early C4 steering rack ID
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
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.
#2
Le Mans Master
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.
#3
Racer
Thread Starter
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.
#4
Former Vendor
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
#6
Former Vendor
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
#7
#8
Le Mans Master
#9
Racer
Thread Starter
#10
Racer
Thread Starter
I had read somplace earlier that later model racks were a different length. This rack measures same as aluminum 86 rack.
#11
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