Steering Rack 97 Explorer

My trusty Explorer with 260K+ miles has developed a slow power steering
fluid leak at the steering rack. Since that part is over $300, and the leak
is real slow, we tried using some stop leak, which seemed to work for a few
months, but now it has started again. The onlyt obvious symptom is a whine
developing at the pump when the fluid level drops, which occurs every 2-4
weeks. Is there an alternative to buying a new rack?

=Vic=
Bear Gap, PA

On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:22:49 -0400, "Vic Klein"
> wrote:

>My trusty Explorer with 260K+ miles has developed a slow power steering
>fluid leak at the steering rack. Since that part is over $300, and the leak
>is real slow, we tried using some stop leak, which seemed to work for a few
>months, but now it has started again. The onlyt obvious symptom is a whine
>developing at the pump when the fluid level drops, which occurs every 2-4
>weeks. Is there an alternative to buying a new rack?
>
>=Vic=
>Bear Gap, PA
>

What are you using for PS fluid, ATF? If ATF, flush with an approved
proper PS fluid, (do two flushes if necessary to get out all the old
ATF) and refill with PS fluid, and I suspect the leak may go away.

ATF is a bear: it really, really wants to leak out of everything it
can.

Thanks, Peter. Nope, used only PS fluid. Even replaced it with fresh with a
boost in seal sweller additive and that stopped it for a while. Since then,
top it off with one of the available PS fluids sold at the convenience
store, as a rule. I suppose the $300+ price is a new steering rack. I wonder
if rebuilt racks are much cheaper?

=Vic=
Bear Gap, PA

"PeterD" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:22:49 -0400, "Vic Klein"
> > wrote:
>
>>My trusty Explorer with 260K+ miles has developed a slow power steering
>>fluid leak at the steering rack. Since that part is over $300, and the
>>leak
>>is real slow, we tried using some stop leak, which seemed to work for a
>>few
>>months, but now it has started again. The onlyt obvious symptom is a whine
>>developing at the pump when the fluid level drops, which occurs every 2-4
>>weeks. Is there an alternative to buying a new rack?
>>
>>=Vic=
>>Bear Gap, PA
>>
>
> What are you using for PS fluid, ATF? If ATF, flush with an approved
> proper PS fluid, (do two flushes if necessary to get out all the old
> ATF) and refill with PS fluid, and I suspect the leak may go away.
>
> ATF is a bear: it really, really wants to leak out of everything it
> can.

On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:07:48 -0400, "Vic Klein"
> wrote:

>Thanks, Peter. Nope, used only PS fluid. Even replaced it with fresh with a
>boost in seal sweller additive and that stopped it for a while. Since then,
>top it off with one of the available PS fluids sold at the convenience
>store, as a rule. I suppose the $300+ price is a new steering rack. I wonder
>if rebuilt racks are much cheaper?
>

I'd guess $300 is perhaps new.

CarQuest list for one is $189.xx which is really not that bad. That
includes inner tie-rod ends.

>=Vic=
>Bear Gap, PA
>
>"PeterD" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:22:49 -0400, "Vic Klein"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>My trusty Explorer with 260K+ miles has developed a slow power steering
>>>fluid leak at the steering rack. Since that part is over $300, and the
>>>leak
>>>is real slow, we tried using some stop leak, which seemed to work for a
>>>few
>>>months, but now it has started again. The onlyt obvious symptom is a whine
>>>developing at the pump when the fluid level drops, which occurs every 2-4
>>>weeks. Is there an alternative to buying a new rack?
>>>
>>>=Vic=
>>>Bear Gap, PA
>>>
>>
>> What are you using for PS fluid, ATF? If ATF, flush with an approved
>> proper PS fluid, (do two flushes if necessary to get out all the old
>> ATF) and refill with PS fluid, and I suspect the leak may go away.
>>
>> ATF is a bear: it really, really wants to leak out of everything it
>> can.
>

PeterD > wrote in
:

