Steering rack issue

Teastley · **Joined:** Mon Nov 30, 2015 2:49 pm **Posts:** 32

So I tore the steering rack mount in Moab. Any ideas how to make these mounts stronger. Should I buy a new rack, used, rebuilt? Is this common?

lfhoward · **Posted:** Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:52 pm

The person to ask would be NAMoulton1 or JeepNCrowd. Both have experience wheeling in heavy duty locations and breaking the power steering rack, and later replacing it themselves.

Here's a how-to by NAM. It looks like some of the photo links are broken, so PM him to see if he can repair the links. It is a great thread.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=104&t=81063

G.O.A.T. · **Joined:** Wed Jan 27, 2016 1:11 am **Posts:** 149

Theres no "easy" upgrades. Replace it with a rebuilt unit and dont turn the wheel if the wheel is stuck or hung up. You will break something and it will be that thin metal.

"Common" I wouldn't say so, I have ran 32s and 33s in the same area as JeepNcrowd and haven't had a problem. Key is, if the wheel won't turn, dont force it.

FWIW I also recommend if your doing some crazy rock crawling to loosen the bolts ever slightly once ypu get aired down. It will help the rack move and tear up the bushings before breaking the rack. 10 min job vs 2 hour job. I run double nuts on mine when I loosen it. Its literally just a hair. You shimmy the wheel and the rack moves. Been doing that since 2009ish.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

KKnut · **Posted:** Sat Jul 09, 2016 8:24 pm

Teastley wrote:

So I tore the steering rack mount in Moab. Any ideas how to make these mounts stronger.

Common issue in OZ and the US too from what I've read.

Steering rack support

http://www.ultimatepowersteering.com.au ... -04-12-07/

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... pid=838046

Ultimate KK steering rack support bracket:

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=ht ... pid=826302

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Sat Jul 09, 2016 11:27 pm

No need to add my :2cents:

when G.O.A.T and lfh are spot on.

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Mon Jul 11, 2016 2:22 pm

So I've broken somewhere around 6 R&Ps give or take 1. I've honestly lost count and keep two spares in my garage. 1 goes with me when I wheel. Half the time I would blow a seal, the other half I'd break the mount. The Brace did nothing to support it.
What I ended up doing was taking a ratcheting tie down and wrapping it several times around the R&P (under the hard and soft lines) and the frame. I think this offered more support, and If it breaks the mount you can still get home. It has worked for me in the past anyway. It wont prevent you from blowing a seal, though. For that I was working on a bypass that would bypass the power steering pump. That way if the seal blew the pump wouldn't burn out and you could get home minus power steering.

I now will be using a steering box for ma 2500 suburban. We'll have to see how that works...

KKnut · **Posted:** Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:06 pm

JeepNCrowd wrote:

So I've broken somewhere around 6 R&Ps give or take 1. The Brace did nothing to support it.

I get the impression your KK is particularly capable and driven to greater extremes than most, I too have replaced R&Ps and now on my third. Directly after the last replacement I fitted the brace and so far it's bought me some time, although I agree the rack is just such a weak link that an entirely new design like you plan may be the ultimate answer.

Steering rack issue

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