steering rack
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 20,352
Likes: 568
From: Ventura County, Calif
The rack should bolt in directly. However, there is a lot more to the changes in steering from '07 to '08 and subsequently in the '08 to '09+ model year. If you don't feel like reading the rest, I'll state right up front that I would not recommend putting the newer rack in an older car not programmed to deal with the changes.
The rack, gearing, VES software, valving to name a few it will be very hard to understand what would happen if you were to put the new rack in with all of the other components. There was also programming changes to the EBCM to deal with the new gearing and software of the VES (variable effort steering) and how it ties in with the active handling system. As a result of what is referred to as the valve curve, engineers at Delphi who produce the Magna-steer have commented that the handling could be unpredictable to downright diobolical if you were to put the new gear in with the old hardware supporting.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend the swap. Further, you will not likely net anything in the way of the positive steering "feel" changes by putting just the rack and mechanical gear in.
The good news is that the gears manufactured for parts after July of 2007 for the 2005 through 2007 system adopted the tighter manufacturing tolerances that were introcued on the for the 2008 model so any newer rack such as a part purchased in 2011) intended for use in the 2005-2007 should have a little tighter feel with a little less play just by using the correct part in the correct system.
The rack, gearing, VES software, valving to name a few it will be very hard to understand what would happen if you were to put the new rack in with all of the other components. There was also programming changes to the EBCM to deal with the new gearing and software of the VES (variable effort steering) and how it ties in with the active handling system. As a result of what is referred to as the valve curve, engineers at Delphi who produce the Magna-steer have commented that the handling could be unpredictable to downright diobolical if you were to put the new gear in with the old hardware supporting.
Personally, I wouldn't recommend the swap. Further, you will not likely net anything in the way of the positive steering "feel" changes by putting just the rack and mechanical gear in.
The good news is that the gears manufactured for parts after July of 2007 for the 2005 through 2007 system adopted the tighter manufacturing tolerances that were introcued on the for the 2008 model so any newer rack such as a part purchased in 2011) intended for use in the 2005-2007 should have a little tighter feel with a little less play just by using the correct part in the correct system.
