VX Series 2 Rack-End drama

[Gw33dz]

All went good, the thread wasn't bad, just at the end, so the new part wouldn't bite. The M14 x 1.5 Intermediate tap did the trick, it didn't have to do much, just cleaned up the start of the thread. The new part went on sweet. All good.

 

[Gw33dz]

I have my suspicions how it got stuffed up to begin with, but won't comment....

The scary bit is him retapping the thread for starters and using carby cleaner to dilute the power steering fluid when he gets some of the metal out of the rack inners from tapping a new thread.....

Fortunately neither you or I live in his state, so we are safe....

The inner thread on the steering rack that receives the rack-end is no where near any power steering fluid. That is contained behind the seals which is no where near the end of the steering rack. Just thought i would clear that up for you. And to quell your "suspicions" the car is 20 years old, it is not uncommon for ball joints to go after 400,000 kilometers, as this car has done. But yeah maybe that 60ft dukes of hazard canyon jump you're imagining was the culprit. But it was worth it.

It is not normal for the thread to be stripped. It is also not part of the design for the thread to strip in order to remove it. Something went pear shaped there.

Yeah, it happened to me before on an old VT, not sure what the story is, it's not like it gets stripped, just the end of the thread is damaged so the new part won't bite, which i found out when i went to tap it. It didn't need much just a bit to straighten out the end. Cheers.

 

[vc commodore]

The inner thread on the steering rack that receives the rack-end is no where near any power steering fluid. That is contained behind the seals which is no where near the end of the steering rack. Just thought i would clear that up for you. And to quell your "suspicions" the car is 20 years old, it is not uncommon for ball joints to go after 400,000 kilometers, as this car has done. But yeah maybe that 60ft dukes of hazard canyon jump you're imagining was the culprit. But it was worth it.

Yeah, it happened to me before on an old VT, not sure what the story is, it's not like it gets stripped, just the end of the thread is damaged so the new part won't bite, which i found out when i went to tap it. It didn't need much just a bit to straighten out the end. Cheers.

The inner section is still within the rack body......All it takes is some of that cut metal to get dragged into the main body through the seals via the arm itself to actually into the cogs and it'll jam up....

As for balljoints? What's that got to do with the rack end thread?

Power steer fluid.....When you start getting that in the end of the rack the seals are starting to perish, which then it means the rack needs rebuilding/replacing,, so you not seeing it means nothing...

To end, I hope none of that crap gets inside, because if it does you'll want to hope you're going at a very low speed...And I'm also glad I don't live in your state, as it's less chance of me getting hit by you