steering rack leak

[kiwi pup]

my steering rack has a leaking input shaft seal, i have been told i have to remove the rack and have it stripped as the seal is fitted from inside or something like that.
Does this sound right? seems a bit axcessive to just change a seal.

[vp_commo]

yeah its right, I don't think many do it themselves, you can get a recon rack for about $170.00, or pick one up at the wreckers for $50.00.
You might be able to fit the seal yourself, not sure, either way the rack has to be removed from the car.

Dan

[aussieghostrider]

mate my sterring rack is original and when it starts to leak I run bottle nulon stop leak for power steering ..also check where the hoses connect to as they can become loose and the hose clamps need tightening up.

works wonders ... just dont add the whole bottle ... just keep adding it everytime you check the levels and top up with that ... the leak should stop ...


if you over fill the power steering bottle it will put pressure on the power steering hoses and they might start leaking as well..

[Brooook]

Same problem here - has just failed a WOF. He said it was leaking from the steering rack so it's probably the same seal. Will see how much a new rack from the wreckers is. Are they easy to replace? Will a VS one fit? (I know they have one my local wreckers as I got the windscreen and that fitted!)

I think the old girl is nearly due for retirement and not worth spending money on. I might try the stop leak to patch it up. It's actually been leaking slowly for years but now they have noticed...

'91 VP

[Vlad01]

Mine is stuffed too. except mine is as dry as a bone, not a trace of leak anywhere. My problem is that the actual rack and pinion is servilely worn. tones of play and its not the tierod ends either as I checked that.

@ vp commo. Where can you get one for 170? cheapest I have seen is 250 not including postage either.

[Denso]

there pretty easy to replace, just make sure u count how many times u wind the steering arm off, and wind it onto the new rack the same amount of times.... otherwise u will have terrible handaling and u will chew through your tyres real quik.

[greenfoam]

I got mine for 180 ish without a change over. Still going strong. I don't think the guy that rebuilt mine is still doing them, he was on ebay I think a retired mechanic. Anyway I got mine befrore he stopped selling them so I'm happy . Well worth getting the steering lined up again afterwards, you can count threads but really it's best to get steering right, it's pretty critical to the cars handling