power steering rack

old fordnut · 07-12-2009, 09:38 AM

I've got a split boot on my steering rack thats leaking oil. Does this mean that the seal on the steering rod is leaking? can just replace seal or do I need new rack?
Also whats the torque spec for the lower balljoints?

old fordnut · 07-12-2009, 09:53 AM

Aslo does anybody know where I xcan get a good price on either a s/h or reconditioned Rad?

InfernoSR · 07-12-2009, 01:43 PM

if this is for your AU XR8, i wouldnt bother with stock radiators let alone 2nd hand/reco (unless young core)... i just upgraded mine to the best off the shelf complete ADRAD radiator you can get... around $350-$400 for a wide 2 row brass unit...

svo supporter · 07-12-2009, 06:14 PM

Firstly the rack. If it's leaking, replace it. 2ndly. The balljoint tightening spec. I tighten them up as tight as humanly possible by hand. Never had a nut come off yet.

Hope that answers your questions satisfacturily

old fordnut · 09-12-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

Firstly the rack. If it's leaking, replace it. 2ndly. The balljoint tightening spec. I tighten them up as tight as humanly possible by hand. Never had a nut come off yet.

Hope that answers your questions satisfacturily

yep thx

old fordnut · 09-12-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InfernoSR

if this is for your AU XR8, i wouldnt bother with stock radiators let alone 2nd hand/reco (unless young core)... i just upgraded mine to the best off the shelf complete ADRAD radiator you can get... around $350-$400 for a wide 2 row brass unit...

Unfortunately I cant afford that much and I'm desperate as this is the family car and we need it.

blownv8au · 09-12-2009, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old fordnut

Unfortunately I cant afford that much and I'm desperate as this is the family car and we need it.

i had overheating probs with the alloy radiator and it had some holes in it. so i got a brand new copper core one off ebay was around $200 delivered. its been in the car for about 12 months now and still working great hasn't overheated again, absolute bargain. by the way i give my car a hard time more often than not and its always bloody hot up here so i won't be forking out big dollars for one the ebay cheapys great.

whiskers · 10-12-2009, 08:59 AM

have a look in here for your torque specs http://www.fordforums.com.au/vbporta...article&id=578

old fordnut · 10-12-2009, 05:22 PM

Nothing in that link

mik · 10-12-2009, 05:59 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-REP-RADIA...item5636f6c94f
here`s a cheap radiator, if thats a problem , try a bottle of wynns radiator stop leak (had the stuff in for 12 months

) , i put some of this stuff in my mums old beat up blue bird with a dodgy radiator , small leak fixed, my young brother then went an rear ended another car, radiator bent around fan blades .........no leaks

amazeing stuff, bayfords in coburg have a power steering /auto section and do reco racks for a reasonable price i think, spare parts 0392975000, have a ring around....... you`ll need an alignment with a reco rack.

White_sr_taxi · 11-12-2009, 07:36 AM

don't mean to thread hijack but shouldn;t you mix copper core rad with alloy head? or somthing along those lines? was speaking to my mechanic yesterday as my rad died three days ago and id be interested if this was the case.

lofty · 11-12-2009, 05:38 PM

Re steering racks. I've seen several people on the forums say 'if it leaks, replace it', without giving reasons. Mine leaks and I asked a local mechanic about it today. He said they often leak a bit and it doesn't really matter. It's not going to fail or do anything dangerous. He said if it leaks onto the ground or you're losing a lot of fluid you might want to replace it. Neither is true in my case so it can wait. But if I had a split boot I might think differently cos I drive on dirt roads.

frd906 · 11-12-2009, 05:58 PM

i just picked up a very good condition steering rack from a au series 1 for 50 bucks no leaks or anything, still look brand new and the car has under 100 thou on the clock

svo supporter · 11-12-2009, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lofty

Re steering racks. I've seen several people on the forums say 'if it leaks, replace it', without giving reasons. Mine leaks and I asked a local mechanic about it today. He said they often leak a bit and it doesn't really matter. It's not going to fail or do anything dangerous .

Here's part of the reason behind replacing a leaking steering rack. It means the seals inside the racks are starting to perish. Eventually they'll give up the ghost totally, which means you'll be left with a manual steering power rack.

The racks can fail, if the fluid isn't kept upto them. Once they fail due to constant lack of fluid, it becomes pricey, because old racks can't be sent back for re-conditioning. So, the end result is, you pay for it.

As for them leaking a little bit. If that was the case, I'd come home drenched in power steering fluid. The rack boots aren't "fluid" tight. You can get a small flat bladed screw driver between the end of the boot and the rackend, which means, that's where this "leaking" fluid would exit, if racks were constantly leaking, as your mechanic eluded to.

Hope that clarifies a little bit

lofty · 11-12-2009, 07:32 PM

svo, I'm with you for the first 2 paragraphs, but the third I don't understand at all.

svo supporter · 11-12-2009, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lofty

svo, I'm with you for the first 2 paragraphs, but the third I don't understand at all.

I'll try and explain it a bit better then

The place a steering rack can leak fluid out of is the connections from the pump or the rack boots.

