In a rack-and-pinion steering gear for motor vehicles, in which in a steering gear housing a pressure piece is guided within a stub having an axis normal to that of the steering-gear housing so that the pressure piece is longitudinally displaceable in the guide stub. A preloading force acts on the pressure piece at an angle to the direction of motion of the pressure piece such that the pressure piece is held in engagement with a side wall of the stub in either direction of movement of the rack.