Brake shake usually from rear control arms but mine was the steering rack. Same symptoms.

The diagnoses: have somebody turn the steering wheel back and forth engine off while your have hand on the rack or even the tie rod.

The tap from backlash is unmistakable. It’ll tap both directions.

There’s some backlash even when new but it should be silent and not be able to feel it.

You can tell if the slop is in the input/shaft or output/tie rods fairly easily.

If I read correctly you already performed this test.

You should be able to confirm by adjusting the toe off center.

Loosen both tie rods and adjust them way off to one side. Maybe an inch but count the turns and do both sides the same. It’ll make your steering wheel off center when going straight but will move the rack to a different spot. If the pinion gear isn’t worn you should see the symptoms improve.

You can test before you do this by turning the wheels off center then do the back/forth backlash test.

If still clicks, pinion, if it stops it’s the rack teeth and the redneck fix will work until you replace the steering gear.


–awr–

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2011 E70 • N55 (me)
2012 E70 • N63 (wife)