C5 X7 Steering Rack - Again!

[Stickyfinger]

Thanks Chaps, will let you know tomorrow. I thought as much re: the trip to Scotland and back. Gerrrr

Angry, so I am having a "Pop" at Citroen
https://www.facebook.com/pg/CitroenHeritage/reviews/

[GiveMeABreak]

One SMALL consolation is that you noticed it now, before your friends were out and about touring the UK in it....

[Stickyfinger]

This is true.

[Sloppysod]

Alastair, the position of the pipes can give a false assumption, apart from underneath, take the righthand wheel off and shine a torch onto the shaft, and as Marc suggested, also look from the inside by removing the floor gromit under the column for a 99% accurate diagnosis, but I think you will find it is the rack, and not the pipes.

[Stickyfinger]

Yep, I plan to look in via the footwell hole in the morning, I am 95% sure the rack is the problem from what I got to see tonight.

[Stickyfinger]

Question, how is the pinion seal fitted , is it pressed in from the outside ?

[Homer]

How long can they weep for,

Mine was a tiny drip for a few weeks then overnight dumped the entire contents of the reservoir on the garage floor. It was a steel suspension version though and the LDS reservoir on those is quite small and there is no low level warning. If you have the proper Citroen suspension then you will have a bigger tank and a warning when it gets low (assuming they still do that like the BX and Xantia did).

[bobins]

Question, how is the pinion seal fitted , is it pressed in from the outside ?

I'm pretty sure it's fitted from inside. I'm familiar with oil seals (!) and I can't see how it could be pressed in from outside. I'm presuming you were thinking of stripping the shaft and replacing the oil seal yourself ? The thought had occurred to me in the past but it would involve dis-assembling the rack (or at least the pinion area) and that's a job i'm not familiar with. It might be an easy job - but it might be filled with potential pingfukkits

[GiveMeABreak]

There was a video - but they use some Carlos Fandango type tools to get the innards out - I wouldn't attempt it without the tools unless you were 100% confident as there are quite a few bits in there and if needing an exchange unit they might refuse to take yours if it has been dismantled.

So were you planning to grind down the corrosion on a lathe and fit an over-sized seal? The seal is definitely fitted from the inside though.

This video is for a 2.2 C5, (doesn't say what year though), but may give you an idea of what's involved.

[bobins]

The specialist tools wouldn't be needed to just strip out the pinion shaft. The hardest part of the job would be successfully turning down the shaft on a lathe so it could take a Speedi-sleeve, and also lining it all back up correctly so the shaft goes in and has the correct alignment once it's back in its housing. Correct torque settings and adjustments might prove a bit hit 'n' miss though It'd be critical to mark up the relative positions of the components before disassembly so they could go back spot on in the right position.

[xantia_v6]

Having replaced the seals in a couple of steering racks (but not Citroen) and watched that video, I would say that a careful worker could remove the pinion assembly and repair the shaft without any special tools.

I would not remove the rack shaft or touch its seals, these are easy to damage during reassembly.

If the pinion shaft is keyed (as apparently was the one in the video), then it should be replaced with the same tooth engaged in the rack, which takes a bit of prior measurement and planning.

Don't attempt to dismantle or adjust the pinion valve components (other than removing the assembly from the tower housing), the adjustment does require special equipment. Be careful not to damage the nylon seal rings around the valve assembly, especially when reassembling.

[bobins]

If the pinion shaft is keyed (as apparently was the one in the video), then it should be replaced with the same tooth engaged in the rack, which takes a bit of prior measurement and planning.

To confirm, the shaft is keyed - not splined - at the top, so will only fit on the steering column shaft in a single position, so the pinion shaft HAS to go back exactly in the right alignment, so - as you say - a bit of marking / measuring / prior planing is essential.

[GiveMeABreak]

Or, Autosteer have one left with est Wednesday delivery
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-C5-P ... 2735151783

This is a completely rebuilt one with 3 year warranty, but if you need it sooner they may be able to get it expedited.

[Stickyfinger]

or £355 fitted

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272025670230 ... EBIDX%3AIT

[bobins]

Or, if you've got money to burn and want to have your own one rebuilt - currently a snip at £9179.99
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OWN-UNIT-REB ... 1622515332