Seizing of the steering rack is an unpleasant situation, but not fatal. Steering rack repair after seizing is performed by various workshops, including PE "Kolomoyets", but the quality of restoration is very important – it determines the likelihood of the problem recurring.
Why the rack seizes
As a rule, seizing of the steering rack does not happen immediately – it is preceded by some time of the mechanism operating with jamming or other problems. Jamming is most often noted when the steering mechanism is worn – the longer the car is operated after problems arise, the stronger the resistance when turning the steering wheel will be. And sooner or later the rack seizes for one of the following reasons:
Tooth breakage. When operating under load due to jamming, the strength of parts decreases, so the likelihood of a crack followed by breakage increases.
Ball jamming. Balls that are part of ball nuts or bearings can fall out of their seats and get between the rack teeth.
Jamming by a stone or a dense mass of dust and grease. The second option is more likely – if the rack is operated without proper maintenance, dust, oil, and metal shavings formed during friction sinter into a dense material. It can break off from the base and cause a "wedge".
It is also worth considering the growing likelihood of hydraulic failure. The rack itself operates normally, but the power steering turns off: the car's behavior may be similar to that when the steering gear seizes.
Troubleshooting the rack
Repairing the rack after seizing is not the easiest task, so masters strongly recommend: as soon as the gear starts to jam, and situations requiring effort become systematic, urgently send the part for diagnostics.
Diagnostics are important because you need to find the real cause of the seizing and eliminate it – otherwise, almost immediately after repair, the situation may repeat.
Repair of a seized steering rack is possible. The following work is performed: Corrosion removal. Geometry restoration. Wear elimination. Replacement of consumables (the aforementioned bearings). Restoration of hydraulic circuit tightness.
But if the part seized due to tooth breakage, a costly replacement will likely be required. This is another argument in favor of timely contact with a workshop.
PR