Might have to replace steering rack...

Oh joy what a day. Screw finds my tire. Okay, my local tech is open. He patches the tire but finds that my steering rack is leaking. Looks like a a new rebuilt steering rack is in store for me. They are going to get me a quote next week. Joy...not.

If any of you have had this done to your B5.5 would you replace any other parts while you are in there just because? I am thinking of having both my inner tie rods replaced too (one is marginal). The outers were done about a year or so ago.

Thoughts are welcome.

My thoughts?

(glad it's not me....). List on the new rack is $850 at 1stVWParts (for reference). Our price is $675. So your garage should not charge you much more than $1K for the rack plus labor charges. Tie rods ends are of course another deal with an alignment.

Good luck!

Had to replace ours with a rebuilt unit a couple of years ago. Major PITA. No new ones anywhere local. Car was out of service for a week; had it done at a local shop, they didn't center it properly.

Now this one seems to be leaking again and if you steer it to the stops it will empty itself of PS fluid.

I refilled the PS fluid and told my wife not to steer it to the stops and so far it's OK. For how long ???

At 240k km, rusting door (from previous accident repair), steering rack change, balance shaft module change, multiple control arm changes and even more multiple CV joint changes it's hard to decide of we should cut our losses and run, or keep pouring money into it. So far touch wood, tranny is holding, that's my Next Big Fear.

The car was dirt cheap to maintain up to 160k km, but has been a money pit since.

I am thinking of a rebuilt rack to be put in. We'll find out Monday what the deal is. The unit is losing very little fluid. I had to add 2 ounces to the unit to bring it up to top level. It is more a seep right now than anything. But will want it fixed. I am going to make sure they get the proper centering tool (it is a special bolt). We shall see. Car is running very nicely otherwise, of course knock on said wood. But I bet our total crap washboard roads have a lot to do with the issues. And I drive carefully.

leicaman said:

I am thinking of a rebuilt rack to be put in. We'll find out Monday what the deal is. The unit is losing very little fluid. I had to add 2 ounces to the unit to bring it up to top level. It is more a seep right now than anything. But will want it fixed. I am going to make sure they get the proper centering tool (it is a special bolt). We shall see. Car is running very nicely otherwise, of course knock on said wood. But I bet our total crap washboard roads have a lot to do with the issues. And I drive carefully.

Click to expand...

Steering rack is like any other hydraulic cylinder; the number of cycles (wheel tuns) dictates how long the seals last.

With our Texas highways and long, straight distances, it's pretty rare to see a steering rack leak. Although the one on the granddaughter's 1998 Camry is starting.....but that is after 230,000 miles. PS fluid is cheap and all I do is put in a couple of ounces per month in that car. The car does eat a bit of motor oil, though (1 quart/1000 miles).

No expert here, but can rack end seals be replaced with rack on the car? Seems like it should be possible..

Is there something different about the TDI rack? Because these are widely available for under $300, remanufactured of course:

http://shop.rackdoctor.net/2002-A4-Rack-Pinion-w-18L-8th-digit-of-Vin-E-16995-25896-4.htm

http://www.carsteering.com/addtocart/2000_Volkswagen/Passat/Power_Steering_Rack/80-00808.html

http://apxautoparts.com/apx/steering/rack-pinions.html

slight seepage, an oz or two over months, I'd be hesitant about replacing it with a "rebuilt" rack. The labor is so much, if you don't use a new rack, that for a 7yo car, that to save a few hundred , may cost you more than buying a new one if it has to come out again. To answer ski's question, the leak occurs in the pinion valve portion of the rack and eventually appears at the booted ends, so its not possible to reseal the assy in the car. Looks like a really fun job to change.

Folks, I am personally not replacing the rack. If a rebuilt goes in and the tech has a guarantee, I could frankly care less. When I owned a 1984 Chrysler Laser, I only paid for one rack, Chrysler ended up putting two more rebuilts in and that last one lasted just fine, all on their dime. By then I might be in a new car, so who knows.

I would doubt if any shop is going to want o guarantee a rebuilt rack. its too much labor.

My shop is pretty good about stuff. We shall see thundershorts. Right now I am going to watch it for a bit to see before I blow all those Benjamins. It was JUST noticed Saturday. As an experienced ps rack replacer, I am slower to react.

Well it is now two years later. I finally am having the rack replaced. Yup two years of a small slow leak. Today it peed over my garage floor. Now it is getting replaced with a rebuilt. In those two years, had to put in about 10 oz of fluid total. So I bought two years. It would be replaced if it was two years ago or now.

i have a used one if interested

Nope. I will put in a rebuilt rack with a warranty. It is a PITA enough to have this done.

I bought a rebuilt one with a warranty about a year ago because my rack sprung a leak. Whoever had put the new seals in and reassembled the rack had put it together 180 dg off. I had the car down for over a week waiting for the back and forth. I finally went to the salvage yard and got a used one. If you are doing this yourself make sure you compare the old and the new by placing them on your bench, centering them and comparing the splined shaft on top of the rack. That little cutout should be facing the same direction on both.

TDIjarhead I am assuming it is on one of your golfs. The passat is a different animal unfortunately for parts.

Ours is now 4 years on since the rack replacement. In our case I didn't have a choice. It would pi$$ out all of its fluid just by turning the wheel slightly. More recently I was losing PS fluid again. This time it turned out to be the PS pump. Had it replaced at a local shop and all is well again. The car's up to well over 270k km and rusting bad. I have to get it into the dealer to have more warranty rust repairs. Otherwise it runs fine, even the transmission, which is still on its original "lifetime" fluid. I know many here don't agree with keeping the original fluid but my feeling is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

You can ship your rack to United Power Steering in Redford, MI. (Detroit).

They should be able to rebuild it for you. I plan to send them my Toyota Sequoia rack in a few weeks for a rebuild.

I like Raxles for the remanufactured half shafts.

Thanks
Deming

My car is back and repaired. A week of driving the 98 taurus I own is enough. The car seems to be really tracking well with the new alignment. It is amazing how much easier it is to steer with a rack that is 100%. Proof positive it had been failing for some time.