So I come back here, somewhat humbled. I was so excited about my fix and was sure it would last. Car came back for routine work and while at it, I decided to inspect my handy work with steering rack stoppers. To my dismay I found passenger side to have one semi intact stopper and one completely off and deformed. Driver side contained chewed up pieces of those stoppers.
Unfortunately my solution does not work. I guess if somebody often uses steering wheel to the bump stops, enough force is applied to these parts that cause inevitable destruction. I guess in retrospect, it makes sense, since original pieces were made of pretty solid metal, and they got all bent out of shape in no time.
Last time I went to hardware store, I found following item. Its a split collar, which can be tightened around steering shafts.
The way I see this problem, is that you either have to press something into the bore that will remain in place and not flop around,
or you have to attach something to the end of the shaft (like the steering stoppers I used before).
I am thinking giving this split collar a try. Its made of solid metal. The way its engineered, it will have no issues clamping over
auger style shaft on passenger side.
As long as the size fits over the shaft and into the bore, it may just provide a permanent fix.
Its not ideal, because there will be no cushioning, but short of throwing a new rack in there, I don't see a better solution.
Brass or aluminum will get pounded and expand and or break inside, which could turn entire rack inoperable.
I plan on using locktite on the bolts to make sure nothing loosens.
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