Steering rack woes

[Robert Greaves]

Hi guys - have had the car up at ninemeister today for its annual service and everything A1 ok apart from a leaky steering rack - seems the seals have gone and it needs replacing - has any one experienced the same with an idea of cost etc.

 

[John Maddox]

Mine leaked a couple of years ago and I removed it myself and sent it away to be reconditioned. Cost £199.99 and perfect since. OPC quoted over £1000 so I got the spanners out !! Will be interesting to see what your Indie charges.
Don't be tempted to leave it too long because if the pump should run dry it will self destruct and double the cost.

 

[Robert Greaves]

Cheers John - what kind of a job was it ? can you remember how long it took you.

Regards to fluid it appears that Porsche changed the fluid from ATF to Pentosin in March 96 - does this apply to all 993 or specific models?

 

[John Maddox]

Not sure about the fluid but the job took me about 1 day in stages. A good procedure here :-

http://p-car.com/diy/steering/

Not too difficult but you do need to split some suspension joints making a geometry check necessary once back together again.

These people reconditioned mine :-

http://www.westernpowersteering.co.uk/html/racks_porsche.htm

Regards

John M

 

[Graham-S]

Hi Robert

About 4 years ago now I had fluid loss which was noticed when it went for MOT! OPC Reading where is was having it's service, tyres, geometry etc quoted just over £1000 with PCGB discount from memory. I shopped around a few Indies but there were nearly the same price as the OPC and the Indies use refub or non OEM racks, the OPC was OEM so I ended up having it done there as they had it in stock. Couldn't believe how small the rack was! I could have waited a week or so for it to be refrubed but time wasn't on my side!

Good Luck

Graham

 

[John Maddox]

Yes Maurice - they did a good job and it has been perfect since - in fact the firm who did the geometry afterwards commented how pin sharp the steering was - they did a short road test because I was very fussy that the steering wheel was centered properly.

 

[Robert Greaves]

Hi Guys - bit of an update

Have been quoted £855 plus vat being recon rack £495 plus £240 fitting plus £120 geometry

Have got price down of recon rack to £295 after allowing for return of original

Will do a bit more digging before I commit though including a call to the local OPC

Cheers

 

[Johnny C]

Mine went earlier this year, 9M fixed that, can't remember the exact prices but around £300 was the price for a recon rack. Been fine ever since.

 

[Robert Greaves]

Johnny C - it was 9M that have quoted me £495 for the rack plus fitting plus geo - now thats what I call inflation!!!

 

[Johnny C]

They do a good job on the geo, they got some new equipment last year. I have wondered how the credit crunch has affected them; for people like me where the porker is my only car, I'll keep on going, but a lot of customers are/were people where it's 3rd/4th and a luxury, I wonder whether they are a bit less forthcoming at the moment.