I recently finished a complete overhaul of my 1980 242 front steering and suspension components. New upper spring mounts, Bilstein HD's, ball joints, inner/outer tie rods, all new control arm bushings. I have a transplanted used manual rack as well. Complete front end alignment done after part installation.

I began to notice the steering was "floaty" and felt like it had some play, or wanted to wander a bit. I got under the car and had a friend jerk the wheel back and forth to pinpoint the play; thinking it was infant mortality of one of the newly installed parts.

Instead I found something strange. After removing both steering rack boots, I noticed the ends of the rack itself (the transverse rod that goes through the center of the housing and interfaces with the pinion) where it protrudes from the housing were floating up and down in the housing by a few mm in either direction. The passenger side was more pronounced, probably because it was further away from the pinion gear and could articulate more.

This up and down play as the wheel turned left and right was translating into steering play, not unlike when one of the tie rod ball joints has play.

I couldn't find any adjustments or serviceability here. Can this be fixed, or do I have to buy a new rack, like the Meyle unit FCP sells?