Ottawa Fiero Club Forum

If you happen to read this, please phone Dan ASAP.

His computer is broken and he has no internet at the moment.  He took your car for it's safety and it needs a new steering rack.  As far as I know it must be an 88.

The mesenger bears no responsibility in the delivery of bad news.

Wow Brian; that car really was yellow for a reason.

Aaron

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A tip for Brian if he hasn't checked in already--lot of shops will tell you you need a new steering rack, when you really don't.

If the rack or the pinion gear itself is overly worn then yeah, you have a problem.  But I've had shops tell me I need a new rack only to discover later that replacing a couple of parts, and making one adjustment solved everything.  For about 1/10th the cost of a "new" rack.

If you're not in a rush to get your lem...  err, car on the road, you might find it worthwhile to check out why the shop says your rack is bad.  No one makes new ones any more...  't would be criminal to toss it if all you need is a $30 bushing and a preload adjustment.

Let's see: that would be the good ole "let's just replace the whole assembly instead of FIXING it...... mentality"...........
naaawwwwww
you think a repair shop would take THAT approach?  Wow.  What a revelation [snicker] I thought they were all so honest [/snicker]

I'm with your vote, Don; haven't heard of that many cars that REALLY needed a new rack;....... but how many shops would do a repair on one?
I can think of.............. none.
Brian; it is worth a second opinion.  And shot bushings in the fiero rack is almost legendary by now.

Darn. Just get back from Manitoba and and some bad news. I will phone Dan later today and see what is happening. I guess that the 88 rack is different from the 85 rack that you have eh Gary?

I haven't found out for sure, but I think the redesigned front susp meant changes to the rack (don't quote me on that)

Dan said that the boot was peeled back when you got it and the mechanic says there is considerable play in the rack.  Don just redid his so I'll defer to his expertise in the matter.

Just had to have an 88, eh?  ::)

Well to the credit of some places, depending upon the component it can be more cost effective to the end user to replace instead of repair, especially when you add $60+/hr labour to the bill.  Doesn't take a genius to understand why we have so many landfills...  but I digress.



Neither can I, save for a dedicated rebuilder somewhere in Gatineau, whose name I can't remember at the moment.   :)


Brian:
Add my suspicion to Gary's, that the '88 rack is different from the 84-87.  Just going by what I've heard; never actually had my hands on an 88...  yet.

...and I really did just rebuild my rack.  Last alignment shop said it was shot; too much play in it.  A rebuilt rack was somewhere between $200 and $300.  A $30 bushing, a $10 seal, and an afternoon later and this baby's internals are clean, freshly greased, and have zero play in them.

Like Graeme said, passenger side rack bushing failure in Fieros is pretty much a legend by now.  It's possible that the '88 racks may be even more prone to bushing failure than the 84-87...  for some reason GM switched to a plastic bushing instead of the aluminumumumum which was used in earlier years.


Here's the deal...  the way I see it.  Opinions may vary.   ;D

If you like, I'll have a look at the rack & possibly rebuild it.  All you have to cover is the cost of parts if it's rebuildable; my compensation will be the entertainment of taking it apart to see how different it is from the 84-87 rack.   :)

...or if your impatience is getting the better of you and you'd rather replace the "bad" rack with a rebuilt unit, please consider keeping the old one and donating it to my collection.   I just hates throwing out stuff that can be repaired, especially when it happens to be something which is no longer manufactured.  ;D

LMK,

-d.

Brian and Don
there are a few rebuilders around; I think there is another in the south end industrial park - Fenton Rd area - I can try to get the name if you are going to go that way.  (Get a whole rack) but I expect that any rebuilder will want a core too.....
 :(
Even a rebuilder might not have one in stock due to age and 'popularity'......

Maybe Rodney has a bushing or something?  I haven't looked but he has a LOT of stuff....... or check on Pennocks?
All depends on time of course; just trying to throw out some ideas or options etc.
LMK if you are after that name; I'll see what I can dig up.
Good luck with it anyway!!!

Will contact Dan, as this item has to be addressed. (can't have the car going off of the road all by itself now)

The fiero store has remanufactured racks for 230 USD.  Plus all the rest of the suff you might need.  I don't know what it cost to rebuild one but I think it shouldn't be more than $80.

Rodney will ship as used parts.  So duty is free.

Aaron

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Will have to get quotes, once I know exactly what is wrong. Always a problem when dealing afar.
P.S.
Aaron-
http://www.rodneydickman.com/retail.html  can only find new parts and not used or complete new rack and pinion.  The fiero store is Part # 58029 | $229.95 +core charge of 100 + duty.  
Don- Thanks for the offer. It would be a real shame to through away parts if they can be rebuilt. Will advise Dan

Just got some bad news. The rack is not rebuildable. I have got Upper Canada looking for one for me.

Did they say why it can't be rebuilt?

They didnt say precisly as I was going through the garage that was talking to therebuilders. I will get a better idea when I talk to them today. I will request the old one back though.