Need reliable steering rack supplier.
07-03-2011, 10:37 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Need reliable steering rack supplier.
I have some play in the input shaft of my rack that can't be eliminated with a preload adjustment so I am in need of a new rack. Gmpartshouse said GM no longer makes new racks. They only have rebuilt ones. Unfortunately the rebuilt racks are on backorder with NO scheduled ship date
.
So I need an alternate source for a new/rebuilt rack. Can anyone recommend a good supplier that does a thorough job of rebuilding racks?
.So I need an alternate source for a new/rebuilt rack. Can anyone recommend a good supplier that does a thorough job of rebuilding racks?
07-04-2011, 07:36 AM
#3
Safety Car
Member Since: Nov 2000
Location: Shenandoah Valley Virginia
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Check out Corvette Recycling - forum vendor - their link is at the bottom of the list on the left under used parts. Great service, good used parts and good prices.
07-04-2011, 01:24 PM
#10
Pro
I'm not sure that their web site has it. I'd recommend calling them and telling them what you are looking for. When I talked them a couple of years ago, they were very friendly and helpful. While I had them on the phone, I talked to them about why our car's have power steering pump issues. Below are my notes from my conversation with them (prices are a couple years old too). Hopefully my interpretation of what they said is correct. The downside of their racing power steering pump is that it does take more effort to turn the wheel at parking lot speeds.
When we put high loads on our steering systems at the track, this increases the pressure/loads on the power steering pump. The power steering pump does have a bypass valve built into it if the pressure/loads become too large for it to handle. However, once the power steering pump starts activating that bypass valve, it won't last very long before the pump fails.
Turn One offers a couple of different pumps for our cars. One is their standard pump and the other is an upgraded pump designed for people who run big, fat, sticky front tires on the front of their cars. It sounds to me like their upgraded pump is:
1) Designed to operate at higher pressure
2) Requires less horsepower to operate
3) Will reduce power steering fluid temps for guys like us around 20 degF
The upgraded pump costs a little more than there standard pump. I don't recall the exact number but it was around $50. The upgraded pump costs $275. They also offer pumps for us with AN fittings rather than the fittings our cars use when stock. And they have an aluminum pulley for $65 which has slots cut into the pulley disk which allow access to the pump mounting bolts. This allows the pump to be removed without taking the pulley off.
I asked if he felt we needed a larger power steering fluid cooler. He said he didn't really know, but the magic temp for power steering fluid is 275 degF. So what we should do is do some hot laps and then come in and measure the fluid temp. If it is under 275 degF, we're fine. If it is over, then we need a larger cooler. Because the cooler is on the return side of the power steering circuit, the fluid running through the cooler is on the order of 30 psi so we don't need any type of cooler which can tolerate high pressures. A regular engine oil cooler is fine.
They do indeed rebuild power steering racks.
Turn One offers a couple of different pumps for our cars. One is their standard pump and the other is an upgraded pump designed for people who run big, fat, sticky front tires on the front of their cars. It sounds to me like their upgraded pump is:
1) Designed to operate at higher pressure
2) Requires less horsepower to operate
3) Will reduce power steering fluid temps for guys like us around 20 degF
The upgraded pump costs a little more than there standard pump. I don't recall the exact number but it was around $50. The upgraded pump costs $275. They also offer pumps for us with AN fittings rather than the fittings our cars use when stock. And they have an aluminum pulley for $65 which has slots cut into the pulley disk which allow access to the pump mounting bolts. This allows the pump to be removed without taking the pulley off.
I asked if he felt we needed a larger power steering fluid cooler. He said he didn't really know, but the magic temp for power steering fluid is 275 degF. So what we should do is do some hot laps and then come in and measure the fluid temp. If it is under 275 degF, we're fine. If it is over, then we need a larger cooler. Because the cooler is on the return side of the power steering circuit, the fluid running through the cooler is on the order of 30 psi so we don't need any type of cooler which can tolerate high pressures. A regular engine oil cooler is fine.
They do indeed rebuild power steering racks.