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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Recon steering racks....beware !!
        
(Message started by: jonnycab on Oct 31^st, 2007, 12:20am)

Title: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Oct 31^st, 2007, 12:20am

I replaced my steering rack 9 months ago with a recon unit (£169) from local motor factors.

Had a problem recently with tramlining, which has got progressively worse, to the point that even the smallest bump in the road at low speed would make the car want to suddenly steer into the kerb, or worse still, into on-coming traffic :o

Jacked the front of the car up & on grabbing the front of the N/S/F wheel there was some lateral movement & you could see the track rod moving.

Sqeezing the gaiter & feeling the track rod ball joint inside, it was evident that the track rod was the only part doing the movement & not the rest of the rack....also no movement from steering wheel ???

So it appears the N/S/F track rod inner ball joint has failed after only 9 months :o

It came with a one year warantee, so should get a free replacement, but gonna get a second opinion on it tomorrow from my local garage & get it written down on their headed paper, as proof that it has failed :)

I've heard that recon racks are never really completely overhauled...just faulty parts replaced. But you'd think that they would make sure that the track rods were new & greased up properly....wouldn't you ? ::)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Simmo on Oct 31^st, 2007, 7:30am

JC. Good luck with your mission. Just a point to consider. IF the correct procedure is followed when a new rack is fitted the entire system is flushed through to remove any trace of dirt and rubbish which is inevitably in the pump and other areas after thousands of miles. This requires specialist equipment and,I guess, in most cases doesn't get done certainly not on a DIY basis. The re-manufacturers could say that ' on examination it was found that there were signs of 'contaminated' fluid in the system which contributed to the failure'. Just be prepared. ;) Mike

THIS (http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/srackrepair.htm) article may help and talks about contamination.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Oct 31^st, 2007, 10:48am

Hi Mike...I did flush the system through before with clean fluid, so if there is any contamination in there then it should be minimal....besides, the ball joint doesn't come into contact with the fluid, so they shouldn't be able to argue this point ;)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by joe-satch on Oct 31^st, 2007, 1:09pm

quite righ jc,hope you get is sorted,in fact i have replaced a few steering arms/ball joints on mk2 and mk3 granadas..they was about £30 per side,non ajustable type,anyway good luck.den.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Oct 31^st, 2007, 2:51pm

The local garage have confirmed that there is excessive play in the N/S/F rack assembly, most probably ball joint worn to excess & have given me the proof in writing :)

Went straight to the shop where I bought it & they said no problem, will get a new rack in tommorow morning & as it is under warantee, it shouldn't cost me a penny 8)

I wonder if they'll chuck in a litre of Dexron II & pay for the tracking to be re-done as well :-/

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Simmo on Oct 31^st, 2007, 4:36pm

Well done JC, Suggest that you write to the re-manufacturer and talk about a 'good will payment'!!. As for the 'inventive' Tompion you should come to a Kent meet and see the various 'mods'on his car to say nothing of course of his work on the ABS system!!.:D Mike.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Tompion on Oct 31^st, 2007, 7:36pm

Hi Mike
Think my car’s come out in sympathy with jonnycab's, finally got round to having new tyres & in the process found I have the same fault with the N/S rack ball joint. I’ve just had a look under the gaiters & it’s spotless both sides so I’ll just replace the track rod end.

jonnycab - I wonder if that’s what the low speed suspension creak was we had earlier in the year?

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 1^st, 2007, 12:29am

Quote "jonnycab - I wonder if that’s what the low speed suspension creak was we had earlier in the year? "

I seem to remember (few months back now) that it was down to a problem with the anti roll bar bushes & was rectified with a good spray of teflon lubricant :)

I've had no creeking since, but have had a very faint clonk when the N/S/F wheel has hit a small hole etc......which probably was the track rod inner ball joint on it's way out :)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Simmo on Nov 1^st, 2007, 10:19am

Hi Dave, sorry to learn about your problem. I take it you have read the link I put up for JC. Good luck with the repair. Mike. :)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 1^st, 2007, 7:27pm

Picked up the new rack today & no money changed hands, fitted it & took the old rack back to the shop....& again, no money changed hands 8)

The guy in the shop said he would even forget to mention to the manufacturer that it had actually been in a taxi, as some part manufacturers get a bit funny about this kind of thing ;)...... :)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Simmo on Nov 1^st, 2007, 7:37pm

Well done JC. Looks like it's your turn for some luck!! ;) ;D Mike.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Tompion on Nov 1^st, 2007, 11:42pm

on 11/01/07 at 10:19:24, Simmo wrote:

Hi Dave, sorry to learn about your problem. I take it you have read the link I put up for JC. Good luck with the repair. Mike. :)

Yes, thanks Mike - just need some idiot to fit it - oh that'll be me then :(
Dave

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 2^nd, 2007, 12:01am

on 11/01/07 at 23:42:59, Tompion wrote:

Yes, thanks Mike - just need some idiot to fit it - oh that'll be me then :(
Dave

.....Better the devil you know ;)....... ;D

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by howiedintheplace on Nov 2^nd, 2007, 4:22am

You do know that re-con racks are just old racks with new seals & a bit of paint on them ;)
These companies get them off ebay etc.
I have sold a few to recon firms.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by peteHull on Nov 2^nd, 2007, 7:09am

[]

I agree with howiedintheplace

When I got mine from our VERY reliable parts dealership, they told me to only settle for RE-MANUFACTURED parts especially Steering racks because of this very problem. There are so many out there doing exactly this.

