Steering Rack Leak(?) + Outer Driveshaft Boot

[Sloppysod]

What an afternoon, and I feel things are just getting started................

Found oil on my drive so decided to hunt down the leak, and doing so found the outer clip on the outer drive shaft boot had broken thus alowing the boot to empty itself all over the inside of the wheel and hub, swinging arms........yuk. - added some Molybdenum high melting point grease (just hope it is enough!!), fitted a new clip from my box or bits, now the drive shaft is clamped tight on the hub again,.

Found the leak I think and this is where I would like some feedback chaps.
I think it is coming from the steering rack, not the boots but the input drive housing , I will know more in a couple of weeks as I have jet-washed everything where I believe the leak to be and will look in a couple of weeks to see if I was right.
If it is a full rack replacement, which I hope not, is it a big job, what pit-falls can I expect to try and catch me out and where do I buy a new rack, other than a Citroen(££££)?

Cheers
All,
Stu

[bobins]

Is this on your C5 ?

[Sloppysod]

Oops, sorry, forgot, yes it is on my 2011 C5 Exclusive

Ergh!! http://www.eurocarparts.com/steering-ra ... ring-mount -£1099.99 !! Surely they are cheaper than this!!??

[bobins]

Have a read of this.......
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57734

[Sloppysod]

Thanks, Bobbins, I have not looked at the subframe mountings yet, but can I just lower the back end of the frame, or do I have to make provision for the whole frame to be lowered, two trolley jacks?
Looks like I have a job tomorrow, peering down a small hole in the footwell.
Thanks again, now just to find a good rack.
Stu

Is it really this bad!! - Nice Photo Bobbins
download/file.php?mode=view&id=4038

[bobins]

The whole subframe has to come down but it's actually no grief to do that. One well balanced trolley jack should suffice as there's no great weight on the subframe.
You'll be pleasantly surprised at how 'up close and personal' you can get to the pinion via the footwell - pity the same can't be said about its condition when you see it
It's a pity you're not closer as I've still got my old rack you could have - it'd be a good contender to send off to one of the decent reconditioners so you can swap it over without your car being off the road for any length of time.
As for reconditioners - there's plenty out there offering all sorts of promises, but - if my old pinion shaft is anything to go by - you really want one that will replace the pinion shaft. Whilst I've not used them and have no feedback on them, you might want to have a look at http://www.powerracksdirect.co.uk/Citroen-C5 as they seem to understand the need to modify the pinion seal. Unfortunately they only supply to trade / garages, so you might need a tame garage if you go down that route.

[Gibbo2286]

I bought one of these to get past the one jack / two jacks problem, it says discontinued on this link but there are plenty about by several makers.

https://www.sitebox.ltd.uk/draper-2-ton ... per_56756

[Sloppysod]

I bought one of these to get past the one jack / two jacks problem, it says discontinued on this link but there are plenty about by several makers.

https://www.sitebox.ltd.uk/draper-2-ton ... per_56756

Interesting, I have thought about something similar in the past, but never got round to making it and never thought one could be bought of the shelf -Thanks

[Sloppysod]

Well thats a Job I don't waont to do again!!!
Made a slight 'mod' that hopefuly means I will not have too, placed a tie rod gaiter over the rack, Tie wrpped on then cut the over end so that the insulating rubber which fits fron inside the car sits in side and hopefully has seald the shaft from spray and whatever.
Now, the rack when mving it by hand was stiff and not it is fitted it still is, does it self beed, or is there a process I have to follow?

I followed the list of actions posted by 'Bobbins' - very helpfull.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57734
Thanks

[Sloppysod]

Well I am getting good at this......
As I said in my earlier update post my rack was stiff and would not self center after turning a corner, when I spoke to the company who sold the reconditioned rack about my problem they "oh, that should be better in about 300 miles or so", so at 3000 miles I got onto them again, took the rack off and they rebuilt it saying that the problem was due to a 'tight' seal. well the rack I was given back is still tight albeit not as tight as the first one and still does not self center after turning a corner!! That is two racks with the same issue, so have I done anything wrong or have other people had similar issues?

Looking at the Citroen service my car was fitted with Part no. 0610 03 4420 79A rack, could this be the wrong rack possibly from a lighter vehicle 1.6hdi?, the rack part number is the same across all models, except the last three digits.

And......... on top of that my steering wheel it 180 degrees out, I dropped it of to kwikfit to get the tracking set and collected it late only to realise they had set the tracking with the steering wheel upside-down (the tracking was a long way out) and may have to stay that way as I can not get back there until next weekend. the problem is, I have a warning on the dash saying ESP/ASR is faulty, and when running a Diagbox check I get a steering wheel angle sensor error:
U1205 - Steering wheel angle sensor missing communication fault: not distinguished.

