Leaking Rack?

[87-325ic]

when removing the rubber boots covering the inner tie rods, Should there be fluid from the racks gears in there?

I took one side off and about a 1/2 cup of fluid poured out the boot. the other side had a torn boot, but no real amount of fluid.

Is my rack gone?

[PeaveyBassist]

Should be no fluid. The end seals are leaking and you'll need a new rack unless you are able to find rebuild kit and have the experience to rebuild your rack.

[Philo]

/\ I concur.

If you are mechanically inclined, call around to some local salvage yards and score an E36 rack. Do a quick mod and install. Or you can always go with the E30 rack. Tie rods are the same on both.

[87-325ic]

ill plan on finding an e36 rack to replace it with.

i just wanted to be sure my current rack was in need of replacement first.

i have a bad shimmy that feels like its from up front. replacing the half threaded on tie-rod improved this a little bit. but even with two new tie rods and only a few year old control arms, its still bad. plus i get a bit of play back and forth in the rack itself.

but i think most of all, my old, mismatched used tires are the number one cause of my 55-60mph death shake.


thanks

[george graves]

What if I told you that you didn't need a new rack and could save all that labor and cost?

And all you would need to spend is about $15 and 5 mins?

[george graves]

Get this stuff:

Valvoline MaxLife® Transmission Stop Leak

http://www.valvoline.com/products/consumer-products/automatic-transmission-products/automatic-transmission-fluid-with-stop-leak/38

My rack was pissing fluid out constantly - I didn't have money for a new rack, so I just kept adding fluid. It got really bad. I was filling up the reservoir every day, and the rack would be grinding and out of fluid by the time I came home.

After using cheaper and less expensive fluid, I gave this stuff a try. The first quart leaked, and I had to replenish it. But by the time the second one went in the leaking had stopped.

That was 5 years ago. I still have the same rack. It hasn't leaked a drop since.

You can thank me later.

GG

[87-325ic]

haha, thanks now!

its not a leak that i have to keep adding fluid to.
more so, its the free play in the rack that is the real problem.

[scottinAZ]

if the rack is leaking (as evidenced by the fluid you mentioned), and it needs new inner tie rod ends, its better to just replace it with a long rack (rack with boots and inner tie rod ends) Either E36 or E30, your call, but that should tighten up the front end for you.

[87-325ic]

i just replaced the tie rods while i was there. i had new ones already.
thats when i realized the rack was in poor shape.

ill be looking for a decent e36 one.

[george graves]

Oh yea, the stuff in a can won't take up slack on a loose rack - sorry - my bad.

[87-325ic]

thanks for the suggestion though, if i ever have a leaky rack. ill know what to use. im sure that would work nice for the pump too huh?

[gearheadE30]

Another option would be to have a local rack and axle shop rebuild the rack for you, but a junkyard e36 rack would be cheaper and you'd get the improved steering ratio...

[87-325ic]

so any e36 will be good? whats the best/ easiest?

[Philo]

Any E36. Best would be a 95 M3.

[Adrian_Visser]

Well that is a matter of opinion, the 95 m3 rack has the correct amount of travel so you will have the same steering radius but the z3 rack is a faster i.e. lower ratio rack than the 95 m3, some prefer it for auto-x. I also can attest to the effectiveness of the tranny stopleak working wonders, can't remember what brand but I was amazed at how bad of a leak it fixed.