Power Steering Rack Recon

[CarlC]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd post the following info on my Power Steering Rack situation now its all been sorted and there isnt any info on this on the forum. Thanks to all those who have provided info along the way. I just thought I'd consolidate this to one thread for future use.

Issue

MOT fail becuase Power Steering Rack leaking from steering rack gators and possibly top of rack.

Probable leak on Power Steering pipes running to under centre of car.

Rack Removal Issues

Rack was a b1tch to remove but only becuase nuts had siezed to the two large bolts holding rack to chassis. The Power Steering rack is fitted before the body goes on so accessing the nuts with adjustable and spanner/sockets is very difficult. Also the feed and return from pump to rack make it virtually impossible to remove the rack with coolant pipes in place.

Removal Procedure

I was cleaning and replaceing the suspension so access was improved as all this was out of the way.

But by Disconnecting the Track rod ends either from the rack or the wheel hubs.

Disconnected the power steering pipes at the rear of the car and at the front.

After wasteing hours fighting the two rusty rack mounting nuts and bolts, I decieded to get the recipra Saw and cut the nuts off. 10 minutes and they were no longer a problem.

Unbolt the steering column from the rack and wiggle the steering column joint off from the rack sterring pin.

You cant really get a spanner to unbolt the feed and return from the rack so we rotated the rack around so we cut through the top most two steel pipes to the rack which are the feed and return about two or three inches from the rack. This is enough to allow jointing when the pipes get replaced. This is also necessary becuase the return runs over the top and back down the top most two cooling pipes. Without cutting through this steel pipe near the rack I cannot see how it would be possible to remove the rack. The only other way would be to strip out probably ALL the rubber hoses that cross over at the front of the car. But as the power steering pipes where being replaced anyway this didnt matter.

So with all the rubber hoses in place the rack wiggled out without too much difficultly. The only snag was that two rubber hoses catch on the two steel pipes that are on the rack itself. When they catch you just have to wiggle the rubber hoses over the racks two steel pipes.

But thats it.

Rack Recon

Shopped around a little for the Rack Recon and I got a quote from my local machanic of