early C4 steering rack ID
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 338
Likes: 49
From: Quincy,Illinois
early C4 steering rack ID
I have 4 Z51 steering racks. 1 from an 84 and 3 from 86. 3 out of the 4 have all aluminum housings, and 1 rack has a cast steel section for the pinion shaft and the fluid line connections. Is this an aftermarket rack of some sort or were there more than 1 manufacturer of oem steering racks? I need to know if this steel housing rack is any good and worth spending the money on to have rebuilt.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,192
Likes: 750
From: near the thumb in the mitten
The early rack & pinion gears were all aluminum. They also had an issue with spool valve seal leakage causing lack of assist cold " morning sickness". Spool valve bore could wear. Aftermarket rebuilders were installing SS sleeves in spool bore. The metal housing unit would be repairable depending on condition after disassembly. IDK where the best to send them.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 338
Likes: 49
From: Quincy,Illinois
The early rack & pinion gears were all aluminum. They also had an issue with spool valve seal leakage causing lack of assist cold " morning sickness". Spool valve bore could wear. Aftermarket rebuilders were installing SS sleeves in spool bore. The metal housing unit would be repairable depending on condition after disassembly. IDK where the best to send them.
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 173
Likes: 18
From: Saginaw Michigan
The cast iron housing is an OEM unit built for the 88-96 model years. If you got it off of an earlier model year, then the original was replaced at some point with the later model rack.
Thanks,
Junior
Turn One
Thanks,
Junior
Turn One
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 173
Likes: 18
From: Saginaw Michigan
From the factory, the racks had a broadcast code on the dust cover opposite the input shaft. However, those covers are not rack specific and can be interchanged from rack to rack without issue. Counting the turns lock to lock would be your best bet to know for sure what you have.
Thanks,
Junior
Turn One
Thanks,
Junior
Turn One
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,192
Likes: 750
From: near the thumb in the mitten
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 338
Likes: 49
From: Quincy,Illinois
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 338
Likes: 49
From: Quincy,Illinois
I had read somplace earlier that later model racks were a different length. This rack measures same as aluminum 86 rack.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 70
Likes: 1
From the factory, the racks had a broadcast code on the dust cover opposite the input shaft. However, those covers are not rack specific and can be interchanged from rack to rack without issue. Counting the turns lock to lock would be your best bet to know for sure what you have.
Thanks,
Junior
Turn One
Thanks,
Junior
Turn One