03 steering rack & pinion install on 92' SS

[Dr. Gonzo]

I went to my local Suby junk yard to source a 98 GT Rack to install on my 92. Mine was shot and I had read on here how installing a 98 LGT rack would be a slight upgrade, a little newer and bolt right on. The parts guy at Super Rupair (Boulder, CO) informed me that any rack from a 90 to a 04 legacy would fit. He brought me an '03 rack from the back and $100 later I had a pretty new rack with a 6 month warranty. And wouldn't you know it, the thing bolted right in with no issues . So for those who are looking you can source a rack from any Legacy all the way up to 04 (in 05 they just added some splines to the joint that connects to the steering column otherwise they'd all be interchangable! as per SuperRupair). Hope that helps someone! Oh yeah, I did have to get an alignement (expected) as the right tire was toed out a hair. It feels like butta now...

As a side note, I highly recommend Super Rupair to anyone in the Denver/Boulder area looking for used parts.

[biggreen96]

good to know. I need to fix mine.

[SiCkSTi04]

the the final review on the new rack? hows the improvement over the 92 ss
thanks for sharing

[ScottyS]

As an add-on to the topic, my STi rack only needed the input shaft modified by a local shop to GC fitment in order to drop in.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Oh yeah, as for the final review: It's very smooth now and there might be a slight increase in response. Honestly I had it apart for over a month so I didn't have a back-to-back comparison. Its now free of all slop (as a rack &pinion set up should be) but it just turns so much smoother, though it does require slightly more effort making me think its a slighly quicker ratio.

ScottyS: yup, thats exactly what the used parts guy said you could do to use an impreza style rack. Man I love suby's

[entirelyturbo]

Sorry to say, but the rack you put in (unless it's an STi or non-USDM rack) is actually slightly slower. Read my thread on it.

If you put new steering rack bushings on in the installation process, that's probably where your increased steering feel came from.

[SiCkSTi04]

how about the steering rack ratio from a 2.5rs?

[Dr. Gonzo]

Sorry to say, but the rack you put in (unless it's an STi or non-USDM rack) is actually slightly slower. Read my thread on it.

If you put new steering rack bushings on in the installation process, that's probably where your increased steering feel came from.

Yeah, I think you're right. I did bushings and a wheel bearing at the same time and probably confused the improved feel/response from those items and improved feel over my shot rack as a quicker ratio. Thank you for correcting my misinformation! Guess I'm still happy with it just for the fact that my car is back on the road.

[entirelyturbo]

SiCKSTi, yes, even the old 2.5RS has a slightly slower ratio. IIRC, all Imprezas are 16.5:1, as are all the Legacies after the 1st-gen. I want to say Foresters are 18:1, but don't hold me to it.

Except for the STi, which is 15:1, we have the quickest rack at 16:1.

Is 16.5:1 that big of a difference? No. I'd say on anything that's not a dedicated track car, no driver would even notice. New rack bushings (especially the Whiteline poly ones) and even a smaller steering wheel will be a much more obvious change.