[kingsmasher]

I just did the brake pads and after removing tire there is what appears to be fluid all over the place from a flange that covers some rod but you can see the seal is broken when comparing to other side...So off course I am putting in alot of power steering fluid can anyone tell me what this thing is that I need replaced....Thank anyone for a little help....

 

[denisond3]

Its likely the rod you mean is the tie rod, running from the outer tie rod end, over to the steering rack. There would be a rubber bellows covering the end of the rack assembly. If you have a leak from there, I think the only possible fix is to replace the steering rack assembly. The bellows is just a dust cover, there is a fluid seal further in.
Is it possible the leak is actually from one of the rubber hoses running between the steering rack and the power steering pump? They are easier to replace than is the power steering rack itself.
If you have to replace the entire rack, do a search to find out more about it. Its do-able in a driveway, but is well described as being a 'pain'. It took me two long afternoons to do it on my car.
.

 

[kingsmasher]

ty very much

 

[kingsmasher]

Its likely the rod you mean is the tie rod, running from the outer tie rod end, over to the steering rack. There would be a rubber bellows covering the end of the rack assembly. If you have a leak from there, I think the only possible fix is to replace the steering rack assembly. The bellows is just a dust cover, there is a fluid seal further in.
Is it possible the leak is actually from one of the rubber hoses running between the steering rack and the power steering pump? They are easier to replace than is the power steering rack itself.
If you have to replace the entire rack, do a search to find out more about it. Its do-able in a driveway, but is well described as being a 'pain'. It took me two long afternoons to do it on my car.
.

So is it possible to just replace the hose covering part cause I can see that the seal is broken on the end of it?

 

[denisond3]

If its the bellows shaped item, replacing it is possible, but wont stop the leak or even slow it down.

If the leak is from one of the hydraulic hoses (both about 3/4" diameter), then replacing it may stop the leak. Its not uncommon for the hydraulic hoses to begin to leak. The high pressure hose handles up to 800 psi when you are maneuvering into a parking spot. The low pressure hose only handles about 30-40 psi of oil; that might be 150 degrees hot.

If anyone ever worked on the rack, they may not have gotten the nuts tightened up where the hydraulic lines connect to to the steering rack. This can also be a source of leaks. Its a miserable area to reach, from either below or above the engine.

I had a car that used power steering fluid steadily, but it took me some time to find where it was leaking from. The high pressure hose had a pinhole in it, and when the engine was running and someone turned the steering wheel - a thin stream of p.s. fluid would spray from the passenger side of the engine compartment, all the way onto the driver's side suspension parts! It got everything behind the engine soaked with the fluid. With the engine stopped there was ZERO sign of p.s. fluid oozing from that hose! That was on a front wheel drive Dodge.