DIY hydraulic rack repair

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of a hydraulic rack from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

An innovative idea allows you to cheaply repair the steering rack with your own hands. Those who wish are given the opportunity to learn from experience and, using available materials, improve this part of the mechanism of their car.

This video provides information on the innovative idea and the use of materials at home when troubleshooting steering rack problems at home. A non-standard approach to eliminating extraneous sounds while driving, delights in its simplicity and results. This solution will allow you to forget about the knocking steering rack for a long time.

For everyone who wants to watch the original repair of the steering rack with their own hands, the video clip provides such an opportunity. Troubleshooting steps for the device that controls the movement of the wheels and the direction of the vehicle include:

unscrewing the bolts and squeezing out the clamps with the steering wheel unscrewed with a 22 mm spanner wrench;
removing the bushings and unscrewing the bolt on the steering column in the passenger compartment in the area of the pedals with a 14 mm wrench;
removing clamps from the steering rack and removing the device through the wheel;
releasing the steering rack from thin clamps using an awl and a thin screwdriver and an anther;
preparation of several pieces of plastic from watering cans, cans and other products to fill the free space between the metal rail body and the support sleeve. The size of the blanks must correspond to the length and width of the recess for the sleeve to move;
inserting blanks inside the steering rack until it stops against the bushing, among which the last element should be the most rigid;
checking the free movement of the sleeve over the plastic, tightly installed in the rack cavity;
installation of the steering rack in place.

Video (click to play).

This solution eliminates the knock of the support sleeve for a long period of time.

Failure of the steering rack is a nightmare for any car owner. After all, the elimination of this defect requires a serious application of hands and funds, as well as the need to remain for some time without your "iron horse". Therefore, in order to minimize the consequences, you need to be able to recognize the signs of impending repairs and have at least a general idea of possible rail breakdowns. In addition, it is necessary to find out how expedient it is to repair the steering rack with your own hands, and also to reveal the aspect of preventive measures.A steering rack is a power unit in the design of the steering mechanism, designed to transfer power from the steering wheel to the wheels (steered). It is through the steering rack that the process of driving is carried out by turning the guide wheels.Reiki is divided into 3 categories:

Mechanical;

Hydraulic;

Electrical.

Faults can be different. However, to detect them, you do not need to have special knowledge - it is enough just to periodically inspect this node. In addition, you should know the reasons why such defects may occur.Backlash on the steering wheel and the occurrence of sounds - if this occurs when the power unit is muffled in the process of actively turning the steering wheel. In such a situation, the problem may lie in the weakened stop of the spool, as well as in insufficient indicators of the elasticity of the torsion.Backlash - the reasons for this defect are varied.It can manifest itself as a result of excessive wear of the silent blocks that fix the rail, a change in the angle of contact of the screw and teeth due to the curvature of the crankcase or shaft, damage (mechanical) or stroke (vertical) of the screw bearing. To determine the reasons, it is required to diagnose the condition of the steering rack bush (crack), the rod joints, and also the central tooth.Severity when turning the steering wheel usually manifests itself in the case of acidification of the cardan.A knock is the most common symptom. Moreover, the sources of such knocking in the rail are different. Typically, sound occurs when:

vertical travel of the shaft in the bearing;

development of the resource of hinges and crankcase;

the limiting resource of the bearings of the screw, sleeve or central tooth;

curvature of the crankcase or shaft, which leads to an incorrect angle of contact between the screw and teeth;

development of the resource of silent blocks;

weakening the fixing of the rail;

backlash violations.

Heavy steering wheel travel in extreme positions - this, along with insufficient return and squeak, is observed in the case of an overtightened sleeve, as well as curvature of the crankcase or shaft.

Leak - it occurs in the event of corrosion on the shaft or wear of the stuffing box. In addition, leakage occurs when the pipes (outlet or discharge) of the cylinder are depressurized.

Development of the resource of the sleeve and its crankcase;
Oil seal leaking on the shaft;
Excessive wear of the crankcase on the distributor;
Development of the resource of the central tooth.

