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Sounds like personal preferences and mental masturbation (most of this post), for the most part. The steering is perfect for me (with my aversion to anything but mechanical parts that I can feel and sense with), I own it, I wouldn't trade it in for anything else (so far). It is very responsive and does everything I want and ask it to do (steering wise). Still love the look and comments especially when ppl find out it is a 2008. Yes, my permagrin is alive and well!
The linkage that turns the wheels is slightly different than on a rack-and-pinion system.
The recirculating-ball steering gear contains a worm gear. You can image the gear in two parts. The first part is a block of metal with a threaded hole in it. This block has gear teeth cut into the outside of it, which engage a gear that moves the pitman arm (see diagram above). The steering wheel connects to a threaded rod, similar to a bolt, that sticks into the hole in the block. When the steering wheel turns, it turns the bolt. Instead of twisting further into the block the way a regular bolt would, this bolt is held fixed so that when it spins, it moves the block, which moves the gear that turns the wheels. Instead of the bolt directly engaging the threads in the block, all of the threads are filled with ball bearings that recirculate through the gear as it turns. The ***** actually serve two purposes: First, they reduce friction and wear in the gear; second, they reduce slop in the gear. Slop would be felt when you change the direction of the steering wheel -- without the ***** in the steering gear, the teeth would come out of contact with each other for a moment, making the steering wheel feel loose. https://auto.howstuffworks.com/steering3.htm
so indeed the use of recirculating ball bearings reduces the play. how about that!
does any1 still wants to replace it?
Last edited by phil alvirez; Dec 24, 2020 at 03:23 AM.
Looking at this old info as I am replacing the steering tie rod assembly the long rod at the front wheels. Goes from one wheel to the other. Wow, mine was plain old. Dried up rubber... I say swap that for $110-140. Also the steering stabilizer for a brand name replacement.
Next get a different hub and elect a smaller steering wheel of your liking and in this modernize the feel. Or not, only i had the the 911 turbo, cayenne gts, and now panamera turbo. Not that much better, and people say Porsche is ten out of ten in this area. Keep the old steering wheel and air bag for the inspection of your car if your state requires that. Mine car has not been inspected since 2015. Steering wheel upgrade version 2 year 2020
My personal preference for a steering wheel look and feel. It's a customized remade Crossfire steering wheel. Standard airbag drops in so there are no inspection issues.
My personal preference for a steering wheel look and feel. It's a customized remade Crossfire steering wheel. Standard airbag drops in so there are no inspection issues.
very nice 👌 I'm running the nitrous on the red buttons of the steering wheel and the choices with this feature were limited. No matter what, the sport grip should have been there from the start.
Re: Can anything be done about the steering?
Sounds like personal preferences and mental masturbation (most of this post), for the most part. The steering is perfect for me (with my aversion to anything but mechanical parts that I can feel and sense with), I own it, I wouldn't trade it in for anything else (so far). It is very responsive and does everything I want and ask it to do (steering wise). Still love the look and comments especially when ppl find out it is a 2008. Yes, my permagrin is alive and well! 
The linkage that turns the wheels is slightly different than on a rack-and-pinion system.
Instead of the bolt directly engaging the threads in the block, all of the threads are filled with ball bearings that recirculate through the gear as it turns. The ***** actually serve two purposes: First, they reduce friction and wear in the gear; second, they reduce slop in the gear. Slop would be felt when you change the direction of the steering wheel -- without the ***** in the steering gear, the teeth would come out of contact with each other for a moment, making the steering wheel feel loose.
