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 Post subject: New Rack and Pinion failure after 30 days
PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:59 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 12:39 am
Posts: 6
Month and a half ago the steering on my 2005 Liberty CRD started to 'clunk'. Traced it to the passenger side rack and pinion inside the bellows the shaft would gyrate with a clunk as the steering was turned left to right. I decided to order and install a remanufactured rack and pinion. Did the timing belt, water pump and various idlers, thermostat, and tensioners while I had the car apart as I just recently hit 105k.

I installed it using the method discussed in the forums where you slide the rack out (and then back into) the passenger wheel well. I had to remove the two hard hydraulic lines from the rack and then re-attach them after it was installed in order to slide the new one in. I wrapped tape around the open holes during installation to minimize crud.

I manually flushed a bunch of ATF-4 through the system before connecting the flexible hydraulics lines to the rack.

I then filled it with ATF-4 and bled the system by turning the steering side to side until I didn't get anymore air out (I later learned that air can be trapped and a vacuum can help get it out).

I drove the Jeep most days for the next two weeks and checked the fluid level each time I got home. It didn't appear to be using any fluid and I didn't notice any foaming at all. Life was good.

A month after the repair, I was turning into our drive and I heard the Power steering pump making a racket. I checked the power steering fluid container and it was empty. There hadn't been a drop of fluid found anywhere, so I was completely baffled as to where it could have gone. I refilled the reservoir. Added more. Added more. BOOM - The driver side bellows blew out with ATF drenching the drive. Solved the mystery of where the leaking ATF went at least :oops:

Chatted with the parts supplier and they traded out the part for a new one. I've installed it the same as before with the exception that I borrowed a Power Steering/Brake bleeding kit and followed the procedure for bleeding that came with the rack. I then left the vacuum on the power steering reservoir for 5 minutes and didn't see a drop in pressure.

- Before I test drive it, is there something that could be wrong in the system that caused the new and possibly original racks to fail so soon?
- If so, is there a way I can test for it before I blow out another rack?

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2005 Jeep Liberty CRD 120k miles - original owner


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 Post subject: Re: New Rack and Pinion failure after 30 days
PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:05 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2016 2:19 pm
Posts: 194
Location: Shelton, WA
JimmyP wrote:
Month and a half ago the steering on my 2005 Liberty CRD started to 'clunk'. Traced it to the passenger side rack and pinion inside the bellows the shaft would gyrate with a clunk as the steering was turned left to right. I decided to order and install a remanufactured rack and pinion. Did the timing belt, water pump and various idlers, thermostat, and tensioners while I had the car apart as I just recently hit 105k.

I installed it using the method discussed in the forums where you slide the rack out (and then back into) the passenger wheel well. I had to remove the two hard hydraulic lines from the rack and then re-attach them after it was installed in order to slide the new one in. I wrapped tape around the open holes during installation to minimize crud.

I manually flushed a bunch of ATF-4 through the system before connecting the flexible hydraulics lines to the rack.

I then filled it with ATF-4 and bled the system by turning the steering side to side until I didn't get anymore air out (I later learned that air can be trapped and a vacuum can help get it out).

I drove the Jeep most days for the next two weeks and checked the fluid level each time I got home. It didn't appear to be using any fluid and I didn't notice any foaming at all. Life was good.

A month after the repair, I was turning into our drive and I heard the Power steering pump making a racket. I checked the power steering fluid container and it was empty. There hadn't been a drop of fluid found anywhere, so I was completely baffled as to where it could have gone. I refilled the reservoir. Added more. Added more. BOOM - The driver side bellows blew out with ATF drenching the drive. Solved the mystery of where the leaking ATF went at least :oops:

Chatted with the parts supplier and they traded out the part for a new one. I've installed it the same as before with the exception that I borrowed a Power Steering/Brake bleeding kit and followed the procedure for bleeding that came with the rack. I then left the vacuum on the power steering reservoir for 5 minutes and didn't see a drop in pressure.

- Before I test drive it, is there something that could be wrong in the system that caused the new and possibly original racks to fail so soon?
- If so, is there a way I can test for it before I blow out another rack?


Well, a blocked return line could cause an issue but most likely that was a rebuild failure. Since the provider swapped out the part with no hassle that rings a bell. Often some cores are just barley rebuildable, sometimes they fail. High pressure hydraulics, enought said. Bummer you have to do the job twice, maybe the parts provider could send you a coffee gift cert.

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Purchased 2006 LIberty CRD 82K 01/16
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10/17 96K, New Head, Injectors, ARP Studs, HDS T-Stat
04/18 99K, New Reman Trans
09/18 104K, Lift Pump
01/19 106K, OME Lift, Eaton TruTrac LSD in new rebuilt diff


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 Post subject: Re: New Rack and Pinion failure after 30 days
PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 2:36 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 12:39 am
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I'll keep my fingers crossed :)

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2005 Jeep Liberty CRD 120k miles - original owner


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 Post subject: Re: New Rack and Pinion failure after 30 days
PostPosted: Tue Jan 15, 2019 10:32 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 10:05 am
Posts: 377
Location: Kennewick, wa
As a pro I can tell to that most of the reman racks at the parts houses are A1 Cardone and they are crap, I can confirm many failures, I flat refuse to use anything Cardone. If you want a good one try to get a Maval or other top shelf brand


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 Post subject: Re: New Rack and Pinion failure after 30 days
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 2:37 am 
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Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 12:39 am
Posts: 6
If I have another failure on the newest one, I'll definitely heed your advice. Thanks for the info My66dodge.

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2005 Jeep Liberty CRD 120k miles - original owner


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 Post subject: Re: New Rack and Pinion failure after 30 days
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 2:51 pm 
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Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2013 11:36 pm
Posts: 7158
Location: Central GA
According to Maval's website,
for your 2005
Rack & Pinion Steering Units
Jeep Liberty 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 PN: 95326M

2006-2007 use a different steering rack.
Jeep Liberty 2006, 2007 PN: 95393M

OEM PN's:
05 -- 52128517AE
06 -- 52109970AA

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