I checked Detroit Axle for the Rack & Pinion but they are out of stock. Any recommendations?

My mechanic says my car smells like Cats are bad so I guess I need to replace. Any recommendations? I assume I need two of those.

 

If you can take having your car off the road for a month or two, you can probably send your rack to a ZF workshop to have it rebuilt.

 

I've had good luck with Maval racks.

I'm not sure that a smell test alone should condemn cat converters. They're expensive.

Cheers
DD

 

I second bjarnetv, take it to a shop and have them rebuild the steering rack. I would do a search and find the highest rated shop that will agree to do this work. It's really the best way. There are too many reports from people ordering replacement racks from places like Detroit and Maval, only to have them fail. While the cost of the part is covered, the amount of time spent removing and reinstalling is not. If you pay a shop to do it, you can at least have the piece of mind to know that you can simply take it back and have them cover all of that should something go wrong.

This is one of the few times that it definitely pays off to pay and have the professional handle it.

I'd get a second opinion on the cats. I would simply take it to an exhaust shop and see what they say. If you pick the right one, they can probably get it replaced for you at the same time.

 

The cats if bad as a piece of information in decision making have a CEL code P0420 and 430 for Cat efficacy , otherwise passing the tailpipe sniffer emissions test , that if you live in California.....................

Your ZF rack overhaul manual is coming up , for a shop or yourself

See below file

Leaking ? Seal kit avail and should only need outermost seal ( 2 ) , there is a thing where the hoses at the bottom of the fluid reservoir leak at the clamp going everywhere including rack throwing you off

Cavitating noise ?

Rack ZF 7852 # coming as very hard to read placard but someone to a good pic of it when out




These are shims found on E - bay that tighten the common gap in the mounting blocks , no rack removal needed

 

I got a new rack from Detroit Axle and it started leaking in less than a year. Leaked out of the boots. It has a lifetime warranty but you have to send it back to them on your dime for them to rebuild. I ended up getting a used one for about $200 on ebay that has worked well since I put it in a few months ago. Did an alignment with string and a ruler. I still have the Detroit Axle one. I plan on sending it back to get it rebuilt eventually.