I haven't got prices yet for any of the racks, but my local indie garage says they'll get a rack from Powerracks for me if I want. The part that goes is fairly easy to see - you can either shine a torch through the right hand wheel and follow the track rod end along the line of the rack and you'll see the power steering pipes where they enter the rack, and just above these is where the pinion enters the rack. The pipes are about 2' in from the outside of the wheel. It's also possible to lift the carpet / interior trim where the steering column goes through the bulkhead - remove the cover down there and you can see straight onto the pinion.
It's the pinion seal that generally goes and this dumps LDS / Fluide DA over the pipes and onto the subframe below. It's often misdiagnosed as the pipes that have gone - due to the fluid all over them - but it's normally the pinion seal that's gone. On the earlier X7's ('08 - '10 ???) it's not really a case of
if the seal will go, but more
when the seal will go.
Standard recon racks seem to be in the £250 - £400 range. Powerracks modified one might be nothing more than a double lip oil seal.... which would be an improvement on the original.... but not much. Sticky's recommendation of slathering waterproof grease on the pinion would seem to be a very sensible option
I'm still after good / bad / ugly comments on rack reconditioners, if anyone's got any
Any recommendations for good rack refurb companies, or ones that perhaps aren't so good and so should be avoided ? Powerracksdirect offer a modified rack with a double seal on the pinion http://www.powerracksdirect.co.uk/Citroen-C5 anyone know of any other companies doing something similar ? I might do the job myself - but I'll talk to my local garage in the week... they normally run away from working on Citroens, but as mine is conventional steel sprung I'll tell them it's a Peugeot with the wrong badge on it 
. I said to myself: f.... I'm doomed £2000 aprox. for a new rack. Wife it's gonna kill me; but, after I had a chat with google, I found this guys and they quoted me £420 for refurb, fitting, brand new high pressure pipe and and and 18 MONTHS Warranty !!! So I did it and I can say the guys are absolutely brilliant. If I'm allowed, I'm gonna post their details to help others save their money and let this guys do a great job.
