Changing the seals on the steering rack

[martyn-s1]

My drivers side output seal has gone, detected by sudden loss of assistance and there suddenly being about 1 litre of fluid in the gaiter. Has anyone had success in changing this seal in situ or is it a rack out and off to the reconditioners job.

If the job can be done by the home mechanic are there any special tools needed and does anyone know where to obtain the seals from. Also is the system self bleeding after being re-assembled.

I've trawled through the old posts on this subject but can't find the details I need.

Thanks to anyone who can help me out.

[tvrjohn]

Must be the lower seals in the rotary valve unit,
the bit that the pipes go into.
Been informed that there is a kit available from TVR
valve can be removed leaving rack loose within chassis

[alderley]

I had a cerbera steering rack leak at about 9k miles. The main agent said it was not unusual and had my rack reconditioned. I paid about £170 and did the removal and replacement myself. A new rack would be more. In my case, it was the seal at the steering column connection that leaked. I once replaced the same seal on an XJS for about £8! If TVR really do supply seal kits, that is excellent news. If you do the job yourself, it needed help because I couldnt easily be in the engine bay and under the car at the same time. Maybe a Mole grip to hold a bolt would replace a willing assistant while you undo a nut as you unbolt the rack. Obviously you will also need the right tool to separate the ball joints at the end of the rack.

[Julian64]

You can take the steering column bit our leaving the rack in situ.

THree allen key bolts and the two UJS, and it'll come out without you needing to take the rack out. Make sure you slacked the adjustment on the top first. The seal is an easy replacement and then pop it all back in again. I think I wrote this up after doing it on mine in the summer.

I took my rack out, but you don't need to, and unless you have a good supply of new jubille clips and are prepared to chase the drips for weeks afterward I wouldn't unless you have to.

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?p=2&f=6&t=127128&h=0

>> Edited by Julian64 on Sunday 16th January 18:33

[froggie]

I think(sometimes) the rack is going to be on the agender next,as i said before theres a slight drop of fluid in the gater and ocasionley the steering goes tight on right hand corners,
julian do you know witch early bmw it looks like as we have a couple of 89 3 series in the yard i can rape or do you maen the dinasorus type,just to play with.
also are the seals common ie B S L jobs or will i have to get some one offs made ?

[Julian64]

froggie said:

I think(sometimes) the rack is going to be on the agender next,as i said before theres a slight drop of fluid in the gater and ocasionley the steering goes tight on right hand corners, julian do you know witch early bmw it looks like as we have a couple of 89 3 series in the yard i can rape or do you maen the dinasorus type,just to play with. also are the seals common ie B S L jobs or will i have to get some one offs made ?

I think the seals are common but didn't change mine as they weren't and arn't leaking. I had problems with a slight play in the centre of steering which contributed to a tramlining, and turned out to be wear on the quillshaft which I repaired.
The rack did seem to be very similar to my eight series.

Tightness on right hand steering could be wear in your rack, or it could be that the play adjustment on top of the steering rack is too tight, or it could be (as on mine) that the bottom UJ is interfering with the pipes running along the frame nearby. These are big rubber pipes held onto the frame by clip ties. and can ( and did on mine) simulate tightness by rubbing on the UJ at one point in its rotation.

[martyn-s1]

Thanks for all the replies. I decided to take off the rack completely and send it away for recon, sods law says that if I just changed one set of seals the next lot would go soon after. Fairly easy to get off once all the waterpipes were out of the way.

[froggie]

ill check 4 the ujs catching but i think its more as when the wheel is turned 3/4 a turn to the right the power can be felt kicking in,i thaught the rack may be off centre when the alignment was last set,guess its get my hands dirty time.
i always like the parts b 4 i start a job as its so anoying when the cars layed up or its put back together while waiting 4 bitz,(although all parts ive had to order for her have been received corectley, in complete usable condition & verry promptley a rarety in todays parts supply network thanks to the no1 team down in Derby)

[Julian64]

froggie said:

ill check 4 the ujs catching but i think its more as when the wheel is turned 3/4 a turn to the right the power can be felt kicking in,i thaught the rack may be off centre when the alignment was last set,guess its get my hands dirty time. i always like the parts b 4 i start a job as its so anoying when the cars layed up or its put back together while waiting 4 bitz,(although all parts ive had to order for her have been received corectley, in complete usable condition & verry promptley a rarety in todays parts supply network thanks to the no1 team down in Derby)

Don't think the rack quite works like that. The power steering should kick in after a very small movement of your wheel, its doesn't care where it is on the rack.

Imagine a long thin shaft trapped inside a much larger shaft. The small thin shaft is connected to your steering wheel. As you turn the steering wheel the long thin shaft actually bends along it longitudinal axis. Its only allowed to bend 5 deg either way before it hits some slots in the outer heavy shaft which then turns the rack.

However this small 5 deg torsion of the shaft either way is enough to uncover either a left or a right hole at the bottom, thereby directing a high pressure stream of hydraulic fluid either left or right down your rack, thereby pushing left or right.