The problem is that the warning symbol was on, on my way to Kwikfit, so it may not be due to the steering wheel being upside down!!
Ideas anyone on both, stiff rack or sensor error?

Thanks

[bobins]

Do you reckon you've got your original rack back on the car now, or do you reckon it's been substituted for a different one by the reconditioners ?
I assume you've got either 17", 18", or 19" wheels fitted as original, and not 16" ?

I think cars fitted with 16" wheels had 'longer' racks fitted, so it might pay to take meaningful measurements of both track rod ends so I can compare them with my old rack that I've still got in a shed somewhere - my thoughts being that your car should have the same length rack as my car - the difference between 'short' and 'long' racks will be evident in how far out - or long - the track rods are........ but that's only a guess.

In theory, to have your steering wheel out by 180 degrees, there will be noticeably different amounts of thread exposed between the left and right track rods.

[GiveMeABreak]

The new part should be 98 014 154 80 (revised replacement rack)

As for bleeding - it is just a matter of running the engine, lowering suspension, turn steering wheel full lock left then right a few times, check LDS level is between the A & B marks.

As for the ESP fault - it is obviously out of range and will either return to normal after you correct the fitting on the rack or you will need to recalibrate the Steering Wheel Angle Sensor (but get the rack fitted correctly first). Be aware though Stu - until this is done, you will have standard braking - no ABS, no ESP, no ASR...

[xantia_v6]

Be aware that with the steering wheel upside down that the clock spring in the COM unit will be forced 180 degrees further than designed at one end of the travel or other, and may well destroy itself during parking manoeuvres.

[Sloppysod]

Be aware that with the steering wheel upside down that the clock spring in the COM unit will be forced 180 degrees further than designed at one end of the travel or other, and may well destroy itself during parking manoeuvres.

Mmm...... clock-spring.do I take this seriously, I thought it was just a sensor??? worried..big time!!

Do you reckon you've got your original rack back on the car now, or do you reckon it's been substituted for a different one by the reconditioners ?
I assume you've got either 17", 18", or 19" wheels fitted as original, and not 16" ?

Standard 17" wheels and 99.9% sure it is not my original rack.......

I think cars fitted with 16" wheels had 'longer' racks fitted, so it might pay to take meaningful measurements of both track rod ends so I can compare them with my old rack that I've still got in a shed somewhere - my thoughts being that your car should have the same length rack as my car - the difference between 'short' and 'long' racks will be evident in how far out - or long - the track rods are........ but that's only a guess.

In theory, to have your steering wheel out by 180 degrees, there will be noticeably different amounts of thread exposed between the left and right track rods.

Remembering your earlier post about rack lengths, I measured today and I have 18-20mm of adjustment thread on the right and about 5-8 mm of thread on the left hand track-rod. - and i hope this will be enough to bring it right again.

The new part should be 98 014 154 80 (revised replacement rack)

Toooooooooooo expensive, but may have to go that way.

As for bleeding - it is just a matter of running the engine, lowering suspension, turn steering wheel full lock left then right a few times, check LDS level is between the A & B marks.

Yes, the last time I bled the system and to hold the 5 psi, I used a bicycle stirrup pump connected to a old brake bleeding kit, worked a treat.

As for the ESP fault - it is obviously out of range and will either return to normal after you correct the fitting on the rack or you will need to recalibrate the Steering Wheel Angle Sensor (but get the rack fitted correctly first). Be aware though Stu - until this is done, you will have standard braking - no ABS, no ESP, no ASR...

MMM, i tried my brakes the other night and the ABS is definitely working, not sure about the other functions though.......... out in the snow tomorrow, so that will tell, also looks like I will have to try to get down to Kwikfit, if they are open and see what they can do.

Thnaks all, my head ache has just got bigger.............

[xantia_v6]

Be aware that with the steering wheel upside down that the clock spring in the COM unit will be forced 180 degrees further than designed at one end of the travel or other, and may well destroy itself during parking manoeuvres.

Mmm...... clock-spring.do I take this seriously, I thought it was just a sensor??? worried..big time!!

Don't panic... yet.

If they only adjusted the rack ends, and the steering wheel is upside down as a result (although I doubt that there is enough adjustment available for that), then your clock spring is safe.

I was assuming (and still suspect) that they adjusted the tracking, then noticing that the steering wheel was offset, removed it and refitted it upside down. That would be cause for mild panic.