Steering Rack

On Mon, 7 Feb 2005, ncs wrote:

> thanks for the advice. I'm wasn't aware that there could be a wrong fluid.
> I used Valvoline SynPower. Is there a more preferred brand that's better ?

Yep: Fluid that specifically indicates it meets the relevant Chrysler
spec. Not "universal" P/S fluid, not transmission fluid, etc.

"Bill Putney" > wrote:

>> It's amazing and sad that people will continue to inflict the
>> unreliability and the time and money waste of "remanufactured" parts
>> upon themselves again and again and again, all the while going
>> "But...lifetime warranty! Lifetime warranty! Lifetime warranty! It
>> can't be the 'remanufacturing' process, it must be, um, the store I
>> bought it from! After all, lifetime warranty!".

>>>suggestions on where to get a better part

>> Check with Steer & Gear, or look in your local yellow pages.

> Daniel - Is this a situation where a part from NAPA will likely be better
> (a btter screened supplier, etc.)?

Time was, yes. Nowtimes, NAPA is cheapening-down their line to try to
compete with Schmuck's, AutoBone, Schlep Boys, etc. Their O2 sensors used
to be Echlin (good), now Bosch (highly inconsistent). Their remanufactured
components used to be Rayloc (reliable), now Cardone (junk).

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Mon, 7 Feb 2005, ncs wrote:
>
>> thanks for the advice. I'm wasn't aware that there could be a wrong
>> fluid. I used Valvoline SynPower. Is there a more preferred brand
>> that's better ?
>
> Yep: Fluid that specifically indicates it meets the relevant Chrysler
> spec. Not "universal" P/S fluid, not transmission fluid, etc.

funny... my power steering on my 2004 PT says ATF +4 for it, same as the
transmision wonder if many more models are the same.

On Tue, 8 Feb 2005 21:37:57 -0500, "Daniel J. Stern"
> wrote:

>
>"Bill Putney" > wrote:
>
>>> It's amazing and sad that people will continue to inflict the
>>> unreliability and the time and money waste of "remanufactured" parts
>>> upon themselves again and again and again, all the while going
>>> "But...lifetime warranty! Lifetime warranty! Lifetime warranty! It
>>> can't be the 'remanufacturing' process, it must be, um, the store I
>>> bought it from! After all, lifetime warranty!".
>
>>>>suggestions on where to get a better part
>
>>> Check with Steer & Gear, or look in your local yellow pages.
>
>> Daniel - Is this a situation where a part from NAPA will likely be better
>> (a btter screened supplier, etc.)?
>
>Time was, yes. Nowtimes, NAPA is cheapening-down their line to try to
>compete with Schmuck's, AutoBone, Schlep Boys, etc. Their O2 sensors used
>to be Echlin (good), now Bosch (highly inconsistent). Their remanufactured
>components used to be Rayloc (reliable), now Cardone (junk).
>
While it was UAP up here in Canada, the parts were generally pretty
good. You could buy their in-house VERDIC brand and save some money,
getting sometimes slightly less quality.

Since they went to UAP/NAPA, and now simply NAPA, the quality of MANY
parts has definitely taken a HUGE nose-dive. My brother's shop is in
the other side of a NAPA store - and it's getting to the point the
"inhouse parts department" is getting a lot less of his business
because he's getting sick and tired of constantly returning defective
parts - and crap that's boxed wrong right from the warehouse. He has
had 3 different (wrong) parts supplied under the same part number
before getting the right one........

"ncs" > wrote in message ...
> It's tough for me to gauge which is a better part by just looking at them,
> which is the only thing I have to go by. True a lifetime warranty doesn't
> do me much good if the part keeps failing.
> I think the dealer sells reman. parts also and they are more expensive.
> Is there one or two parts chains out there that is better than most ?
> NAPA vs. AutoZone, CarQuest vs. local stores ? And I've never had a
> problem with these chains and their parts before. They are usually pretty
> good and cheaper.
>
Pesonally, I just don't mess with the low-quality for low-bucks outfits any
more. I found out many years ago that real parts stores (the kind with an
ashtray shaped like a tire and fan belts hanging from the ceiling) are
actually cheaper than Advance Auto. That did it for me. I used to have to
put on 2 or 3 rebuilt starters from Advance to get a good one. I don't have
to do that any more!

