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refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2022 8:07 pm
by brooky
Just wanted to share my experience of swapping out the steering rack on my 2.0 laser (none PAS). Got the refurb rack from CCI as I had heard of some cowboy outfits who tend to just give the racks a lick of paint, change the boots and thats it so went to CCI as thought they would have reputable companies on their books, how wrong I was. Changed the rack, steering coupling, fitted new poly bushes to rack mounts, new track rod ends and changed the wheel bearings while I had things disconnected. After getting everything back together, took her for a drive only to find the steering wheel would not return to centre under its own steam, believe me it is a weird feeling when you turn into a corner and when coming out the wheel position has not changed when you release your grip. Contacted CCI to say the rack was too stiff and they informed me they had no other units to replace it and so I would have to return it for a refund and source a replacement somewhere else. Rather than strip it all back out I read the trusty Haynes and there was a detailed section on the need to shim the pinion correctly in order not to put too much pre load on it which would increase the turning stiffness so I took the cover plate off on the rack and found zero shims fitted, took the same plate off my old rack and one steel shim was in place so took it off and fitted it to the refurb CCI rack, steering perfect. Found also in the Haynes a torque figure for turning the pinion with nothing connected so please anyone going for a refurbed rack, check this torque as soon as you receive the unit to make sure it has been shimmed correctly and dont just assume that because you are going to a club, the units are fully checked before they are shipped as obviously they are not and if anyone at CCI reads this, you need to have reputable suppliers who quality check all their products before sending to you. :swear:

Re: refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 5:02 am
by andyd
I recently used this company, really good and would highly recommend :cool:

Here are a couple of Capri racks;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175274007487 ... OSwYHxWJOz~
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185489592895 ... SwmjZev8e0

Re: refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 8:18 am
by brooky
good to have this one saved as a favorite as you never know what you will end up with, also CCI not sure if they will be getting any for a while so definitely good to have another supplier who comes recommended. I also know Burton power do them but they only can take your rack and send it off for refurb which they say takes about 3 weeks so would have to be a winter job if you use Burton, no idea what the quality of the finished product is, they charge £129

Re: refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 8:30 am
by Major_Tom
andyd wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 5:02 am I recently used this company, really good and would highly recommend :cool:

Here are a couple of Capri racks;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175274007487 ... OSwYHxWJOz~
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185489592895 ... SwmjZev8e0
Pretty sure I used them too, years of thrashing completed and no issues 👍

Re: refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 8:34 am
by Major_Tom
brooky wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 8:07 pm Just wanted to share my experience of swapping out the steering rack on my 2.0 laser (none PAS). Got the refurb rack from CCI as I had heard of some cowboy outfits who tend to just give the racks a lick of paint, change the boots and thats it so went to CCI as thought they would have reputable companies on their books, how wrong I was. Changed the rack, steering coupling, fitted new poly bushes to rack mounts, new track rod ends and changed the wheel bearings while I had things disconnected. After getting everything back together, took her for a drive only to find the steering wheel would not return to centre under its own steam, believe me it is a weird feeling when you turn into a corner and when coming out the wheel position has not changed when you release your grip. Contacted CCI to say the rack was too stiff and they informed me they had no other units to replace it and so I would have to return it for a refund and source a replacement somewhere else. Rather than strip it all back out I read the trusty Haynes and there was a detailed section on the need to shim the pinion correctly in order not to put too much pre load on it which would increase the turning stiffness so I took the cover plate off on the rack and found zero shims fitted, took the same plate off my old rack and one steel shim was in place so took it off and fitted it to the refurb CCI rack, steering perfect. Found also in the Haynes a torque figure for turning the pinion with nothing connected so please anyone going for a refurbed rack, check this torque as soon as you receive the unit to make sure it has been shimmed correctly and dont just assume that because you are going to a club, the units are fully checked before they are shipped as obviously they are not and if anyone at CCI reads this, you need to have reputable suppliers who quality check all their products before sending to you. :swear:
That's ridiculous.

Re: refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 9:02 am
by andyd
Major_Tom wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 8:30 am
andyd wrote: Sat Jul 16, 2022 5:02 am I recently used this company, really good and would highly recommend :cool:

Here are a couple of Capri racks;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/175274007487 ... OSwYHxWJOz~
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185489592895 ... SwmjZev8e0
Pretty sure I used them too, years of thrashing completed and no issues 👍
:cool:

Can't knock the service I received and 100% ebay feedback they must be pretty good :)

Re: refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2022 1:37 pm
by pbar
brooky wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 8:07 pm Just wanted to share my experience of swapping out the steering rack on my 2.0 laser
Thanks for the info regarding checking the shims/torque and well done for mentioning your experience, naming the company and explaining what happened, incredibly important for us all and so many people seem reluctant to do so. :beer:

Re: refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 12:57 pm
by Taff50ish
Hi Mark,

Sorry, a bit late to the party on this one.... I had exactly the same problem with a Power steering rack from them, never returned to straight ahead as soon as it was fitted. We tried all sorts and it would not work, also the quality of the finish was very poor, it started with surface corrosion withon a few weeks, absolutely terible!!!!

Luckily this was when Tickover where still fettling and they took it in for a look and hey-presto. No shims or set up.... Gus & Clive worked their magic and although it still looked like sh!t, it finally worked.... Whoop Whoop!!!!

Hope to catch up again maybe this week end!!! All the best,

John...

Re: refurb steering rack bad experience

Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 5:17 pm
by SCP440
In my experience there is only one company I would trust to refurbish a steering rack properly and that is Kiley Clinton https://steering-racks.co.uk/
I have been sending them racks for years and everytime they come back as good as new and I have never had any problems.
You need to send them your rack to refurbish but if you tell them it is urgent you will normally get it back in about a week.