The rack boots firstly. They're held with either a plastic clamp or a zippy tie, to help all the road crap to stay out. There is one at the end of the rack nearest the body of the rack and one near the tierod side of the rackend.

If a rack was to leak a little, as your mechanic is saying, you'd see signs of it in those spots.

My comments about me being drenched. I do alot of wheel alignments in a day. If power steering racks do leak, as your mechanic has stated, I'd come home drenched in power steering fluid, as I'm around these areas that a rack would leak from. Instead, I just come home covered in engine oil and road grime.

I hope that clarifies things a little better for you

svo supporter · 11-12-2009, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lofty

svo, I'm with you for the first 2 paragraphs, but the third I don't understand at all.

I'll try and explain it a bit better then

The place a steering rack can leak fluid out of is the connections from the pump or the rack boots.

The rack boots firstly. They're held with either a plastic clamp or a zippy tie, to help all the road crap to stay out. There is one at the end of the rack nearest the body of the rack and one near the tierod side of the rackend.

If a rack was to leak a little, as your mechanic is saying, you'd see signs of it in those spots. However I don't see it a lot.

My comments about me being drenched. I do alot of wheel alignments in a day. If power steering racks do leak, as your mechanic has stated, I'd come home drenched in power steering fluid, as I'm around these areas that a rack would leak from. Instead, I just come home covered in engine oil and road grime.

I hope that clarifies things a little better for you

blownv8au · 11-12-2009, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by White_sr_taxi

don't mean to thread hijack but shouldn;t you mix copper core rad with alloy head? or somthing along those lines? was speaking to my mechanic yesterday as my rad died three days ago and id be interested if this was the case.

i assumed it was for his xr8? and xd xe and xf all had alloy heads (6cyl) and copper rads, its the first i've heard of that let us know if you find more info.

fernsantos · 11-12-2009, 11:37 PM

My steering rack was leaking from the drivers side boot.
The boot was split and because i could not afford the rack at the moment i got the split boot replaced for $70.
I keep an eye on the power steering fluid all the time and i know it as a very small leak when it starts getting worst i will replace the rack then it costs $370 for a reco rack installed .

Mr Hardware · 12-12-2009, 12:08 AM

lofty i'd be finding a new mechanic
a leaking rack will only get worse and fail at the least opportune time.
In my experience once a rack decides to lose any fluid at all its rebuild time. Cheap insurance!

frd906 · 12-12-2009, 12:23 AM

thats why i am replacing mine before i make the trip in jan, if i dont have no work then, to stanphorpe, i picked one up today, well getting it after xmas for 50 bucks very good condition no leaks

lofty · 12-12-2009, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

If a rack was to leak a little, as your mechanic is saying, you'd see signs of it in those spots. However I don't see it a lot.

Ok so that was a convoluted way of saying leaks are not common in your experience. Fair enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

... a leaking rack will only get worse and fail at the least opportune time.

Mr Hardware would you please define 'fail'?

svo supporter · 12-12-2009, 09:12 AM

I think Mr Hardware is saying it'll stop becoming a power steering rack and become a manual steering rack at the most inconvenient time. Like when you're pulling into a car park or your driveway. Or even worst still, when you're miles away from home.

dagger1975 · 12-12-2009, 11:35 AM

i have an au1 xr8 and the rack is leaking and i want to replace it can anyone tell me if the racks are the same as a 6 please help

Mr Hardware · 12-12-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

I think Mr Hardware is saying it'll stop becoming a power steering rack and become a manual steering rack at the most inconvenient time. Like when you're pulling into a car park or your driveway. Or even worst still, when you're miles away from home.

Yup, spot on.

bodes-sh · 12-12-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by svo supporter

I think Mr Hardware is saying it'll stop becoming a power steering rack and become a manual steering rack at the most inconvenient time. Like when you're pulling into a car park or your driveway. Or even worst still, when you're miles away from home.

not to mention burning the pump out from running it with no fluid until you get the rack replaced...obviously depending on how far you are from a mechanic...

mik · 12-12-2009, 07:15 PM

yes the rack boot is only a dust cover and should not have oil inside it.

old fordnut · 12-12-2009, 08:46 PM

Alright. I got a rad form FTG as they were the only ones around that had them to suit. Will be lookinbg for a replacement steering rack sometime next week.

Crazy Dazz · 26-12-2009, 06:30 PM

Our AU sedan is consuming fluid at an alarming rate. Whilst there are obvious traces down under, there are no visible leaks at idle, so I can only assume that it’s leaking at high revs or when cornering. At this point, I can’t tell where it’s coming from. Is it likely to be a fitting or something else easily fixed?
Or am I up for a rebuilt rack assembly?

urbancowboy · 26-12-2009, 06:54 PM

RE: steering racks,

Replace it! as has been previously stated it is cheap insurance! They are a exchange item, no matter where you get it from! they don't make NEW ones anymore, Go to repco they are your cheapest option. I recently replaced mine, i work for Ford spare parts and the Repco one was cheaper than getting the Ford one even at staff price!