The sleeve itself is necessary to securely clamp the teeth and shaft, as well as to secure the shaft itself. The bushing is seated on a special spring, which provides the necessary clamping force, as well as control over the position of the teeth. Such a defect is considered quite common, especially in those rails where the sleeve is made of plastic.As a result, the wear of the bushing and cylinder walls is evident, which leads to vertical movement of the rack and, as a result, the occurrence of knocking and backlash. To determine such a malfunction, it is enough to drive onto an uneven road and swing the steering wheel to the sides in motion, and then repeat this on a standing car. In addition, bushing wear will manifest itself in the transmission of shocks to the handlebars when driving on rough roads.In this case, it is necessary to repair the rail - a simple tightening of the sleeve will do nothing.The specified oil seal is located on the rack shaft. A feature of such a defect is the late detection of a leak, because there is no pressure on the oil seal. Signs of oil seal leakage are - hum when the steering wheel rotates, as well as a decrease in the level of fluid poured into the hydraulic booster reservoir. In this case, an urgent need to inspect the rail, since not only the oil seal can leak. Leaks can also occur due to defective clamps, pump, nozzles, hoses, etc. The likelihood of an oil seal leak is largely determined by the material from which it is made - during severe frosts, some of them crack.

This defect begins to manifest itself gradually - in a slight bite of the steering wheel on a cold car. In addition, the steering wheel becomes more and more tight, and its return to the zero zone will be incomplete.The reason is in the design of the rings that rotate with the crankcase shaft. Over time, they form small grooves on the surface of the crankcase distributor and begin to leak oil. This leads to a loss of pressure and weight in the steering wheel.The appearance of grooves is due to the addition of metal particles to the fluoroplastic from which the rings are made, which rub against the shaft. It is noteworthy that for most Japanese models, such problems are not typical, since rubber gaskets are installed under the rings.

(3 estimates, average: 2,67 out of 5)

(3 estimates, average: 2,67 out of 5)

Repairing a steering rack or power steering gear, as it is also called, is an important matter - you need to be able to do it yourself. Why? Because if there is a malfunction of the steering rack, then there is a failure of the steering, and this can turn into a disaster on the road. To prevent this from happening, you need to know how to repair a steering rack.

Since the rail is the part that connects the steering wheel to the wheels, it also feels the unevenness of the roads, impacts when cornering. Accordingly, the steering rack wears out quite a bit and needs proper care.

there was a knock in the rail, a noticeable beat in the steering wheel;
the steering wheel starts to spin harder;
when the steering wheel was rotated, the play of the steering rack began to be felt;
power steering fluid began to leak from the steering column;
unusual sounds appeared when the power steering was working.

Basically, repairing a steering rack on a VAZ 21099 is not much different from repairing a steering rack on a BMW 3 (E46), for example. The principle of operation is the same, but there are some differences in the design. I must admit that the work is quite difficult - before starting it, you need to know the steering rack device.

A steering rack repair kit will come in handy, consisting of oil seals, O-rings, bushings, as well as a corrugation, a gear shaft bearing and a tube of grease. In the tool box you should have: a special octagonal wrench, bearing removers and pliers for mounting a circlip. Of course, a standard set of wrenches should also be at hand. Do-it-yourself steering rack repair is done on an overpass or inspection ditch.

This happens in three stages - 1) removal of the steering rack, disassembly / cleaning of parts; 2) replacement of unusable parts with new ones; 3) check the steering rack gear shaft.

Use a flat screwdriver to unscrew the tie rods from the steering rack
Unscrew the lower gear shaft plug.
Unscrew the lock nut.
Remove the circlip and drive out the shaft.
Remove the lower oil seal
Remove the retaining pin that is blocking the upper oil seal.
Turn the retaining plug, pull out the retaining ring by the wire.
Pull out the steering rack on the right side, remove the oil seal with a plastic bushing from it.
Pull out the oil seal, plug, remove the spring, the clamping mechanism.

Apply special grease and place the inner oil seal (spring down).
Place the rail in the housing.
Put the bushing on the right oil seal, lubricate all parts, install the oil seal.
Install the plug, remembering to fix it with wire.
Slide the lower oil seal onto the toothed shaft.
Set the steering rack to the middle position and insert the toothed shaft into place (after having lubricated it).
Install the upper oil seal, install the circlip.
Tighten the lower lock nut, as well as the bearing, plug.
Install and tighten the hold-down mechanism, spring and plug.

Further, the installation proceeds in the reverse order.

As seen, DIY steering rack repair it is quite within the power of a person who is familiar with repairs in general terms. By the way, mechanical and hydraulic steering racks, which are much more common than their modern counterpart, the electronic steering rack, are subject to self-repair. The latter needs a special setting, which is better to entrust to professionals.

The gearbox of the hydraulic power steering wheel (steering rack) is responsible for organizing the turns of the vehicle. This mechanism is an integral part both for cars with hydraulic power steering and for cars without hydraulics. The steering column serves as a connecting element between the steering wheel and the wheelbase, so its role in the safe operation of the vehicle cannot be overestimated.