steering rack needed

[scrappyloz]

Hi Guys. Ive just brought my first lotus excel (a 1988) of ebay the other day and drove it from rochdale to worcester with no major mechanical problems. Ive just taken it in for an mot but i need a new rack as mine is shot. I knew this already as the power steering was pouring out the bottom when i filled it up. Also there is quite a bit of movement in it. Does anyone have a good one for sale.

[robertverhey]

Make sure it's not the pump, when I got mine the fluid was fair pissing out. All cured with a couple of new O rings in the pump. Cost a couple of bucks and a couple of skinned knuckles.

My rack had apparent wear as well, lateral play in the O/S steering arm. There is a way to adjust it out, by turning the big sunken nut in the top, just where the steering column goes in.

Robert

[scrappyloz]

Its definatly the rack. When i fill up the resivoir the power steering works for about 1 minute untill all the fluid leaks out. The seals in the end have gone. so have the gaiters. The rack difinatly needs replacing or rebuilding. Thanks though

[amarshall]

PNM Engineering are worth a try too - BUT there's probably somewhere local who can recondition the rack. It's mostly Ford anyway...

[chrisw2811]

Scrappyloz, here's a link to Oz's thread with some potentially useful information on refurbishment. Good luck with it, Chris http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtop ... ering+rack

[scrappyloz]

Thanks for all the info guys. The only problem with refurbing the rack is that the car is at the garage and they will have to take the steering rack off and send it off and it will probably be 5 days so the car will be clogging up one of their ramps. Ive heard that the entire rack is a ford sierra rack apart from the track road ends. If so is a certain type of sierra or ford e.t.c. Could i get on off the ford car froma scrapyard and jut fit the track rod ends off my rack on it thanks loz

[AndyC]

If you are not far from Mike's (he's near Coventry / Warwick) you can simply take him your old one and get one of the refurbished ones off the shelf, assuming he has one in stock at the time, which I'm sure he will have.

[Ozzy_UK]

Scrappyloz, here's a link to Oz's thread with some potentially useful information on refurbishment. Good luck with it, Chris http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtop ... ering+rack

they did a top job for me, and havent had any issues with the rack since, came back in 48hrs looking brand new...

i couldnt believe it was the same unit!

big thumbs up for M&P Engineering...

3 track days, and 16000 miles later and all is still perfect steering rack wise, pump died after the 2nd track day tho!

[scrappyloz]

Thanks guys for all your help. I brought a refurbished rack off sj sportscars. I couldn't get mine refurnished as the garage couldn't have the car stuck on there ramp the entire time they were waiting for the rack to be refurbished.