There are certain things you shouldn't buy rebuilt, but I don't really know
if racks are in that category. I've never replaced the first one. I don't
even look to see if they're leaking. Have you considered doing nothing?
That's probably what I'm doing, because I don't know if my rack is leaking
or not.

Lars wrote:
> Daniel J. Stern wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 7 Feb 2005, ncs wrote:
>>
>>
>>>thanks for the advice. I'm wasn't aware that there could be a wrong
>>>fluid. I used Valvoline SynPower. Is there a more preferred brand
>>>that's better ?
>>
>>Yep: Fluid that specifically indicates it meets the relevant Chrysler
>>spec. Not "universal" P/S fluid, not transmission fluid, etc.
>
>
> funny... my power steering on my 2004 PT says ATF +4 for it, same as the
> transmision wonder if many more models are the same.
>
>

Per TSB No. 19-005-03, you are correct for the Cruiser and most Chrysler
vehicles of very late 90's and later. However, Daniel is correct on the
earlier Caravans that still have to use the approved power steering
fluid only. The TSB has a chart that is too complex to copy here, but
unless I missed something, there's nothing earlier than '99 for which
ATF+4 can be used for p.s. fluid, but there are some vehicles that must
not use ATF+4 for p.s. even as late as '04 MY ('05 MY is not in the
chart) - that's why I say, you've got to see the chart to determine the
requirements for any given vehicle.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')

So are you saying to buy from the local auto parts stores versus the chains
? I see there's a site on the web, 'CarSteeringwholsesale.com' that charges
about $40.00 more but says it's racks are better than the production line
racks put out by the remanufactures. Anyone have any experience with these
people ?

thanks

"Joe" > wrote in message ...
>
> "ncs" > wrote in message
> ...
>> It's tough for me to gauge which is a better part by just looking at
>> them, which is the only thing I have to go by. True a lifetime warranty
>> doesn't do me much good if the part keeps failing.
>> I think the dealer sells reman. parts also and they are more expensive.
>> Is there one or two parts chains out there that is better than most ?
>> NAPA vs. AutoZone, CarQuest vs. local stores ? And I've never had a
>> problem with these chains and their parts before. They are usually
>> pretty good and cheaper.
>>
> Pesonally, I just don't mess with the low-quality for low-bucks outfits
> any more. I found out many years ago that real parts stores (the kind with
> an ashtray shaped like a tire and fan belts hanging from the ceiling) are
> actually cheaper than Advance Auto. That did it for me. I used to have to
> put on 2 or 3 rebuilt starters from Advance to get a good one. I don't
> have to do that any more!
>
> There are certain things you shouldn't buy rebuilt, but I don't really
> know if racks are in that category. I've never replaced the first one. I
> don't even look to see if they're leaking. Have you considered doing
> nothing? That's probably what I'm doing, because I don't know if my rack
> is leaking or not.
>



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If NAPA has cheapened their line, where am I supposed to go for parts
now?

writes:

> If NAPA has cheapened their line, where am I supposed to go for parts
> now?

My experience is that NAPA will now offer you two parts, one which
costs a whole bunch more than the other. Take the expensive one.
--
Joseph J. Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. Phone -- (505) 646-1605
Department of Computer Science FAX -- (505) 646-1002
New Mexico State University http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~pfeiffer

ncs wrote:

> thanks for the advice. I'm wasn't aware that there could be a wrong fluid.
> I used Valvoline SynPower. Is there a more preferred brand that's better ?
>
When all else fails, read the freaking owners manual or call your
local dealer.