This post will summarize my experience with an A1Cardone "Rebuilt" Steering rack.
Purchased through RockAuto.
First off I had in initially bought a rebuild kit for the rack that is currently in my vehicle and rebuilt and re-installed it.
Everything appeared to be fine until I discovered a very slow leak that was filling the inner tie rod boots with fluid.
Also to point out, I purchased new inner and outer tie rods as well as all new boots and claw washers.
This is a photo of my steering rack.
So I pulled the stock rack a 2nd time and quickly tore it down to find the culprit.
Turned out to 1 of the shaft seals had a crack in the inner teflon seal, causing the leak.
Unknown what the cause was, could have been a bad seal out of the box.
No other issues were noticed with the original rack after rebuild and tear down.
At this point I don't feel like rebuilding it a 2nd time and just figure its easier to just buy a rebuilt rack.
Right?
Just buy a completed steering rack assembly and install it, that should be the end of it... That is what one should expect.
Fast forward:
Steering rack comes in.
These photos below are of the A1Cardone unit.
1st problem:
- The rack looks like a 5 year old painted it.
At this point flags are already going off, I know what a quality rebuild looks like, I do it all the time.
This looks not good just from the 1st impression, they painted everything with some very shitty paint that flakes off on your hands as soon as you pick it up.
They even painted over the rubber boots.
2nd problem:
- There is no packing material inside the box to secure the rack.
They literally throw a huge metal rack inside a cardboard box and expect it to survive shipping companies.
The outer tie rods punch through the ends of the box and really mess up the threads when they knock it around in the shipping process.
The outer tie rods do not thread on, threads are that messed up.
Need to run a chasing die down the threads, the outer tie rod pictured is my own it does not come with the rack.
Photo:
3rd problem:
- The hard lines on the rack are bent to shit.
Related to the first problem, there is no packing material in the box.
The rack gets knocked around and gets damaged.
4th problem:
- There is no lock nuts on the inner tie rods.
If you do not have re-useable ones on hand you need to get some from the hardware store.
5th problem:
- The inner tie rod ball joints are flapping in the breeze, they used the cheapest tie rods they could find.
To clarify, new balljoints no matter the application should be very tight.
It takes very little effort to move the angle on the inner tie rod, not good, these aren't going to last.
The new centric inner tie rods I purchased for my own rack are very difficult to move, those are good quality parts.
At this point I am quite pissed, but I want a working rack now, I don't want to ship this one back and get another one of equal quality.
I don't trust anything on this rack now so I begin taking it apart.
6th problem:
- THERE IS NO CLAW WASHERS - WTF!
Both sides on the inner tie rods have zero safety measures in place.
This is very very poor workmanship, claw washers are there for a reason, you don't just leave them out.
Also its very clear they don't have the proper wrenches/tools to rebuild these.
There are gouge marks on the outside of the tie rods and bracket lock nut that look consistent with a pipe wrench or similar jawed tool.
To be continued...
Lost more to come, the fun is not yet over.
Purchased through RockAuto.
First off I had in initially bought a rebuild kit for the rack that is currently in my vehicle and rebuilt and re-installed it.
Everything appeared to be fine until I discovered a very slow leak that was filling the inner tie rod boots with fluid.
Also to point out, I purchased new inner and outer tie rods as well as all new boots and claw washers.
This is a photo of my steering rack.
So I pulled the stock rack a 2nd time and quickly tore it down to find the culprit.
Turned out to 1 of the shaft seals had a crack in the inner teflon seal, causing the leak.
Unknown what the cause was, could have been a bad seal out of the box.
No other issues were noticed with the original rack after rebuild and tear down.
At this point I don't feel like rebuilding it a 2nd time and just figure its easier to just buy a rebuilt rack.
Right?
Just buy a completed steering rack assembly and install it, that should be the end of it... That is what one should expect.
Fast forward:
Steering rack comes in.
These photos below are of the A1Cardone unit.
1st problem:
- The rack looks like a 5 year old painted it.
At this point flags are already going off, I know what a quality rebuild looks like, I do it all the time.
This looks not good just from the 1st impression, they painted everything with some very shitty paint that flakes off on your hands as soon as you pick it up.
They even painted over the rubber boots.
2nd problem:
- There is no packing material inside the box to secure the rack.
They literally throw a huge metal rack inside a cardboard box and expect it to survive shipping companies.
The outer tie rods punch through the ends of the box and really mess up the threads when they knock it around in the shipping process.
The outer tie rods do not thread on, threads are that messed up.
Need to run a chasing die down the threads, the outer tie rod pictured is my own it does not come with the rack.
Photo:
3rd problem:
- The hard lines on the rack are bent to shit.
Related to the first problem, there is no packing material in the box.
The rack gets knocked around and gets damaged.
4th problem:
- There is no lock nuts on the inner tie rods.
If you do not have re-useable ones on hand you need to get some from the hardware store.
5th problem:
- The inner tie rod ball joints are flapping in the breeze, they used the cheapest tie rods they could find.
To clarify, new balljoints no matter the application should be very tight.
It takes very little effort to move the angle on the inner tie rod, not good, these aren't going to last.
The new centric inner tie rods I purchased for my own rack are very difficult to move, those are good quality parts.
At this point I am quite pissed, but I want a working rack now, I don't want to ship this one back and get another one of equal quality.
I don't trust anything on this rack now so I begin taking it apart.
6th problem:
- THERE IS NO CLAW WASHERS - WTF!
Both sides on the inner tie rods have zero safety measures in place.
This is very very poor workmanship, claw washers are there for a reason, you don't just leave them out.
Also its very clear they don't have the proper wrenches/tools to rebuild these.
There are gouge marks on the outside of the tie rods and bracket lock nut that look consistent with a pipe wrench or similar jawed tool.
To be continued...
Lost more to come, the fun is not yet over.
