C5 x7 steering rack leak

[Stickyfinger]

I wish we lived in the USA and could take a "class action" over such design failings

[GiveMeABreak]

Yep - I hear the US already has a minimum life / tread for car tyres expectation for consumers - they should bring that in over here for sure.

[xantia_v6]

It might be a good idea for those with racks that are not yet leaking to spray some grease around the shaft.

[vborovic]

@ jgra - I think the leak occurred between the pinion housing and the rack housing ... the guy knows his stuff (although quite young), and said that he uses kits with full rubbers and seals, and that the entire unit will be sand-blasted, and after he's done, the pinion shaft will be enveloped in a protective grease-like substance, that should be hard to take off with average road conditions ... the job should be completed by wednesday noon ... I'll post photos of the reincarnated steering rack, just to give people some before-after opportunities for evaluation ... if I could get 3 years of life out of it, that would be a great deal IMO

[jgra1]

good stuff VB, for some reason I thought the problem was a seal at the outside of the Pinion Housing..

[vborovic]

I am thinking a gaiter or the correct size could me obtained and fitted to avoid the corrosion ?

Actually it couldn't, the constructors, for whatever reason, disabled this possibility by putting this on the back side of the pinion part:



That point gets attached to the chassis, or wherever ...

[Stickyfinger]

What about paint on "Rubber paint" or an PV sealant ?

[vborovic]

What about paint on "Rubber paint" or an PV sealant ?

Here's how it looks like repaired (already collected today), there is high likelihood that tomorrow the car will be on the road by the end of the day.

[GiveMeABreak]

What about all that rust?..... oh it's copper grease

[Lighty]

Looks like a good repair

[vborovic]

Looks like a good repair

Will let you know in two years' time ... hopefully, three ...

[Stickyfinger]

Is the shaft full exposed all the time then ?

[old'uns]

apparently so according to my garage.....mechanic reckons for some reason Citroen placed the rack further away than usual which means that where the shaft/UJ etc is tucked partly into bulkhead/floorpan for protection, on an X7 this is now exposed.
i'll assume there is a 'good' reason why Citroen designed it this way but.....................maybe the designers were good friends with VW software engineers ie people with a grudge against the Co.

[Stickyfinger]

I still cannot see why it cannot be sleeved in some manor to protect it at the seal. There is no pressure after all......just cannot get a pic in my head of it ....

[GiveMeABreak]

I'm sure both my Mk1 & 2 C5 racks were covered in a thick plastic sheeting. Never had any issue with either of those.