They said that remanufactured goes through a process which completely replaces mating surfaces by machining out and fitting bushes etc, they say that a re-manufactured part can be actually better than a oem part, I can certainly see the sense in this and have never had a problem with the rack I fitted originally on my 2ltr car and which I then removed and refitted on my current car. It is probably about 2 years old now.

It has to be pointed out though that it is adviseable to only deal with reputable companies when buying replacement parts. Any company worth it's salt would only supply good quality equipment, usually backed up by a good warranty.

The company I use, Waterloo Engineering in Hull have been supplying parts since Adam was a lad, and Henry Ford was his apprentice, they are original motor engineers where everybody round here send engines, cyclinder heads etc for repair so I am allways confident when shopping there.

hth
Pete

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Simmo on Nov 2^nd, 2007, 8:52am

THIS firm (http://www.amkauto.co.uk/) are a major supplier of RE-MANUFACTURED racks.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by peteHull on Nov 2^nd, 2007, 9:13am

on 11/02/07 at 08:52:06, Simmo wrote:

THIS firm (http://www.amkauto.co.uk/) are a major supplier of RE-MANUFACTURED racks.

I am pretty sure this is the co who supplied mine through Waterloo eng. All worked to BS standards....

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 4^th, 2007, 4:19pm

Guess what !! .........that brand new recon rack that I fitted only three days ago is shot ???

It didn't feel right as soon as I put it in & had it tracked. The car is feeling rather unsteady over uneven surfaces still & has also developed a clonk >:(

I've checked everything in the front suspension & there is no play anywhere or clonking !!

But when grabbing the steering linkage & turning it I can hear a clonk inside the actual rack casing ???

Just been down to the garage & they've had a look.

I've now got another sheet of headed paper from the garage confirming that there is excess play in the new steering rack >:(

Mike.....what was that about my luck changing ? :(

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Scorpio_Mike on Nov 4^th, 2007, 4:24pm

www.buypartsby.co.uk :

Vehicle Year Range Type Part No Cost Notes
SCORPIO 2.0 2.3 2.5D 94> POWER APR1164 £87.51 + v.a.t
SCORPIO 2.9 V6 24v COSWORTH 94> POWER APR1166 £87.51 + v.a.t c/w Speed Sensor

Please Note : All Steering Racks Are Sold On An Exchange Basis, A Surcharge Of £50.00 Will Be Added To All Orders. A Full Refund Will Be Issued When The Old Unit Is Collected/Returned To Us.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Simmo on Nov 4^th, 2007, 9:41pm

JC !!. To quote Victor Meldrew..."I don't belieeeeeeve it !!!" Where are these things coming from ?. Have you checked the link I put up at reply 15 ?. Surely there must be some goodwill payment this time if it is the same firm which supplied both racks. ???. Keep us up-dated, Mike.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 4^th, 2007, 10:50pm

Yep Mike, it's the same firm.... XLR by AC Delco, & this time I will tell my local motor shop that if they don't supply me with a good one from this firm (third time lucky ;)), then I will be contacting the OFT & issuing a claim through the small claims court, for loss of earnings, oil & tracking costs >:(.......... :)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 7^th, 2007, 2:01am

Got another new steering rack today....no money changed hands again...& will fit it tommorow (Wednesday) :)

I've been reading up on steering racks over the last couple of days & it appears the rack is suffering from worn rack & pinion gears (there is no play in track rod ball joints), which apparently, at low speed, in the straight ahead position, will cause instability on uneven surfaces & clonking (felt through the steering), between the worn rack & pinion gears over small bumps....which is exactly the symptom I am getting with the rack that I fitted just a few days ago >:(

The shop also informed me today (when I picked up the new rack) that these AC Delco XLR racks aren't recons, they are actually re-manufactured.

If they are indeed re-manufactured then everything should be new, so why is there play in the pinion/rack gear ?.....

Either they let the trainee do it on a Friday afternoon or it really is a recon with just the track rods & gaiters replaced, finished off with a nice black paint job :-/

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by howiedintheplace on Nov 7^th, 2007, 2:14am

Again re-manufactured means little more than they are checked over & what ever needs replacing is replaced.
But these places tend to get all the totally shot racks so the chance of a rebuilt rack still being shot is fairly high.
All depends how good the racks are checked & if the fitter/driver notices :P

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 7^th, 2007, 2:39am

Cheers Howie :)

So what you're saying is, it's down to incompetency.

Sounds about right ::)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 7^th, 2007, 6:49pm

Sorted.... ;D

New rack now fitted & tracking done & she feels good as new. Nice & straight & no more clonking....boy what a relief :D

For a while there I thought I was going mad & suffering from a severe case of Scorpio hypochondria......so did the guys in my local spares shop I think :-/....... :)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by Simmo on Nov 7^th, 2007, 8:33pm

Glad to hear it JC. Good luck ;) MIke.

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 7^th, 2007, 9:02pm

Cheers Mike.....I'm a happy (& sane) man again :).......lets hope it lasts ;)

Title: Re: Recon steering racks....beware !!
Post by jonnycab on Nov 12^th, 2007, 9:40am

New steering rack has developed a knock again :(.....see new post :)