l-series ps rack re-con

Post by **Alex** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:39 pm

so, my ps rack has been leaking quite badly lately.

We took it out on Saturday to find the boots FULL of ps fluid! we stripped the rack down to its basics, and couldn'd find anything at all that could have been the culprit. All the seals still appeared perfect. We then cleaned everything and put it back together, with one new boot, because one was abit torn.

Put it all back into the car, to find it has stopped leaking. Then yesterday the inevitable happened. It started leaking out the old boot. It seems both boots are still filling up with ps fluid.

Who has any ideas? Both D3vil Dave and myself are stumped on this one! cant think of anything it could be!

also, how hard is it to fit a gen1 liberty rack into l-series?

thanks in advance

alex

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:03 pm

When mine was leaking i went to Super Cheep and they have a power steering addative there to help stop leakes. Empty your fluid and fill it with that... it's in a while bottle. Makes the fluid thicker much like stop smoke for motors.

This worked for me... might be worth a shot. My leake was pretty bad too... not sure what yours is like compared to it.

Dave

Post by **Alex** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:08 pm

done that...did nothing!

alex

Suby Wan Kenobi · Post by **Suby Wan Kenobi** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:24 pm

Where it would be leaking from they dont have seals as such and once they are leaking that bad nothing short of a rebuild will fix it

subanator · Post by **subanator** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 11:38 pm

I rebuilt my PS rack on my L series a year back, and rekitted the power valve with a genuine Subaru part kit from around $70. There is another kit just for the lower arm seals, and would be simpler to do, but i dont think that is your problem.

The rack and pinion are just that, a rod and arms with a bit of grease in the tracks, no fluid. The fluid is in a closed system from the pump and reservoir tank to the power valve with return line. If the bottom seal was blown at base of the valve this would fill the rack up with fluid. The bad is that you would need to rekit the valve anyway. Mine was actually leaking from the top stem seal under the dust cover. Its a ***** of a job and there are a few tricks in it, not for the impatient or challenged. I had a W/Shop manual as a guide, but this didnt give the full perspective either.

chriSTIan · Post by **chriSTIan** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:39 am

liberty rack is a straight swap,just have to fit the L tie rod ends to it.

discopotato03 · Post by **discopotato03** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 8:50 am

Which year model/series Liberty ?

Cheers Adrian .

BlackMale · Post by **BlackMale** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:22 am

As Subarino said. At the risk of plugging brands go with the Locus (or however you spell it) s/p fluid (white bottle blue cap). Its expensive, at $20 for 500mL, however it will do the trick over time. The issue is that it does not work immediately and may take a few weeks before then seals in the rack swell up again – I think mine took about 4 weeks and 3 bottles of stuff, now it works fine and no leaks. Thats my 2c.

Post by **Alex** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:40 pm

rang afew power steering shops, and they all quoted a minimum of around $500!!

so far ive put a bottle of the nulon ps stop leak(it all came out within 5mins!) and now im using the morey's one. Really really thick stuff. I'll get a bottle of the lucas one(we saw it in the shop after getting the morey's one)

in the mean time im just going to do up the boots really tight and hope it holds up for a while.

Is the liberty rack really a strait swap? if it is, **** yeeahhh!! will look into that on the weekend as well.

alex

D3V1L · Post by **D3V1L** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:32 pm

its leaking through the valve atr the base of the stem,,its the only reason i can see it leaking into the rack and pinion (which is where it all starts from) and as rogers aid its not exactly easy to do..
dave

chriSTIan · Post by **chriSTIan** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:52 am

Yes straight swap,gen1 liberty for sure,while you're there replace the rack bushes,nolathene are about $25,there's 2 types because some racks are of a smaller diameter so the bush is thicker

Post by **Alex** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 6:43 pm

hah! all done. Very freshly reconditioned gen1 rack now lives in wanky wagon. Pretty frigging easy swap too!

just had to swap out the tie-rod ends and put the ea82 power steering lines into the ej22 rack(the ones linking either end of the rack) becasue they fouled the sway bar. Power steering is WAY lighter and alot more responsive!! Very ver happy with it.

cheers for the help everyone

alex

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:37 pm

Great that's good to know cause im planning on running one too.
(except now I have to source one haha)

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 2:28 pm

Alex wrote:rang afew power steering shops, and they all quoted a minimum of around $500!!

I got a recon'd rack for early Liberty for $375 and fitted it myself. it $500 included fitting that it would be about right. Probably 2 hours labour all up for someone that knows what they are doing. I'm sure a Subaru World Rally team could change one in about 10 minutes.

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 1:47 pm

bump. does anyone know how to replace the inner rack ends. im halfway thru this swap and ive become stuck on how to swap my L ones onto the lib rack

Matatak · Post by **Matatak** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 2:53 pm

lol they undo matt, and have locking washer whihc needs to be tapped off then u can get a shifter or a pair of grips onto the joint and undo it.

just call me next time

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 5:05 pm

yeh got that done wasnt as tricky as i thought. now having a hard time fitting the sporty steering thru the x member

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 7:02 pm

Grinder should sort that out

Note regarding the sporty steering... I believe you need to apply a constant 12V to the connector to avoid very heavy steering. AdamB experienced this. I will most likely too as MonsterWagon is also getting the same rack.

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:32 pm

hahah i was just about to say that. wondering what i did wrong to get steering heavier than before. surely that cant be the sprty steering, frickn hell heavy and annoying. just like no p/s.

Subafury · Post by **Subafury** » Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:42 pm

a couple other things i might say in general about this conversion.the lines underneath the x member on the rack didnt need to be swapped for the L ones, i couldnt anyway with this rack as one of the connections didnt line up. bent the lines a tad to get it in snug, then put the sway bar back on.

and i had to shave a little bit of spline off on my steering shaft (like someone did a little while ago on here) to get the steering extension to fit - was just enough length on it.

took a while of test fitting with the grinder to get the fat sporty steering shaft out of the x member. i butchered it good

so now once i hook up power ill have awesome p/s with new boots, outer tie rod ends and balljoints and no play on the splines. took me alllllllll MF day tho.