Ok, so my truck was leaking steering fluid a little bit over the past year and a half, but in the past 2 weeks it has gone through a bottle of fluid a day. Yesterday i took it to the dealer to get it checked out. My steering is gone!!! I mean the guy said that i broke all of the cast iron or whatever pieces (the rack and pinion is what my dad said) and that the lines were bad. Also, everything needed to be replaced cuz the other stuff was worn out. TO make matters even worse, they took apart my front get to the steering stuff, and they will not put it back together for liability reasons, yet they dont mind asking for 2 large to fix it!!!!!!!!! And you wana know what? the icing on the cake is that last night when i drove my dads brand new jetta to work, i somehow managed to ruin the transmission/unsincronize (sp) it? Geeze!
BUt looking on the bright side, yes there is one, after all this is done and paid for, i am being forced by my parents to put a full under body skid plate on so this wont happen again. Sure i am kind really pissed that the dealer wont put the stuff back together so i can replace the broken stuff with new and beefer stuff, but thats life.
Speaking of skid plates, after doing a search the best design that i found was basicly adding skidders and then welding/bolting a big old piece of 1/4" stainless steal to them that covered all my major components. A-arms will be done the same way, and a full bumper skid extending down to meet the under body part will also need to be fabricated. My real question is: is there anyplace that makes em, and if not, does that sound like a workable practical idea? THanks for your help and letting me vent!
-Nick

Where exactly was the fluid leaking? You can typically get a new rack and pinion for about 500 bucks. You can't tell me thay are charging 1500 for labor?

I hope you get it all straightened out.

Joe

First off, how did not having a skid plate mess up your steering?

And how hard do you push the vehicles you drive <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> Remind me never to let you borrow any of mine <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

Next, might want to check out this thread from a couple days ago on skidplates skidplate

-Jessica

I have no idea what sort of budget you have in mind for the skid plate, but check-out images 9 through 13 in [color:"blue"]this album[/b][/color]à

IÆm betting that Doug (Bansil) would be [b]thrilled to set you up with something like that (assuming that he would be compensated anywhere near as generously as the dealership that quoted you 2-Large for the steering! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> ) àIÆm picturing him doing no-hand-back-flips! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />


Seriouslyà If nothing else, hopefully the photos will come in handy when itÆs time to fabricate that skid plate.


<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If you are a little bit handy and can do the work yourself and know someone with a pickup (or something else that can handle towing) I would make them put it back together enough to tow it home (dont know how much they took it apart). Just rent a car dolly to tow it with, or even have it towed with a tow truck, will cost more but still alot less then the dealer wants. Even if they wont put it all the way back together they cant hold your car. As long as you arent driving it home and probably have to sign a waiver they have to release it to you.

You took it to an Isuzu dealer and they wouldn't reassemble it? Sounds kinda funny from the get-go. Also sounds like a classic bait and switch. If it was a reputable mechanic/shop, they should have Dx the problem, worked up an estimate then gave you unmistakable "your screwed" look. Therefore you have an idea what's up before you give them the go-ahead to drain your bank account. On my 91 trooper I was leaking ps fluid and found a bad seal on my gearbox. It was leaking directly from the spline-shaft-thingy where the tie-rod end bolts to it. Did some searching and discovered that those things are mucho expensivo. So naturally, my truck pushing 200K miles, I opted for the cheaper salvage piece and did the work myself, being blessed with tools, shop and wisdom of the father (my dad). This became quite the project for me and I ended up replaceing much more than just the gear box (i.e. the entire front ifs linkage - also salvage). But all worked out and while I was at it I went ahead and replaced both axles and front wheel bearings. Yours being a 98 (and a rodeo), I don't know if you had similar problems or not. But it (gear box & IFS) can be a p.i.t.a. to work on. Good luck with it and I hope you get it fixed right.

That's kinda my question too...I don't think a skid plate will save your steering. There are usually other reasons the racks go out, like if you pull out the seals by drooping the suspension too much due to losing the bumpstops. (BTW I love my recirculating balls <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" /> )

And you can definitely get a used rack for much cheaper than quoted, if you are up to install yourself.

That just did not sound right <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" />






<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Richard <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

Hey now! I'm talking about steering here! Get your mind out of the gutter! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/nana.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

Does my RS have recirculating balls, too?