[DeTomaso] FW: steering rack question

Barry Seib oldwheel at mts.net
Wed Jun 16 13:34:41 EDT 2010


When I rebuilt my rack a few months ago, I noticed there was one bolt hole
that was open at the bottom to the inside of the rack. I tried inserting the
nozzle of the semi-fluid 00 grease into it and was able to fill the rack in
this manner before I installed it back into my car. I marked the bolt with
white paint so I could repeat the filling process again later if needed.
Mine doesn't appear to leak ... yet.

I live in an area where snowblowers are in use as often as lawnmowers, so I
got this nice 00 lithium semi liquid grease from an ARIENS dealer PN 000072.
I couldn't find a source for the recommended break-in lube and Summit won't
ship it to Canada.

Photos attached but the list will strip them.

Barry

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In a message dated 6/14/10 5 17 55, justingreisberg at hotmail.com writes:


> anyway, big question is what to do?  I think I might just take off one of
> the rubber bellows while in the car, and turn wheel all the way to one
> side to expose part of the rack,  then lube up rack with thin engine
assembly
> lube, then rotate wheel back and forth a bunch to get lube on the pinion
> gear and rest of rack.  And just dump the rest of the fluid out before it
> gets all over my nicely restored frame.  any thoughts?  I would love not
to
> have to remove rack again, even though I have become an expert at doing
> everything twice on the car.  (those who follow my exploits might recall
the 4
> times I had to take the cylinder head off the block in the car)
>

>>>You really can't properly lube the rack with grease without removing it
from the car and fully dismantling it.   Fortunately it's not too difficult,
especially in light of the fact that you've done the job recently.

If you install new boots (Wilkinson is now selling new factory-style boots
quite cheaply) with proper-sized hose clamps, you might be able to get it to
seal.   You'll also have to work to keep fluid from seeping past all the
various other places where it likes to leak out (pinion seal, pinion cover,
etc. etc.)

Back in the 1970s, racks were lubricated with differential oil, but times
have changed.   The current manufacturer of the rack does not use oil; they
use a very light grease.   Years ago, Rick Moseley contacted the TRW tech
department (TRW bought Cam Gears UK, the company that made our original
racks)
and they advised against using oil, and instead advised using grease.

But not any old grease will do.   Jack published an article on grease in
the most recent POCA newsletter, and the section dealing with steering rack
lubrication did contain one accurate and important statement--you can do
more
harm than good by just sticking axle bearing grease in there.   The
manufacturer wants 0-weight grease, which is extremely difficult to come by
except
in 55-gallon drums.

They recommended CRC engine assembly lube, which is 0-1/2 weight.   It's
available in 2.75 oz (too small, not enough methinks) and 10 oz tubes; the
larger tubes are under ten bucks.   It's a lithium 12 hydroxy stearate-based
grease which adheres to metal surfaces.   Here's a photo from the CRC
website:

http://www.crcindustries.com/catalog/images/Lubricant%20and%20Penetrant/SL33
31.jpg

Just pulling an accordian boot off one end and squirting some of this stuff
in there is wishful thinking in the extreme.   You have to fully dismantle
the rack, and ensure a thorough coating of the rack and pinion gears, both
upper and lower bearings, the surface where the rack passes through the
bushing, and also the union of both tie rods and the rack itself.   Don't be
shy
about pouring it on; you can under-lubricate the system but it would be
virtually impossible to over-lubricate it.

The problem with using oil instead of grease is that the tie rods normally
hang down when the car is at rest; all the oil drains from the rack and just
pools in the boots, leaving the rack largely unprotected, particularly the
upper bearing.   The grease does an excellent job of staying put and doing
the job it's supposed to do, which is almost assuredly why the manufacturer
switched away from oil many years ago.

Mike




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