[DeTomaso] Steering rack follies (and a warning...)

Fri May 15 00:53:25 EDT 2015

Last time the rack discussion came up I seem to recall a recommendation to use 00 weight grease instead of oil.

Julian

Date: Thu, 14 May 2015 23:49:18 -0400
To: MikeLDrew at aol.com; sjcarguy60 at yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Steering rack follies (and a warning...)
From: detomaso at poca.com
CC: detomaso at POCA.com

The rack on my 1995 BMW uses grease.

I think that is how most racks are lubed and the failure rate is low.

Your car's rack might have been rebuilt rather than just replacing the bushing at the far end, which is what most people do.  So its probably a good thing. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Drew via DeTomaso <detomaso at poca.com>
To: sjcarguy60 <sjcarguy60 at yahoo.com>
Cc: detomaso <detomaso at POCA.com>
Sent: Wed, May 13, 2015 10:09 am
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Steering rack follies (and a warning...)

In a message dated 5/12/15 22 33 50, sjcarguy60 at yahoo.com writes:

     Thanks
for sharing this information.  The '74 I just bought came
     with a stack of
receipts from "Panteras by Wilkinson" in Southern
     California. One of the
receipts from 2005 lists a rebuilt steering
     rack.  The receipt does not
show the mileage but based on other
     receipts around the same time I
estimate the mileage at about 15,000
     at the time.

   >>>That seems
absurdly low to rebuild the steering rack?  They don't
   normally start
showing wear until 30K or more.  I suppose there is no
   harm in performing a
lifetime fix before it *needs* to be fixed though.

     > The car now has
about 24,000 miles.  When I was under the car I
     did notice the boots still
look clean and new with no sign of
     leaking.

   >>>Which either means
they are working as designed (they often do), or
   all the oil has leaked out
already, or the rack has been rebuilt using
   grease instead of oil.

>The car tracks straight without any wondering and I haven't noticed
     any
noise. Is there any way to tell if it was properly done aside
     from waiting
to see if it fails?

   >>>Short of taking it apart, no, not really?  I've
never heard of a
   rack failure from Wilkinson so I would sleep pretty soundly
if I were
   you.

     > I take it that the boots should be packed with
grease rather than
     oil?

   >>>It's not the boots, but rather the inner
workings of the rack itself
   that need to be lubricated.  Whether one uses
oil or lightweight moly
   grease is a matter for debate; what's positive is
that if oil is used
   and the oil has leaked out, that's a bad thing. :<(

>I'm sorry to miss out on the Fun Rally this year. I'll try to plan
     for
next year!

   >>>You'll love it!
   Mike

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-------------- next part --------------
   Last time the rack discussion came up I seem to recall a recommendation
   to use 00 weight grease instead of oil.
   Julian
   Date: Thu, 14 May 2015 23:49:18 -0400
   To: MikeLDrew at aol.com; sjcarguy60 at yahoo.com
   Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Steering rack follies (and a warning...)
   From: detomaso at poca.com
   CC: detomaso at POCA.com

The rack on my 1995 BMW uses grease.

I think that is how most racks are lubed and the failure rate is low.

Your car's rack might have been rebuilt rather than just replacing the bushing a
t the far end, which is what most people do.  So its probably a good thing.

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Drew via DeTomaso <detomaso at poca.com>
To: sjcarguy60 <sjcarguy60 at yahoo.com>
Cc: detomaso <detomaso at POCA.com>
Sent: Wed, May 13, 2015 10:09 am
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Steering rack follies (and a warning...)

In a message dated 5/12/15 22 33 50, sjcarguy60 at yahoo.com writes:

     Thanks
for sharing this information.  The '74 I just bought came
     with a stack of
receipts from "Panteras by Wilkinson" in Southern
     California. One of the
receipts from 2005 lists a rebuilt steering
     rack.  The receipt does not
show the mileage but based on other
     receipts around the same time I
estimate the mileage at about 15,000
     at the time.

   >>>That seems
absurdly low to rebuild the steering rack?  They don't
   normally start
showing wear until 30K or more.  I suppose there is no
   harm in performing a
lifetime fix before it *needs* to be fixed though.

     > The car now has
about 24,000 miles.  When I was under the car I
     did notice the boots still
look clean and new with no sign of
     leaking.

   >>>Which either means
they are working as designed (they often do), or
   all the oil has leaked out
already, or the rack has been rebuilt using
   grease instead of oil.

>The car tracks straight without any wondering and I haven't noticed
     any
noise. Is there any way to tell if it was properly done aside
     from waiting
to see if it fails?

   >>>Short of taking it apart, no, not really?  I've
never heard of a
   rack failure from Wilkinson so I would sleep pretty soundly
if I were
   you.

     > I take it that the boots should be packed with
grease rather than
     oil?

   >>>It's not the boots, but rather the inner
workings of the rack itself
   that need to be lubricated.  Whether one uses
oil or lightweight moly
   grease is a matter for debate; what's positive is
that if oil is used
   and the oil has leaked out, that's a bad thing. :<(

>I'm sorry to miss out on the Fun Rally this year. I'll try to plan
     for
next year!

   >>>You'll love it!
   Mike

_______________________________________________

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