salmon

Are escort cossy steering racks specific to the escort or were they the same on other fords? How much do these things usually go for as mine has now gone the distance..

Cheers

THE RADMAN

iTrader: (2)

recon with part ex is around £80

salmon

Just phoned ford and they reckon they are £661, but that they are out of production anyway.

However, bloke reckons that there are two types of rack and TRW and some other one, and its possible to get repair kits for £30, so that sounds more like it.. Just need to find what kind of rack it is.

Chris Reade

I paid just over £200 exchange about 3 years ago. Try AMK for a price.

http://www.amkauto.co.uk/index.shtml

rizla

iTrader: (1)

These say they do Excange mate

www.burtonpower.com

Says Escort cosworth £228.95 Exchange Rack gaiters £8.95
I was in there Saturday and some one was buying one

THE RADMAN

iTrader: (2)

i did mine about a yr or so ago for £80,cant remember who it was from though did a bit of shopping around and prices were very different

dojj

iTrader: (3)

you can get one for an xr 4x4 for about the ton mark
unless there is anything specificly different about the escort one, i'd go for that sort of deal

my rack was £120 plus £100 surchange on a useable replacement rack

before you do anything though, make sure you know what you are letting yourself in for, that steering column is a right bastid to get back in and aligned up aain

extra18

I never had a problem with that....It attaches just after the bulk head dead easy. The hardest part was getting the old rack out, if you have air con its an absoulte bastard. I had to raise the engine as much as possible to get the passenger side bolt on the rack out. It hits the botton of the air con pump......

salmon

It'll be going into the garage to get done so won't be a problem for me!

Found a company on the net called western power steering that'll recondition it for £90, '(£135 inc Vat and postage both ways), which I don't think is too bad. So probs go for that then at least I know its spot on rather then risk a used one.

dojj

iTrader: (3)

mine was on the V6
not only were the bolts too bloody long to get out, i had to do it on the driveway and it too fookin ages to get the ac pump bracket off on one side and the powersteering/alternator bracket off on the other

with the 4 pots you have enough to just get down along side the block, but the V6 gets in the way

dojj

iTrader: (3)

and talking of racks, is there anyone who does uprated bushes for them?
where the bolt in?

salmon

Had the steering rack and track rod ends changed and I'm still getting a massive juddering coming from the drivers side front. Bit annoyed that I've changed the rack and its not the problem, but such is life. Anyone any idea to the route of the problem. Its Mainly when I go round left bends and under braking. Feels like there is something loose somewhere, and you can really feel it through the steering, also knocking noise to go with it. (Just had front strut tops done as well, so nothing there). These sodding cars are a pain, just seems to be one thing after another...!!

dojj

iTrader: (3)

tca bush
it may not wobble on the wobble test, but if it's gone it'll deffinitly be noticable

and, seing as it's 4wd, it's also worth repacking the grease in the cv's

Damo V

Inner CV joint (dry or failing)
Front prop?
TCA's (possibly)

kjc300

iTrader: (1)

Check the exhaust downpipe isn't too close to the transmission tunnel, sort of opposite the front prop front uj!! as this makes a right racket if it touches. Mine used to do it on cornering til I sorted it!! Also check the right hand engine mount as well!!

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

i have exactly the same problem.

fitted new susp,different hub,shafts...and checked the bearings,all ok, changed the bushes and i have the same probs as you.

stripping it tomrrow to find it.

Damo V

Very good point..... I have this sometimes...

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

deffo not the exhaust on mine,had that before and its not that.

something not right there.

the only thing i have not changed is the front diff!

would thid cause this same problem as Salmons.

rstoughy

iTrader: (5)

M8 i had this with my saff 4x4.

Went down the route of changing everything and even removed the rack. On stripping it down it was perfect so really went to town on it after that and found that the O/S ball joint was £ucked. The play never showed up with the usual checks, only if you stuck a screw driver in between the the hub and TCA

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

put new ones on mine about 1200 miles ago but will check tomorrow.

driving normal its perfect,just when you put a bit of weight on the drivers side front.

rstoughy

iTrader: (5)

Dave,
what was happening with mine was that on the main road if you were sitting around the 70 mph mark and going round a gentle bend the steering would shake really violently. If i accelerated then it would disapear. Not the best thing to do with a £ucked ball joint but id given it the usual checks and everything looked ok

You live and learn

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

got to give it a try then.


i was going left then right for a good while tonight in the road.

trying to figure out wtf it is.

oh well,front off again.

GAZ345

had this problem with mine, n/s bolt will not come out due to air con pump,i got round it by unsrewing bolt far as it would go then hacksawing bolt in half to remove, then when rack is rermoved run a drill same size as bolt up through crossmember to remove the thread's, refit rack with longer bolt & nylock nut from underneath crossmember, makes changing rack so much easier

Damo V

This is what the Rally cars do... I have also modified mine only on the Alternator side though as I dont run Aircon

I also drilled a tiny hole through the bolt and use a split pin through it incase even the Nyloc works loose

salmon

Cheers for all the pointers, and relay them back to the garage when it goes back in. Don't think its the exhaust though, defo something loose somewhere.

Azrael

It's quicker ratio then any other ford. Some other racks will fit but it's bastardising a homologation special car :-/

Rippers

Are these a common thing to go? I fooking sold a nearly new mint one I had thats been kicking about my garage for years last year

Damo V

Paul,

You will know when you get a slight knock when manouvering

Azrael

Or play in centre position at high speed which is not funny...

Rippers

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo

ozcos

Has anyone had the steering racks go stiff. Very annoying and sometimes scary.
I have changed to new pump and belts and no fluid leaks..... every time I have had this sympton on other cars its been the pump or broken or sliping belt.
It doesn't do it all the time just now and again. Worse when you first start it but normally goes away after few mins. When stored for periods without use ie month or more seems worse.
I have just flushed the fliud 3 times seems a bit better. I suppose its the rack next.
I have checked the rack and there is no play at all and its not the nicest of jobs to change so I have been putting if off.

Is there anything else to try first?????

Cheers Mark

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

what about the pump.

ozcos

New one fitted fault still there

Damo V

you sure its not a seized knuckle on the steering column

dave cos4x4

iTrader: (5)

that is supposed to be a common fault.

ozcos

I checked the column to steering rack extension when engine was out last and I replaced it then maybe 2yr ago still looks fine and cars only done 6k since then. woulldn't normally go tight just knock or have play in it would of thought.
S'pose it's got to be rack...... No good I will just have to get on and change it I can check knuckle again then aswell.

Azrael

Racks are not that easy to source :-(


I know I'm getting LHD one :-(

Damo V

They go tight...

ozcos

Ok Will check first

Thanks
Mark

salmon

Having an absolute nightmare with this rack. New rack is scraping wheels on inside of car. Company that supplied it think its a normal 4x4 rack not a cosworth one. They reckon there is no difference in lock to lock turns, just has an extra spacer in on the cosworth ones on near side. Anyone know for sure if the cosworth rack is different, and then I'm going to ask for mine back.....