4 years ago, I bought a rack from Griffiths. It was total junk and sent with the wrong tie rods ends. That rack was replaced for leaking. The second rack he sent me had terrible play and would not recover from a turn. That resulted in an immediate return. The next Griffiths rack lasted one year before my plastics shifted underneath and cut a hole in the boot and and rusted the shafts and caused leaking. That was on my dime.
Then I bought a bavauto rack and all has been fine for 2 lousy years.
I just had the car off the road for 5 weeks and now I notice that it won't recover from a turn properly and it is heavy to steer. I look underneath and see the rack boot is torn again. This time in 2 places that wrap around the boot. So, it looks like it may have dried out or just ripped along the seams. BUT, THE RESERVOIR FLUID IS BLACK. No more bright red atf. So, ,WTF has happened? The rack is not yet leaking. Any suggestions as to what the diagnosis is or how to determine where to go from here? The heavy feeling came yesterday, it was gone this morning and this afternoon the heavy wheel is back. The pump is still working as it is much heavier with the car off. RPM does not seem to effect the heaviness.
When the car was off the road for 5 weeks, I did move it in the drive way with the car off and no power steering. The car steered perfect before the 5 weeks off the road.
I know I need a rack boot, at the very least. But, what is the cause of the black fluid??? Why wouldn't the steering recover from a turn properly? Can I take the belt off and run it without power steering without damaging the rack and further? What are my options? Thanks.
Then I bought a bavauto rack and all has been fine for 2 lousy years.
I just had the car off the road for 5 weeks and now I notice that it won't recover from a turn properly and it is heavy to steer. I look underneath and see the rack boot is torn again. This time in 2 places that wrap around the boot. So, it looks like it may have dried out or just ripped along the seams. BUT, THE RESERVOIR FLUID IS BLACK. No more bright red atf. So, ,WTF has happened? The rack is not yet leaking. Any suggestions as to what the diagnosis is or how to determine where to go from here? The heavy feeling came yesterday, it was gone this morning and this afternoon the heavy wheel is back. The pump is still working as it is much heavier with the car off. RPM does not seem to effect the heaviness.
When the car was off the road for 5 weeks, I did move it in the drive way with the car off and no power steering. The car steered perfect before the 5 weeks off the road.
I know I need a rack boot, at the very least. But, what is the cause of the black fluid??? Why wouldn't the steering recover from a turn properly? Can I take the belt off and run it without power steering without damaging the rack and further? What are my options? Thanks.