So my steering rack kicked the bucket a couple days ago. I just got quoted $1900 for replacement. Seem high? thats with new tie rod ends, alignment, and new fluid obviously. anyone ever tackled this before? I see them on ebay for less than $200 plus core, tie rods I can probably get for about $50. I bet I could get all the parts for under 500. And manual only says its a 4.4 hr job. So that means it would probably take me the whole weekend.

This sucks

 

So what happened with this job? My rack has play in the shaft, and its making a clunk over every bump. Did you do this yourself? If so, How?!?

Also, where did you get the part?

 

mind helping me out and letting me know where we can get tierods for $50? i need 5 right now and thats 1200 in parts.

 

I just picked up a pair of TRW/MOOG from partsource. I think they were $72 each. Lifetime warranty. Don't wast money on non lifetime warranty parts. Last ones i used lasted 11 months. The savings arent worth the alignment cost.

If you want cheap parts for someone elses car check out e-bay. I bought Hamburg-Technik parts from seller "Deuche-Parts" on e-bay. Great price - garbage parts. Supposedly made in germany. Entire front end (12 parts) for $250 shipped to canada. I think i paid $70 for a inner and outer tied rod set (4 parts).

 

I ended up getting a steering rack from a wreck for a couple hundred bucks, then having my mechanic install it. Ended up costing about $900 all together, however they under quoted me on labour. They quoted according the 1.8T and I have the 3.0. The 3.0L takes about 2-3 times as long because the exhaust and bunch of other stuff has to come off, thats why I didn't tackle it myself. They ended up giving me the price they quoted though so I can't complain.

Hah, I bought my tie-rod ends from deustch parts also. yah, I'm cheap, probably would have been better to go with the good stuff, but we'll see how long these last.