C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

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ken.chapman
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C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by ken.chapman »

C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted - does anyone know of any second hand or cheap new ones?

C5 2008 58 C5 HDI Exclusive auto - any help from anyone would be great!

Ken
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Stickyfinger »

Best to put your cars details in you Signature....then we know what type it is...

last 8 from your vin as well, then the part numbers can be given to help you search.
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by chinkostu »

http://www.sphere-shop.co.uk/c5-ii-type ... -995-c.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


probably available from AEP direct too.

how come you need a rack? its only 7 years old? new racks direct from Citroen run about £800! (taking a brief stab at one but due to them all using traditional steering fluid i guess its consistent across the range?


edit: whoops, turns out the x7 still uses LDS for the steering. would need a VIN to check the exact part but at the moment theres only a couple listed across the board
Last edited by chinkostu on 16 Apr 2015, 22:40, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Homer »

For the steering rack you can get them reconditioned from various places such as here, which is much cheaper than the grand or so Citroen want for one.

Fitting it involves dropping the subframe so you'll need to be suitably equipped or get someone to do it for you.

I'm guessing it's leaking from the seal round the pinion, it seems to be a design fault.
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by ken.chapman »

There's no leak on the rack at all but I'm having a problem I can't solve - the steering is heavy and 'notchy' and does not re-centre when driving - no garage including Citroen can tell me what it is as when it is connected to Lexia there are no faults - no fault diagnosis unless the Lexia says so I guess!?!
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by myglaren »

Have you tried lubricating the universal joint - a common problem.
Tricky to reach apparently. a spray can of white grease with a long 'straw' seems to be the popular choice to attack it with.
Can't say where the power steering pump is as mine is older with the mechanical pump.
vborovic will likely know when he spots this thread.
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Redraven »

ken.chapman wrote:There's no leak on the rack at all but I'm having a problem I can't solve - the steering is heavy and 'notchy' and does not re-centre when driving - no garage including Citroen can tell me what it is as when it is connected to Lexia there are no faults - no fault diagnosis unless the Lexia says so I guess!?!
Hello Ken.

This is exactly the same symptoms as my C5 mk3. I have changed the pump.... no change in the problems so then I replaced the bottom ball joints and got the tracking re aligned...this improved the notchyness but the steering would still not return to centre properly. The rack is also not leaking on my C5 but I have been advised that a valve in the pinion stem is sticking so I am due to get my rack refurbished next week. The pump is down in front of the right front wheel and can be seen if you peel back the inner wheel arch.(just a few screws to remove to do this) :)

I have inspected the UJ and lubricated it on my car... no change.
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Stickyfinger »

Concur....get the lower ball joints checked, big weak point as the early bearings did not have a protection washer which made a poor design even worse. It does make the steering feel "uneven", the car needs to be lifted off its front wheels to check these bearings and it seems they have a 4-7 year life max.
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Redraven »

Mine did quite well, my car will be seven years old in August and has covered 88 thousand miles. They looked well past there best when they eventually gave up and came off, especially the near side.As mentioned above though this did not fix the non self centering fault. If refurbishment of the rack does not work I have no idea of what else could be wrong (Due to be done next week). Any other ideas?
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by osx »

Homer wrote:For the steering rack you can get them reconditioned from various places such as here, which is much cheaper than the grand or so Citroen want for one.

Fitting it involves dropping the subframe so you'll need to be suitably equipped or get someone to do it for you.

I'm guessing it's leaking from the seal round the pinion, it seems to be a design fault.
What sort of warranty do the reconditioned ones come with and will include labour costs?
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Redraven »

osx wrote:
Homer wrote:For the steering rack you can get them reconditioned from various places such as here, which is much cheaper than the grand or so Citroen want for one.

Fitting it involves dropping the subframe so you'll need to be suitably equipped or get someone to do it for you.

I'm guessing it's leaking from the seal round the pinion, it seems to be a design fault.
What sort of warranty do the reconditioned ones come with and will include labour costs?
Sorry to answer for someone else but.... 1 year and no cover for labour costs.

Here is an update on my rack. After it went for a trip to the refurbishment centre they found it had a crack in the casting around the pinion. This ment I had to buy a new rack and also pay the sur charge as my rack is not refurbishable as it is. Lucky me :cry:
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Redraven »

New rack on and still the steering has no life (springy resistance) back to centre. :? :?: [-o<


Anyone have any ideas?
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Post by addo »

Is it faultless with both front legs in the air? What about if you support under the wishbones to load suspension but remove tyre drag? Have you tested the pump pressures with gauge and tee, and made sure it is getting the right information via Lexia?
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Stickyfinger »

It is my thinking that the C5 rack offers far less self centering than other cars of the type (and even the earlier models)

Are you expecting to much from it......personally I like this aspect of it.
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Re: C5 2008 onwards Steering Rack and Spheres wanted

Post by Redraven »

Stickyfinger wrote:It is my thinking that the C5 rack offers far less self centering than other cars of the type (and even the earlier models)

Are you expecting to much from it......personally I like this aspect of it.
I think you are right. It is as good as it is going to get. I must be comparing it against other cars I have been driving recently :wink: I have read a couple of articles on the subject and having driven only my C5 I must have been looking to achieve the impossible. Now I have a spare rack and pump :P

This article mentions it..... http://www.driveblog.co.uk/index_files/ ... VdqErlVhBd" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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