Steering Rack Source

[jsinga]

My 87's steering is spongy and vauge on center. The pinion will move up and down enough you can see it when you yank on the shaft.

This isn't the orginal rack. it sprung a leak and we replaced it with one we got from AutoZone. It was cheap. I know, you get what you pay for.

I want to get a rack that is like new. A bunch of places have Delco rebuilt racks at reasonable prices. Has anyone installed one of these? Corvette Central advertises they rebuild yours and sleeve it. Is a quality rebuild going to be tight? Where or who really fixes them?

Some place has brand new standard ratio racks under $300. My car has the fast ratio in it; it's a Z-52 car. Anyone have experience with the difference in the two?

I drive the car on the highway a lot, the steering is a pain on torn up pavement.

Thanks for the input.

JS

HOW OLD IS THE AUTOZONE REPLACEMENT UNIT? Why do you think is is a poor quality piece. Could you have purchaced a defective unit! I would take it back and raise HOLY H#!! . A part like that should last at least another 75-100,000 miles before it goes bad.

See if they will give you an adjustment. Maybe it had a warrenty. Call the store like you are going to buy a rebuilt unit again for the first time and pick their brain about quality, longjevity and warrenty replacement. I would find out who the manager is and ask to speak to the manager right off the bat.
If there is a warrenty or some recourse, throw that sucker on the counter and get you another one.

Bill C

[CorvetteArchives]

In 84 according to GM the Z-51 (and thus maybe your z-52) has along with the different steering ratio a "higher effort-feel steering gear torsion bar"....just a little side note since "knock on wood" ours has been OK and really couldnt help you otherwise other than to agree with you that best to buy quality