Steering rack adjustment

[ashm]

Hi all,
Another thing on the to-do list. I've got some play in the steering rack. With my assistant moving the steering wheel back and forth slightly, I could track the movement down to the pinion shaft, but saw no movement at the track rods.
I suppose this means the play has to be in the rack or inner track rod balljoints.

Questions:
Do the track rod inner balljoints tend to go bad? Are they replaceable?
I see there is a small adjuster screw and locknut for taking up play in the rack via a spring loaded pusher mechanism behind the rack bar, but having had a look under there it seems to be pretty inaccessible.
I also notice that service bulletin 1990/12 details replacing the plunger with one made from a more durable material. Is this worth doing at this point? Are the necessary parts even available? Should I just replace the rack & be done with it?

Adam

[Candles]

I just replaced the rack. The Lotus aftersales list used to have them, and the advantage was that you got a later S2 rack which was supposed to have 'improved' feel. I think that means they made it easier to park.

[whippit]

i ordered one of the aftersales list recently ,
i didnt check it until i got home, when i checked it, it had ripped gatters , oil was leaking out from the rips , the pipes had bad kinks in them ,
when i asked why i was in such a state, all i got back was its old stock ,
i ordered a new one and that had rips as well , and still had leaks, but it did come with the track rod ends i needed,
at £127 there not a bad price