Steering rack replacement
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 686
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Steering rack replacement
its worn out on my 93, making noise when I turn the wheel.
I searched around and didn't find where any one replacement rack was any different than any others, but somehow I suspect that there might be a replacement rack that's better than the others for about the same price as the rest.
Any recommendations ?
Presently I'll just get a GM unit, and also overhaul the steering pump.
Here's a decent link if any of y'all are interested:
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/16638/index.html
I searched around and didn't find where any one replacement rack was any different than any others, but somehow I suspect that there might be a replacement rack that's better than the others for about the same price as the rest.
Any recommendations ?
Presently I'll just get a GM unit, and also overhaul the steering pump.
Here's a decent link if any of y'all are interested:
http://www.corvettefever.com/howto/16638/index.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,658
Likes: 4
From: Clifton Park NY
Well don't get one from Ecklers. Bought one last year, been replaced 3 times and all had the same leaks... they are junk
I have since sent it to Turn One and he's fixing it the right way.
I have since sent it to Turn One and he's fixing it the right way.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 134
Likes: 1
From: Willington Ct
I also got a rebuilt rack for my 85. The tierods were longer than the original and the place I purchased it from insisted it was the correct rack and they had sold hundreds previously. They felt that the rack I pulled out was replaced at one time (which it wasn't)The rack they sent was supposed to be a standard one but was in fact a fast ratio unit requiring only 2 turns from lock to lock. That was fine with me as I would of probably gone with the fast ratio rack anyway if they didn't want 60 more dollars for it. So I kept the part they sent. I was able to achieve proper toe by replacing the stock jam nuts with a set of 14m x1.5 nuts I purchased from napa. If I could do it over I would have sent my original to turn one for a rebuild. The turn around is fast and they seem to get solid reviews from customers who have delt with them.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 686
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
The old ones the original rack !!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
My 92 came with one from the factory.
You can probably use any small cooler and plumb it in the low pressure side. Thats how my stock cooler is run.
I'll pile on the tunr one suggestion - get them to do the power steering pump as well.
get the DRM high pressure hose as well.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
From: state of insanity
just curious ,what does turn one do in the rebuild thats differant from other rebuilders? i got ours at carquest and there was a core charge. seems to me, most of these are delco or gm cores that everyone else rebuilds. i'm just always curious what makes one rebuild so much more expensive then the other. there was even a small price diff. between standard and the close ratio z51.z51 was a few dollars more.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 182
Likes: 1
From: Greenville SC
TurnOne is in Saginaw, Michigan, a city that should ring bells. The engineers there build systems for racers, and if I recall correctly, the owner's father was a chief engineer on the early C4 steering system. The rebuilds that come from AA, AZ, etc., who knows where they come from? They called me from Turn One to talk with me about re-sleeving my rack. That just would not happen with another supplier.
It's not a particularly easy job in an 84, don't know about later models, but I would want to make sure that the part was good.
It's not a particularly easy job in an 84, don't know about later models, but I would want to make sure that the part was good.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 686
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
This job's a bit tedious, cant get the fluid line off the rack that goes to the cooler, looks like brass threaded into the iron housing of the rack, got alternator, a/c compressor, bracket, everything out of the way. Used the correct 18mm line wrench on that fitting nut that threads into the rack housing, but just can't get it to turn loose. soaked in wd-40 about 10 times, heated with a torch, tried tightening it a little, still won't budge. Last resort is to cut the sob but then I'd have to go hunt for a fitting / re-plumb, ect. Tried a vise grip and hit it from the side with a little impact using a 1" thick oak rod & 1 pound hammer with an appropriate strike, but all the fitting wants to do is get stripped. I been real careful not to strip it. any ideas ? arrrrgh
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 913
Likes: 17
From: Chatsworth, Ga.
Rack
This job's a bit tedious, cant get the fluid line off the rack that goes to the cooler, looks like brass threaded into the iron housing of the rack, got alternator, a/c compressor, bracket, everything out of the way. Used the correct 18mm line wrench on that fitting nut that threads into the rack housing, but just can't get it to turn loose. soaked in wd-40 about 10 times, heated with a torch, tried tightening it a little, still won't budge. Last resort is to cut the sob but then I'd have to go hunt for a fitting / re-plumb, ect. Tried a vise grip and hit it from the side with a little impact using a 1" thick oak rod & 1 pound hammer with an appropriate strike, but all the fitting wants to do is get stripped. I been real careful not to strip it. any ideas ? arrrrgh
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
just curious ,what does turn one do in the rebuild thats differant from other rebuilders? i got ours at carquest and there was a core charge. seems to me, most of these are delco or gm cores that everyone else rebuilds. i'm just always curious what makes one rebuild so much more expensive then the other. there was even a small price diff. between standard and the close ratio z51.z51 was a few dollars more.
Turn One = one rack at a time rebuilder = excellent quality = doing the job once
Same for the pumps, plus if you road race they will alter the internals so the pressure is lower at 5K rpms.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 686
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From: Austin Texas
I had to cut the lines. Once the rack was removed, I took a pipe wrench to the fittings to remove them. Nobody in the world could have removed them from the rack with the unit still inside the vehicle, it took at least about 70 ft lbs to loose one of them. Now I have to hunt down replacements, my luck will be that they're discontinued.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
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St. Jude Donor '12
The line from the pump to the rack is available from DRM. Get it instead of a stock replacement.
Other option once you have all your hose parts is take it to someone that makes hydralic hoses.
Other option once you have all your hose parts is take it to someone that makes hydralic hoses.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 686
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From: Austin Texas
ordered the parts from here: http://corvetteparts.com/catalog/?q=536230
$32 for the line between pump and rack, and $13 for the one from rack to cooler.
GM shop wanted $150 for the one between pump and rack !! GM 26025064
They price themselves way out of the ballpark, because the pricing agents at GM are dunces, if they'd make it a normal price, I'd buy it and a bunch of other stuff from them but as it is, they don't get the business. The value of me as a customer goes beyond one sale.
$32 for the line between pump and rack, and $13 for the one from rack to cooler.
GM shop wanted $150 for the one between pump and rack !! GM 26025064
They price themselves way out of the ballpark, because the pricing agents at GM are dunces, if they'd make it a normal price, I'd buy it and a bunch of other stuff from them but as it is, they don't get the business. The value of me as a customer goes beyond one sale.
