Alfa Pages

[Admin]

Hi

My P4 just failed its MOT. Took it to the local Alfa specialist and a quick poke around found one small bit of rust and that was about it. Hate to think what their MOT tester used to find more rust as he has managed to poke holes in things that seemed solid when we had it up on the ramp earlier on.

Anyway, rust isn't a major problem.

More major problem is split steering rack gaitors. Gaitors are cheap but the chances of stripping and rebuilding a rack without it leaking like mad afterwards are limited.

So, any ideas on where to get a reconditioned rack?

All the best

Keith
_________________
I owe, I owe, its off to work we go.
Bimota Forum
Stafford Christmas Lights

[Admin]

Hi

Just tried ringing JustSuds but no reply.

Mind you their price list for Sprint panels has made me feel better. The 2 brand new wings I have in the garage are £250 each according to them.

All the best

Keith
_________________
I owe, I owe, its off to work we go.
Bimota Forum
Stafford Christmas Lights

[bobbber]

Keith,

I remember a while back filling out a form on one of thsoe 'find me a part' website.

Noone replied about a replacement rack. But a company in Bristol sent me an Email saying they'd do a full recon for £70 (I think, including return P&P).

I'll try and find out who (but it was fair time ago).

Bob
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Fiat Bravo 165 Sport

[bobbber]

http://www.westernpowersteering.co.uk/index.html

Give them a shot. It says they have a part number for reconditioned 33 racks... BUT, if they don't *actually* have one - they can restore yours.

Hope that helps!

Bob
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Fiat Bravo 165 Sport

[john 33_16v]

Alfa never offered repairs on these racks officially. I once paid an alfa specialist £60 to replace the gaiters on the understanding that it might leak.

It didn't leak, but it also didn't work. Had a strange clonk and wouldn't bleed. Ended up getting a new rack NOS for £150.

There's often racks on ebay, but could be clapped out. Guessing a company that strip and rebuild racks all day long should be a good bet. Please let us know how it goes.

Cheers,

John
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If it aint broke, fiddle with it until it is!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
93 33 16v Mirtle Met
08 Fiat Grande Punto Exotica Red
90 Yamaha FZR600 Genesis- Silky white/red/blue

[Admin]

Hi

Cheers. If they can recon a rack that might well be fine. I have a spare rack with dodgy gaitors in the garage (from when I did this - I never throw stuff away) which means the car won't even be stranded on the ramps while I do it.

They want £125+vat for reconditioning a rack (+£12 postage).

Unlike most cars the 33 rack needs to come to pieces to replace the gaitors.

All the best

Keith
_________________
I owe, I owe, its off to work we go.
Bimota Forum
Stafford Christmas Lights

[paulhide]

Very weird - parallel universes - my P4 just went through its MOT with one bit of welding and nothing else and now three days later my steering rack is leaking badly. Oh what fun. Hopefully I've got a spare rack, but do you have to move the engine to get the rack out?
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Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188

[Admin]

Hi

Think on the 16V it is very tight and the engine does have to be moved a bit.

All the best

Keith
_________________
I owe, I owe, its off to work we go.
Bimota Forum
Stafford Christmas Lights

[paulhide]

Nope, I've just done it. Phew, thank the Lordy it comes out through the steering arm hole on the driver's side after removing the strut and twisting the rack around a bit. Now we'll see whether the one I've just put in doesn't leak.
_________________
Owner's Club 33 Registrar. Now from P4 & S2 1.7 QV
http://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5188

[RFlower]

The steering rack itself is grease lubricated. If it is leaking liquid from the gaiters this is probably power steering fluid - check the reservoir level.

I replaced the seals inside my power assembly, as it was too expensive to ship the unit to UK and back to consider a rebuild, as they had only RHD racks for exchange, but I didn't touch the control valve assembly (at the end of the column) as I think this has to be bench adjusted, and it wasn't leaking anyway.

I got the seal kit from Power Steering Services, www.power-steering.co.uk , they were half the price of Western Power Steering, but they sent the wrong gaiters.

The seals and nylon sleeve inside the power cylinder are quite difficult to remove, replace, and position correctly. This really requires a special tool, although I did it with various sized sockets on an extension bar. I managed to get instructions and measurements from a very helpful guy at ZF in UK, but wouldn't do again it if I was near someone who could rebuild and guarantee it.

Here are my notes:

Need mandrel 27.5mm OD w/ 30mm long spigot 26mm OD, 500mm long to press out seal & nylon retainer from plug end. Need to protect seal from rack teeth when replacing – tape?
Possibly need “small parts” kit with seal kit. Also screw retaining ring.
Got seal kit from Power Steering Serv’s London. Drove out centre seal with 29/32” socket, open end ground off square, on extension. Replaced power end seals only, not control valve seals. End plug must be pressed in to install 3 collets into recess in tube, then pulled out to seat these correctly before mounting circlip. If not, it leaks like crazy.
Set rack in centre position with flat on pinion shaft downwards.
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Dick Flower, Nr. Carcassonne. '94 Trofeo 1.4 ie (F), '93 Imola 1.3/1.4 ie (now for breaking) (F), '91 1.7 ie (GB)(spare car), '86 Sprint 1.5 QV (F). '87 VW Syncro camper (F), '73 NSU Ro80 (F), '99 Fiat Seicento (F)

[Admin]

[gritsop]

Hi,

Back in 2000 I discovered that the gaitors of the rack were split but no leaks around. So I got hold of 2 new gaitors and it was my bad that I trusted a garage to have them replaced.
The result after a week, was a badly leaking steering rack. All fluid was gone from the tank and it had accumulated in the gaitors...
So rack was off the car for once more and it was serviced by the ZF representative company. It was actually a thorough restoration with new seals etc. It costed 150 € and since then no problem whatsoever.

My advise it to have the rack serviced while you are replacing the gaitors. Do not trust anyone who promises replace the gaitors and say to you "its a piece of cake"... It saves in the long run to have the rack restored as it is quite tricky to have it removed out of the car.

Hope this helps.
_________________
Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive

http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop

[RFlower]

Keith

Missed your reply as I'd forgotten to update my email address.

I agree with Gritsop re reconditioning the rack if you remove it, as it's such a hassle to remove and replace it, and if the gaiters have split the internal seals could be well on their way out.

But why not recon/exchange the spare rack you have instead of doing the job twice?
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Dick Flower, Nr. Carcassonne. '94 Trofeo 1.4 ie (F), '93 Imola 1.3/1.4 ie (now for breaking) (F), '91 1.7 ie (GB)(spare car), '86 Sprint 1.5 QV (F). '87 VW Syncro camper (F), '73 NSU Ro80 (F), '99 Fiat Seicento (F)

[Admin]

Hi

No chance the gaitors are going to be replaced without the rest of the rack being reconditioned. Everyone seems to land up with a dead rack if they just try to replace the gaitors.

It will be the spare rack that gets reconditioned and then just swapped in. the dodgy one can then become a spare.

All the best

Keith
_________________
I owe, I owe, its off to work we go.
Bimota Forum
Stafford Christmas Lights

[Scott Sander]

Had my steering rack reconditioned a few years back. The workshop I took it to was ultra clean and they pressure tested it after new seals fitted. Works a treat, so it can be done successfully.
_________________
Scott Sander
'91 Alfa 33 Boxer 16V Monza - Awesome
http://www.sanderfamily.com