> On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:07:48 -0400, "Vic Klein"
> > wrote:
>
>>Thanks, Peter. Nope, used only PS fluid. Even replaced it with fresh
>>with a boost in seal sweller additive and that stopped it for a while.
>>Since then, top it off with one of the available PS fluids sold at the
>>convenience store, as a rule. I suppose the $300+ price is a new
>>steering rack. I wonder if rebuilt racks are much cheaper?
>>
>
> I'd guess $300 is perhaps new.
>
> CarQuest list for one is $189.xx which is really not that bad. That
> includes inner tie-rod ends.
>
>>=Vic=
>>Bear Gap, PA
>>
>>"PeterD" > wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:22:49 -0400, "Vic Klein"
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>My trusty Explorer with 260K+ miles has developed a slow power
>>>>steering fluid leak at the steering rack. Since that part is over
>>>>$300, and the leak
>>>>is real slow, we tried using some stop leak, which seemed to work
>>>>for a few
>>>>months, but now it has started again. The onlyt obvious symptom is a
>>>>whine developing at the pump when the fluid level drops, which
>>>>occurs every 2-4 weeks. Is there an alternative to buying a new
>>>>rack?
>>>>
>>>>=Vic=
>>>>Bear Gap, PA
>>>>
>>>
>>> What are you using for PS fluid, ATF? If ATF, flush with an approved
>>> proper PS fluid, (do two flushes if necessary to get out all the old
>>> ATF) and refill with PS fluid, and I suspect the leak may go away.
>>>
>>> ATF is a bear: it really, really wants to leak out of everything it
>>> can.
>>
>

Check Rockauto.com. Best prices hands down.

On Sun, 26 Jul 2009 09:53:36 +0000 (UTC), wrote:

>PeterD > wrote in
:
>
>> On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:07:48 -0400, "Vic Klein"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>Thanks, Peter. Nope, used only PS fluid. Even replaced it with fresh
>>>with a boost in seal sweller additive and that stopped it for a while.
>>>Since then, top it off with one of the available PS fluids sold at the
>>>convenience store, as a rule. I suppose the $300+ price is a new
>>>steering rack. I wonder if rebuilt racks are much cheaper?
>>>
>>
>> I'd guess $300 is perhaps new.
>>
>> CarQuest list for one is $189.xx which is really not that bad. That
>> includes inner tie-rod ends.
>>
>>>=Vic=
>>>Bear Gap, PA
>>>
>>>"PeterD" > wrote in message
...
>>>> On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:22:49 -0400, "Vic Klein"
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>My trusty Explorer with 260K+ miles has developed a slow power
>>>>>steering fluid leak at the steering rack. Since that part is over
>>>>>$300, and the leak
>>>>>is real slow, we tried using some stop leak, which seemed to work
>>>>>for a few
>>>>>months, but now it has started again. The onlyt obvious symptom is a
>>>>>whine developing at the pump when the fluid level drops, which
>>>>>occurs every 2-4 weeks. Is there an alternative to buying a new
>>>>>rack?
>>>>>
>>>>>=Vic=
>>>>>Bear Gap, PA
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> What are you using for PS fluid, ATF? If ATF, flush with an approved
>>>> proper PS fluid, (do two flushes if necessary to get out all the old
>>>> ATF) and refill with PS fluid, and I suspect the leak may go away.
>>>>
>>>> ATF is a bear: it really, really wants to leak out of everything it
>>>> can.
>>>
>>
>
>Check Rockauto.com. Best prices hands down.

I'm sure online will beat most of the B&M stores. The only significant
issues are warranty/support if there is a problem, and wait time to
fill the order. (If I'm not in a hurry, and the part is likely not to
need warranty or support, I'm usually going to look online, too...)

Just curious - is it really OK to switch to PS fluid? My manual on my '98
EB says to use Mercon ATF. I too have some minor leaks...

--
Allan Williams




PeterD wrote:
> On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:22:49 -0400, "Vic Klein"
> > wrote:
>
>> My trusty Explorer with 260K+ miles has developed a slow power
>> steering fluid leak at the steering rack. Since that part is over
>> $300, and the leak is real slow, we tried using some stop leak,
>> which seemed to work for a few months, but now it has started again.
>> The onlyt obvious symptom is a whine developing at the pump when the
>> fluid level drops, which occurs every 2-4 weeks. Is there an
>> alternative to buying a new rack?
>>
>> =Vic=
>> Bear Gap, PA
>>
>
> What are you using for PS fluid, ATF? If ATF, flush with an approved
> proper PS fluid, (do two flushes if necessary to get out all the old
> ATF) and refill with PS fluid, and I suspect the leak may go away.
>
> ATF is a bear: it really, really wants to leak out of everything it
> can.

On Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:52:51 GMT, "Al Williams"
> wrote:

>Just curious - is it really OK to switch to PS fluid? My manual on my '98
>EB says to use Mercon ATF. I too have some minor leaks...

Well, if you want to follow the maker's recomemdations (for a 98, who
cares? <g>) you could try a bottle of 'ATF stop leak'.