My power steering rack developed leaks at both ends, from the boots. So, this tells me the seals are bad. Otherwise, my rack feels normal with little to no play. However, I got used to my Mini's ultra-quick ratio steering. Finding an R-performance rack is nearly impossible.

Someone highly recommended a rebuild service at the next town. I called them up and they quoted $267.32 for a rebuild ($239.75 before taxes). I'm probably going with that route, but I didn't ask them about modifying the rack.

Is it possible to have the rebuilders modify the rack to a quicker ratio? What about less assistance? I've tried the fuse removal test, and while an improvement, the assist I would like would be intermediate between the stock assist and the low power assist from removing the fuse. I'm more interested in the quicker ratio than the heavier steering.

 

I removed the fuse once bceause everyone said it made in improvement. To me it made it a lot worse and super heavy on 20" wheels with sticky Michalin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.

 

I tried the fuse as well, and also found it to be too heavy. I've got 18" wheels on nearly as sticky Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires. That's why I said, a midpoint between OEM heft and the fuse removal heft would be ideal. But, that isn't as important to me as having a quicker ratio steering rack. I find that the steering rack on the XKR, while precise, is a little slow. And it's especially noticeable when jumping from the Mini to the Jag. It takes me a few drives to get used to the slower setup, whereas the Mini feels more natural to me.

 

Yea it's not great for the twisties but I do find with higher speeds it's OK, I do think a quicker rack would be nice but I've never actually foudn an MXD steering rack for a right-hand drive car only left-hand drive cars which sucks. Would be cool if the rebuilders could modify it to the MXD spec? I shoudl think there will be parts that you would need which might not be easy to get hold of I don't know. Could be a generic rack and components?

 

I have an R spec car and love the fast rack, but of course l can't compare because I've always had that rack. Whenever these threads pop up l have a look around just for curiosity and almost always find them out there, and RHD just as often. However I don't follow up so can't confirm their existence.
The rack is a ZF servotronic type 7852, it may be possible to mix and match internals with the jag housing and, for example BMW internals. Could get messy though.
l refurbished mine some time back and it was a BMW specific seal/bush kit l used.

 

I actually just found oen and it's dirt cheap. I was putting in the wrong item number the whole time. I can find the MNC racks but not the MXD racks unless you get the expensive ones that cost £500. Jaguar XK8 and XKR Parts and Accessories » Blog Archive Jaguar XKR (R Performance) Power Steering Racks Right Hand Drive MXD3900BB - Jaguar XK8 and XKR Parts and Accessories (xk8-parts.com)

XK8 XJ8 XKR XJR 1996-2006 "SPORT" POWER STEERING RACK MNC3900BC (autoreservejaguar.com)

I don't honestly remember what mine is MJC or MNC as it's been a long time since I looked under the car at the steering rack model number.

 

A bottle of Lucas Power Steering stop leak will cure it .. Suck out as much as you can from the reservoir and top up with Lucas.
No need to remove or dismantle ..worked for me ..just passed MOT

KISS

PS for danial
Looking at the brake pump in a LR I noticed a valve close to the pump so if you do the brake mod add a one way valve near the pump ...arrow towards the pump.

 

I haven't also found an MXD rack. Now would be the best time for me to upgrade to one but the only one available is RHD. My car is LHD.

Could you help me find the LHD MXD rack? Perhaps your google-fu is better than mine.

I wouldn't even know where to begin to look with the mixing and matching of BMW internals. What BMWs have a similar enough rack?

The stop leak is just a bandaid. The leak will return with a vengeance.

Thanks for the tip on the pump. That project is on hold thanks to the various projects that suddenly cropped up:

• Need new brake pads urgently
• Steering rack
• Timing cover and rear main leak (big leaks)
• Transmission front-end leak (yes it's a leak and not overfilled, as I just did a drain and fill and noticed it was low on fluid).