What are the signs / symptoms of a failing steering rack? I'm getting a rather loud pop coming from the drivers side of my rack. It seems to be coming from where the tie rod goes into the rack. The boot where the tie rod connects to the rack is damp with fluid, but not dripping wet; and there doesn't seem to be a change in the level of fluid in the pump resivor. I do have a bushing in need of replacement on the drivers side as well. I don't know whether I should have just the tie rod and bushings replaced or get a new rack.

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Black '05 Renegade. Front suspension: Frankenlift, Moog HD LBJ's, Audiboy cut CV's
Rear suspension: OME 948's, 2 extra upper ISO's, Rancho RS 5000 shocks.
31X10.50X15 Duratrac's/ProComp 152's
ARB bumper, Mopar skids, JCR stage III's, Reese hitch with tractor lights, Champion shackle insert, "homebrew" on board air, 1000 watt inverter

I am doing the rack right now... pain in the a** but i was installing it wrong.
It is almost done now, waiting for bro to come home to do steering fluid.

Oddly enough, I just got done replacing mine a few hours ago. Lot of work, but was pretty straightforward. Yellocoyote's instructions were awesome and a big help (thanks BTW!). Jeep stealership quoted me $1500-1800 dollars to replace it, but $800 of that was for the rack ; only cost me $230 bucks and 6 hours of my time to do it myself. As to answer the specifics of your question, I have no idea. I replaced mine because the dam mount broke.

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Get Out. Eject. Escape from the prison planet.

Hey....

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Aaron

A vehicle isn't yours till you learn to wrench on it yourself.

2002 Jeep Liberty Sport (Eugene, I am the Passenger, And I ride and I ride.)
1999 Chev Astro 2WD (Green, Daily Driver)
1997 Chev Astro AWD (Grumpy "The Heep", $250 Rally Van, 335k miles, 2" lift, 31" tires)