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Rack and Pinion....

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Old Jan 9, 2007 | 02:04 AM
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Rack and Pinion....

Fluid leaks from the upper seal. Who can tell me how to fix my steering gear? How to put away seal, shaft. TO polish shaft ore not to polish? And what is the seal size?
 
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Old Jan 9, 2007 | 03:43 AM
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I have a leaky rack in my garage that I've been holding off on trying to service. It's leaking from the left end of the rack, probably caused by the broken boot that allowed dirt to get in. It got so bad that it squirted fluid out that side whenever I turned right. Everytime I look at it I get discouraged thinking about all the specialized tools needed to take it apart. If you figure out how to take it apart with makeshift tools, please let us know. At least I'm interested.
 
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Old Jan 9, 2007 | 06:42 AM
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I have had excellent results by adding regular (thick) stp to the fluid. the leak stops and the system gets quieter. I have done this on 4 cars, the aerom two hondas and a camaro. Only downside might be fluid too thick in very cold (below zero) weather.

If you have a leaky rack, try it. Its cheap and if it works you have postponed (indefinitely) an expensive and dirty job. I usually add about a quarter of a container.

Ken
 
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Old Jan 9, 2007 | 09:01 AM
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I gonna try it. But are the problems related with too hight pressure becouse of too thik fluid possible?
 
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Old Jan 9, 2007 | 11:58 AM
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or try some jet engine ester turbine oil....almost 100% ester based...if seal is not worn too much, ester may swell seal enough to seal up until spring and warmer weather
or try one of the ester based aircraft greases used on the landing and flight control acutators...put in 100 g and test

believe the pinion shaft is just hardened polished steel, probably about 50 Rockwell surface and polished to 25Ra....the pump shaft is probably hardened and chromed steel....
USA manufs no longer list most component size specs ny longer....a shame...gonna have to take the seal and shaft to your parts house for measurement and cross reference

use a fine crocus cloth perpendicular to shaft. finish with 8000 mesh or finer diamond powder on polishing cloth used as band around shaft
 

Last edited by 96_4wdr; Jan 9, 2007 at 12:07 PM.
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Old Jan 9, 2007 | 01:29 PM
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.... 50 Rockwell surface and polished to 25RA..... I belive it is enought. Well. It seems to me there are 2 seals.... upper seal is for dirt only....
 
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Old Jan 9, 2007 | 02:49 PM
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yes, outer dirt seal and inner ps fluid seal....steel shaft seldom wears at inner pressure seal due to low turning speed and low lateral pressures...usual failure mode is bearing failure allowing excessive lateral shaft movement damaging inner pressure seal and 4 valve O ring seals
 
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Old Jan 10, 2007 | 12:02 AM
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Well.... who have any docs, TSB, DIYs about it?
 
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