Author Topic: Steering Rack Piping (Read 5499 times)

Kneale Brownson · « **on:** July 27, 2007, 02:59:48 pm »

The metal piping (like fuel/brake lines) on the back of the steering rack on my 1994 Jetta TD is rusted badly and one of them has a pinhole leak spraying hydraulic oil steadily. I can't find a replacement part number in my version of the electronic catalog. Surely there's a part number for those metal pipes?

If not, has anyone made up replacements? Know the pipe diameter? Looks to be about the size of 8mm fuel line.

jtanguay · « **Reply #1 on:** July 27, 2007, 04:30:35 pm »

looks almost like you could use brake line & flare it after you get those two nuts on... do you need to drive the car? i would just take it to a hydraulic place... they should have something for you.

on ETKA it doesn't look like you can get just that one line... i think they sell it as a whole new rack which would be around $300 or so.

Kneale Brownson · « **Reply #2 on:** July 27, 2007, 05:48:40 pm »

Thanks, J.....

That was my take on the ETKA illustration too. Seems stupid to not offer just the piping. Maybe they figure the whole rack will self destroy before the metal piping rots away.

I think it's larger than brake line, more like the fuel lines I've replaced on Audis. Hopefully I can find some ends like those. I can do the flaring.

jtanguay · « **Reply #3 on:** July 27, 2007, 07:05:46 pm »

i'm still considering the idea of doing powder coating... and apparently these lines would be good candidates

best bet is to take this line off, cut it, remove the nuts, see if you can get new ones, or maybe you will have to re-use em, bend up another line, put the nuts on, and flare. that should work.

Doug · « **Reply #4 on:** July 28, 2007, 07:19:15 am »

Remove the steel lines at the unions and take them to a hydraulics service place. Locally there is a place called the Hose Doctor. These people can make up any kind of hose with couplers to fit your application. There is no need to change out the whole works. If you are handy you could cut off the steel and braze on couplings. Then put in some flex pieces. There are even some high pressure compression fittings that might do the job as well.

Kneale Brownson · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2007, 10:31:00 am »

Here's the pipe ends. I've never seen flare fittings before that incorporated O-rings. The metal piping is 6 mm. That'll be fun to find, I'll bet. Have no idea how to recreate the flares with a notch for O-Rings. I've got several flaring tools for US and Euro fittings, including the ISO bubbles, but nothing to do these kinds of ends.

Doug · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2007, 04:32:13 am »

Cleanly cut the rusted portion off the pipes with a tube cutter. Then find a standard size tube that slips over the metric tube. Remember to put the nut and Oring in place first against the flare. Now braze the the slip joint carefully controlling the heat at the Oring with a wet rag so that it is not damaged. Or.... take it to a hydraulics place and have them make up a flex hose and couplers complete.

Kneale Brownson · « **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2007, 07:19:15 am »

Thanks, Doug. You think a hydraulics place can made up the flared end with the notch for the O-Ring?

Doug · « **Reply #8 on:** July 29, 2007, 01:17:23 pm »

Yes. Somewhere there is someone that can do it. Or they will take your ends and adapt them with a welded fitting. Don't take "can't do it' for an answer.

jtanguay · « **Reply #9 on:** July 29, 2007, 01:46:44 pm »

Quote from: "Doug"

Yes. Somewhere there is someone that can do it. Or they will take your ends and adapt them with a welded fitting. Don't take "can't do it' for an answer.

usually when guy's say "can't do it" they're just too lazy to do it, or they don't want the hassle of you coming back to them saying they screwed something up...

Kneale Brownson · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2007, 11:56:03 am »

Just an update:

Local FLAPS can't find any fittings that could be adapted for use on the ZF rack pipes. Spent a long time looking through supplies on hand and books of fittings.

The O-ring is the big issue, and nobody locally has equipment to create the flare with an O-ring. All the potential get-arounds, like ends on another application that could be swedged onto hoses to make up the lines don't seem to work either because of the 6 mm size of the tube and 12 mm X1.0 threads on the fitting.

I also determined that lines from a TRW rack won't fit the ZF rack. I found a local salvage rack that was the TRW style (apparently Jettas built in Mexico had either) that would let me take off the pipes to see if that would work, and those don't have the O-ring. They're also larger, so the fitting won't go into the ZF rack.

And, of course, nobody locally has the ZF rack. I've got a used one on order from the East Coast (Force5Automotive). So my Jetta sits on the rack for another week.

Kneale Brownson · « **Reply #11 on:** August 06, 2007, 01:09:23 pm »

Newest update: Rack from Force5 arrived with piping in excellent condition. Needed one was removed and ready to place on the car as soon as I can get my tablesaw out from under the rack (making trim for a new roof) that's holding the Jetta aloft. Rest of the rack will hang in the barn until it's needed. Hopefully the pipe I'm taking off will be good enough to put back on then.