Loosing steering fluid!!

[sade04]

ok so i was changing my oil and noticed the drivers side steering boot was torn and it looked like the steering fluid had sorta soaked everything in that general area.

Then i looked at the passenger side boot. That was also torn but everything was dry??

Im assuming that a seal on the drivers side of the rack broke, allowing fluid to seep into the steering boot.

So am i going to need a new rack? Are they hard to install? or should i let a shop to it? dammit school starts tomorrow too

 

[1TallMF]

I'm in the same boat as you, bud. I guess its not too uncommon for the age of our cars and the design of the racks. My passenger side boot is soaked, and drips about one or two drops every day, so its slow enough that I've let it go since July and only had to top it up 3 times since then. I am fixing this as soon as I get a decently warm day to work on it. I had it quoted at the shop I usually go to, and they would charge 4 hours labor plus an alignment. Thats $400+ (plus the rack itself) I'd rather not waste on something so insignificant. For that kind of money, I'll take an afternoon to fix it myself.

Its not too hard of a job, just loosen the steering shaft pinch bolt, pop the outer tie rod ends from the spindles, disconnect the pressure and return lines on the rack, and remove the two bolts from the front of the K-member. Slides right out. Then its just a matter of transfering as precisely as possible the outer tie rod ends on the new rack so that the alignment doesn't get all out of whack. Then bolt it back in.

If you really need to get-by for a little bit beause of school, Lucas sells a power steering stop-leak that might help slow down the leak for a while. I used it with good enough success (drove 1000 miles a week ago, and didn't lose a drop).

 

[sade04]

Thanks for the advice stephane
(it is stephane right?)


Youre right, it doesnt seem too hard of a job. I also called the shop where i usually go and they quoted me about 450 including the reman. rack.
So i think im gonna try to tackle it myself haha.

Now my question is, where should i buy the rack from?
An auto parts like napa? Their price is 268 with the 100 core charge. So itll be around $168. That seems to be pretty reasonable. So i guess ill go with that.

 

[1TallMF]

Yup, that is my name

I'm ordering mine from the canadian equivalent of Autozone. Here its $168 after core return as well. Priced it at Ford and it was almost $400 just for the rack.

If you're doing it yourself, remember to purge the old fluid before you put on the new rack, since the old fluid contains tiny particles of metal (which is what eats-up the seals in the first place) and you don't want that circulating in your new rack. I think I'm just gonna put the end of the pressure line in a pop bottle and crank the engine over a few times till there is no more fluid. I'm even contemplating installing one of those in-line power steering fluid filters that Napa sells. I'll have to look more into that.

Good luck

 

[mustangt562]

just dont make the same mistake I did. My LAZY mechanic said that it was inpossible to install limiters and that they come from the factory and I would just have to becareful turning my steering wheel so it dont grind against my A-arm. WRONG.

I went on 50resto and got a set of limiters for 15 bucks and did it myself within 20 minutes. Very easy. Mine only needed one limiter per side to prevent tire rubbing. And now my turning radious is better than stock

 

[mustangt562]

just dont make the same mistake I did. My LAZY mechanic said that it was impossible to install limiters and that they come from the factory and I would just have to becareful turning my steering wheel so my rim/tire dont grind against my A-arm. WRONG

After much grinding I went on 50resto and got a set of 6 limiters for 15 bucks and did it myself within 20 minutes. Very easy. Mine only needed one limiter per side to prevent tire rubbing. And now my turning radious is better than stock with no grinding/rubbing