How long should steering rack last

The steering rack is essentially the heart of the steering system. When it wears out or breaks entirely the ability to steer your vehicle is compromised. If this happens while you are driving, it can be extremely dangerous.

Replacing the steering rack is not physically difficult, but there are a few steps that you need to take in order to ensure that it is done correctly and that the repair lasts. Cleanliness is the key to a steering rack replacement. A rack and pinion steering system will not make a direct popping sound, but if the bushings are broken or damaged, then the system will move around and pop against the frame. Can a bad rack and pinion cause vibration? Tie rod ends are common, and mounting bushings and internal gears can wear out.

Fix: Replace loose steering components. Unbalanced tires are the most probable reason your car will shake once you reach 60 MPH. This page is for personal, non-commercial use. When you turn the steering wheel, the two front wheels also turn in the direction you want.

It actually takes a lot of different components to translate the rotational movement of the steering wheel into side to side movement for the front wheels. The rack itself is what moves the wheels left or right, allowing you to steer.

Your rack is connected to the power steering pump, which pushes fluid through the lines, and into the rack, augmenting and amplifying the movement created by the steering wheel. Eventually, the rack will fail. The more you drive, the faster it will wear. Still, most vehicle owners will never have to change their power steering rack, or will need to replace it just once during their ownership.

These include the following:. This article originally appeared on YourMechanic. Autoblog is partnering with YourMechanic to bring many of the repair and maintenance services you need right to you. Get service at your home or office 7 days a week with fair and transparent pricing.

We get it. If, for example, your car starts to make a clunking sound almost every time that you turn your steering wheel, that is usually a strong indication that rack and pinion replacement is going to be on the horizon. Generally speaking, you should always take your car in for service if you ever have any trouble steering it.

You could need to have rack and pinion replacement done, or you could have another issue with your power steering system that needs to be addressed right away. When you first recognize that you might need to schedule rack and pinion replacement, you might be tempted to continue to drive around in your car. After all, how much damage could a bad rack and pinion do to your car? You can try to top up your power steering fluid yourself, but a big leak is going to leave you with very little fluid in your system.

This could eventually lead to damage being done to your rack and pinion. You should either use a mechanic that has worked on your car in the past or look for a mechanic who specializes in working on rack and pinion systems. This will increase your chances of getting a proper diagnosis for your vehicle so that you can do rack and pinion replacement if necessary.

They might tell you that you need to replace your rack and pinion altogether. They might also recommend taking on a smaller job like a tie rod replacement or a steering gearbox replacement. That means that you could end up paying for rack and pinion replacement and more when everything is all said and done.