt on to? that will then make it ok to use our drive shafts wont it?

sorry to hijak

billy

yes thats what you do, reverse the tierods so that you can fit them the other way round (upside down).

thing is, the balljoint will fit in the hub, its the long term effect that you need to be concerned about ie the geometry or worse still is the balljoint being put under undue pressure. I helped amateurstuntman with the setup and told him to fit the washer, but he decided against it, he wanted to be renegade

Tt hubs, if fwd will fit without issue, if not then 4wd hubs can be used and you have to change the flange iirc.

now Ive just been looking on ETKA and from what I gather they are all the same. THe vRS used the same Bearings ans the TT(all varients) and the outher bits are all the same too. even the CV joints are the same.

from what I gather tho, so long as you get the TT hub assy, just get some new bearings pressed in and use the rest of the stuff from your hubs and thats then ready to use?

My plan is to get the hubs, take them and my original hubs and new bearings to a mech. get them to press out both assemblies and repress new bearings and my octavia parts into the TT hub assy? will that work

I went for the rack, I will be getting it sometime next week so hopefully I'll have it fitted... um... in 2015....

Either way, looking forward to the pain/pleasure it will bring!

Also have some brembos sitting in my room so hopefully I can get everything done at the same time!

did you just get the rack or the lot?

its a pain to change the rack mate if you dont have a ramp and the right lifts. you really need a mate to help. I did it on my own and I really dont want to do it again.

billy

did you just get the rack or the lot?

its a pain to change the rack mate if you dont have a ramp and the right lifts. you really need a mate to help. I did it on my own and I really dont want to do it again.

billy

Went for the whole lot.

I wont be doing it myself, I wanted a mate to help... well, do it for me..

His response was get me a ramp :(

So I am just going to send it to a good indy that I know has done this before!

Only thing is billy, I see your woes regarding the TT hubs on the Octy, I imagine it will be the same for myself with R32 hubs??

Edited 2 April, 201115 yr by GavrsIrl

Yes, you'll need new bearings and get them put in with the std flanges. I gettin them done on monday.

Sounds like this is gonna cost you a small fortune.

Yes, you'll need new bearings and get them put in with the std flanges. I gettin them done on monday.

Sounds like this is gonna cost you a small fortune.

Yup...... if I didnt join this site the wallet would have been grand!

Cheers Billy.

**Update**

Decided as I don't want to lower the car, I will only be fitting the rack and ARB, the hubs and wishbones can sit on the self.

Got a price of €100 for the fitting of both and PAS fluid, so Ill get that done as soon as I have the rack!

Lads,

Just spoke to the mechanic who is going to change the rack and he said there is no point in fitting the cast wishbones unless I am fitting the hubs, and he says there isnt much point in doing that unless lowering the car.

Is this true, from reading the through the thread from snow munchers link, fitting the wishbones is quite the contributing factor to the improved handling....?

That thread also says all you need to fit the wishbones is the TT balljoint and a washer to make it fit our FWD hub.

I am at a loss, should I just fit the rack and roll bar or get the wishbones as well??

I know I sound like a right thick, but just want to make the most of the parts I bought.

Thanks in advance.

... fitting the wishbones is quite the contributing factor to the improved handling....?

I've driven Oet's car which has rack and wishbones, and mine has only the wishbones, and the difference is really down to the senseativity of the steering, the increased flatness and tightness seems very similar

I don't see how both the rack, wishbones & ARB wouldn't still be an upgrade, even with standard springs and shocks ( I assume that's what you mean by leaving the car art standard height )

Don't forget the cast bones are stronget too and I think they are a bit longer? So ad bit of camber is it?

They do help most deff and as said you have them so mighty as well fit them. Fair one tho the hub assy are a bit more work so leave them unless lowering, when you go lower then fit them at same time.

Ill let you know what it does next week lol. Gettin mine ready to go on tomoz with new bearings and my hubs out of the assys off my car.

I have been lucky tho to have a spare pair to keep my car on road.

Billy

@ Snow muncher:

Thats what I meant, I'll be keeping standard ride hight, thanks!

@ Billy, are you going to use that caster increase super pro bushing????

Na mate, I am just gonna put new OEM bushes in as the price is too much for me and the car handles better than I drive it anyway. All the stuff I have on my car pritty much never gets used lol.

Its just nice to say its there.

The bushes in the bones I have are shot ne way and for the price of the SuperPRO castor bushes, I can keep replacing them with std ones for next 10 years lol, can't see the super pro lastin that long. Only really need it for track use Ide say.

Bil

So are the caster increase bushes not necessary then??

All the stuff I have on my car pritty much never gets used lol.

Thats very true lol

You need to be a little more generous with the loud pedal lol

Its a good addition mate but tbh only if you are gonna go the whole hog. Personally I don't need it or afford it lol.

The R32 front set up will be a mahoosive improvement over std ne way.

Fatty, yea but for what I use the car for and my luck I can't afford to use the loud peddal. I don't have any points left to play with.

6 is max for a class 1 driver

Bil