Steering rack: refurbish the original or buy new aftermarket
 

Good evening everyone,

My steering rack is leaking so badly that after 24 hours the reservoir it is completely empty. I lifted the car and I could not see leaks from the high pressure hoses (in or out) but they were pretty shot. I read here threads on how to rebuild a steering rack and other solutions but I was considering buying a new after market rack, as these seem pretty cheap, rather than having mine refurbished at 600€. I was also considering replacing all the high pressure pipes/hoses, the pump and the oil cooler. I would appreciate guidance and advice.

This is what I found re the rack itself:

• Refurbish locally a workshop in my city (only does steering racks and nothing else) asks 600€ but claims that he uses only original ZF parts (operative word being "claims"). He is renown for working very well.
• Exchange reconditioned SNG Barratt sells one for exchange/reconditioned for LHD, ZF, JLM20175E JLM20175E* at €404.07 Inc MwSt
• After market solutions that I found were these
• OEM (CBC1716N / JLM20179E) I found only this and this !!

Kindly, recommend me which is the best way to go as cost is an important concern.

Re the high pressure pipes/tubes I was advised, very strongly, against using non OEM as, apparently, the steering wheel can vibrate and/or other nuisances can occur. Unfortunately OEM high pressure hoses are super expensive. SNG Barratt carries this one at almost 380€ plus shipping. The whole set costs well in excess of 600€...

Finally, what are your opinions concerning after market pump and oil cooler given the prices of the OEM? Consider that the car is a 1992 model with about 140,000 Km

Thank you in advance to all those who will invest time to help me and regards from Italy!

Tommaso

Tommaso, is this a V12 in the 1979 to 1987 Series 3 XJ body style? or a XJ40 body style?

Apologies! Daimler Double Six 1992 series III

ok, can you post a picture of the power steering pump and the oil cooler?

Just a thought....
I've seen V12 cars with the heat shields missing that can cook the rack and bellows.
There's one shield at the manifold-to-downpipe union, and another that bolts to the rack.
Are they in place?
Rob

Rebuild locally. All SNG and the others do is outsource their rack for a rebuild to exactly that type of business.
XJ40 racks will not fit.

Thank you Jose and Robert. I'm away until the 19th but I'll see what I can observe and what photos I can make, once I return home. If heat deflector and pump are under the engine then I doubt that I will be able to verify or make photos, as I will not be able to raise the car in my garage, but the oil cooler should be visible.


Do you recommend against buying a new after market rack? A new rack here will cost me 390EUR vs 600 + VAT to refurbish. It is cheaper than refurbishing it locally. Similarly for pump and high pressure hoses/pipes.

It depends on your inteneded use for the car. I suspect it will not be a daily driver due to the fuel consumption, so if its just a weekend or ocasional use car, then I'd go for the SNG Barratt rack. However, I note from their webpage it is special order, so I suspect they take in your rack, refurb it, then send it back. This sort of spare part is not really economic to keep in stock on a service exchange basis.

Thank you Mitchell. Why not buy a new one refurbished?

PS: In fact it will be a daily driver. I have become used to the fuel consumption of powerful and very large V8s. A V12 cannot be much, much worse...

The power steering pump is belt driven and the pump is situated on the front LHS of the engine, the combined filler/cap dipstick is just get-at-able under the LHS top hose.

Link? I highly doubt that a generic aftermarket rack will fit.

does the Daimler Double Six 1992 use the same SAGINAW General Motors power steering pump and the same oil cooler as the Jaguar XJ-6 Series 3 up to 1987 ?????

Why not enquire of SNG Barratt what the arrangements are for ordering a rebuilt rack. It may be that they keep a few used ones, and when an order is received, refurb the one in stock and send that to you, with a surcharge on the rack until your old one is received by them. This way, you don't have the car off the road for long.
For a local rebuild I would want to know what warranty is given with the refurbed rack.

I needed an exchange rack last year after finding that I couldn’t source the correct seal kit for my old one to refurbish at home.

I tried to get one from SNGB but they had no stock and then said they would have to receive my old one, refurbish and return. So instead I bought from David Manners who had stock in
hand and sent immediately. I returned my old rack to them after new one was successfully fitted.

It uses the same pump as all V12s. If the XJ6 series III 6 cylinder models uses the same pump as the V12s, then yes. The coolers may be a different shape but will be functionally identical with identical feeds, depending upon whether the oil cooling system is full flow (later models) or by pass (earlier models).

the problem in Europe and other countries is that prices for new parts are excessively high; In the USA we enjoy low prices because there is a lot of competition for new parts and services, so if any business tries to exploit prices they eventually fail because customers can shop around and buy elsewhere. No pricing monopolies here.

On top of that we have salvage yards everywhere and private dismantlers who supply like new used parts for low prices. Jaguars are very popular in the USA, the parts supply is inmense.

Good morning Greg, this is the link to a retailer that has never failed me in the past. First I select by manufacturer and model and then, before buying, they check against my VIN number. In any case, if the item does not fit there is a 100% refund (including shipping charges). The real issue is not if it will fit as much as if it is a good choice/option. Are these manufacturers reliable? For example, Alicool and Spal are not OEM but are reliable. Are any of the brands listed there reliable?


Mitchell, the local dealer offers a 12 month warranty and I used them for a ZF rack for an Audi RS6 (2000) that served me well for three years after it was refurbished. My concern is if the local refurbisher has the correct parts available to him or if he is willing to buy the correct O-rings, etc. As for SNG Barratt, I am not too concerned for how long the car will be off the road as this is the car that I leave in Italy (I am moving to England in September). My concern with SNG Barratt is more about price than time.

Hello Jose, I don't know the pump and cooler but this is the steering rack:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...d917475f6.jpeg

That is a very specific rack, Have not seen one like that before. Where is it leaking?

Was the rack from David Manners new or refurbished, OEM or after market and, may I ask, how much did it cost?