Description of Mercedes steering rack variety, replacement cost and self-repair principle Description of Mercedes steering rack variety, replacement cost and self-repair principle.
The content of the article:
- Steering system
- Features of breakage PP
- DIY repair and replacement
- Workshop repair price
Thinking about Mercedes-Benz cars, the most famous brands such as S600, G-Class and so on begin to come to mind. But, unfortunately, even because of their fame and practicality, cars of this brand can break down. This also applies to the steering.
Steering system
The steering system in Mercedes-Benz cars has nothing in common with the steering system of our domestic cars. And the whole "highlight" of Mercedes-Benz is that its wheels turn both horizontally and vertically.
Those people who very often come across these cars can safely say that its length is the longest among the rest of the Germans. Often, due to such dimensions, Mercedes-Benz is quite difficult to deploy in a small area. But, thanks to the vertical tilt, you can quickly turn around with a radius of several meters. It is because of high-quality spare parts and a well-thought-out steering system that the driver achieves maximum comfort while driving.
But the steering rack controls all this process. When it breaks down, then the beating on the steering wheel increases, and it becomes very difficult to keep the car on the road. Typically, there are two types of steering mechanisms in Mercedes-Benz cars: rack and pinion and trapezoidal. Although, at first glance, it is impossible to say that they are different.
The steering system of Mercedes-Benz is an absolute complex of levers and mechanisms, which in turn are responsible for the adjustment and the trajectory of the turn, the trapezoidal system is made up of such mechanisms as: bipod, steering gear, pendulum arm and steering link. This system was used primarily in the machines of the 90s. And precisely because of this, Mercedes-Benz prevailed with greater reliability and popularity among its "peers" of other brands. After all, the car of this brand was the most difficult to disable or break something. But, at this time, systems of this type have become less and less installed, although they had positive reviews and popularity.
As mentioned above, the second type of system is the rack and pinion mechanism. The layout of this rack is significantly different from the new trapezoidal steering rack system. This mechanism is replaced instead of the steering rod, it does not have a gearbox and a pendulum arm. Despite this, this type of system is quite simple and comfortable to operate.
But, in parallel with the positive side, there is also a negative one - this rack and pinion steering rack needs careful use and frequent technical inspection and maintenance. So, for example, if a gap appears in the steering hinges of the rack and pinion, and this moment is missed, while if you do not contact the service center in time, then over time it will be necessary to replace or repair the steering and an absolute rework of the steering rack. Also, such mechanisms include the power steering, which has been installed on all Mercedes-Benz cars for a long time.
Features of breakage of the steering rack
The very first sign that the steering rack breaks is the loss of resistance on the steering wheel when turning the steering wheel in any direction without the power steering, you can immediately pay attention to the wheels. When the steering wheel is turned, the wheels can remain as they were. Well, or the effort is applied in jerks when turning, then this is considered the most famous and common case.
But the second feature of a broken steering rack is the case when the effort on the steering wheel disappears at temperatures up to thirty and above one hundred degrees.
According to experienced drivers, such signs are most undesirable when the car is moving, since the steering rack may completely fail and a Mercedes-Benz car will become completely uncontrollable.
When spontaneous turns of the steering wheel occur, it is advisable not to drive for a long time, because then the steering wheel will completely fail.
Also, in practice, there are cases when the car comes out of a sharp turn, and the steering wheel either does not return to its place, or it is very bad to become in the initial central position.
If at speed it is well felt that the car is throwing from side to side and a rather high sensitivity is observed, then this is the very first sign that the steering rack is weakened. To improve its work, you will have to tighten the mounting bolts at least. Well, if it is unfit for use, then it will be immediately visible.
Extraneous sounds, such as a knock in the steering rack or vibration is transmitted to the steering wheel for a reason and in most cases indicates that an urgent repair of the steering rack is necessary. It is believed that this is the last stage when you can ride, but it is better not to risk it.
Not the last place is also occupied by the indicator of the power steering fluid level (GUR). Because the fluid accumulates in the anthers of the steering rods, which is why the steering wheel usually turns hard. It is advisable to often glance at the fluid level, because in addition to the steering rack, there may be a breakdown in the hydraulic booster, which will lead to the repair of a completely different element.
Mercedes steering rack repair and replacement
The process of repairing a steering rack, especially if it is a Mercedes-Benz brand, does not shine with simplicity. To remove the steering rack, you will need to disassemble the entire front of the chassis. Robots of this type are recommended to be carried out on a lift, since disassembly will take on average a couple of days. When you contact a service center with this problem, then they will definitely carry out computer diagnostics in order to make sure what the problem is - the power steering or, after all, the steering rack.
First you need to raise the car on a lift and lower the fluid from the power steering, since the rack is one of the components. Next, you need to unscrew from the ball bearings and remove the wheels from the lever.
On the inspection pit, this manipulation will be quite difficult, since it will be necessary to completely raise the front of the Mercedes-Benz car and leave it in the air. At the same time, support the front beams. When the ball joints are removed, do not forget that the wheels will be without fixation. That is why the jack will not help in this situation.
After removing the ball joints, you can start disconnecting the power steering tubes and other fasteners. It is not worth describing every bolt that comes across, since with the development of the Mercedes-Benz brand there were various fixing modifications.
When removing the steering rack from a Mercedes-Benz, it is forbidden to turn it over strongly, because there is still fluid from the power steering. Consumables during repair are seals and bearings.
Another important point: it is worth checking the rack shaft for runout. If rust is noticed on it, then it must be removed immediately. Separately, it is necessary to pay attention to the gearing so that there are no chips and torn teeth.
In models from the 90s, it is often necessary to replace the tie rods and the anthers of the steering tips. Since, over time, they wear out, and in the event of a breakdown, it will be time consuming and long to replace them separately. When the steering rack is removed, it is necessary to look at the state of wear.
Basically, a new steering rack is installed for Mercedes-Benz, since the weight of the car will "break" the repaired parts of the steering rack over time. The assembly process is carried out in the reverse way to disassembly.
Experienced car enthusiasts say that breakdowns of this kind do not need to be thrown, since then the repair will take a lot of money and not only the rails for the Mercedes-Benz car brand. As a rule, the neglected state of the steering rack pulls the replacement of anthers, levers, ball joints. And all because the structure of the Mercedes-Benz rotary system is quite complex among other foreign cars.
Mercedes steering rack repair price
The cost of repairing a steering rack depends on the make and model of the car, since on some the system is more complex, on others it is simpler. The starting price for repairing a steering rack starts from $ 50 and more, depending on the complexity of the repair.
Mercedes-Benz
