2005 VZ Commodore Lumina automatic transmission.Steering rack for the tie rod end is stripped.

[Straino]

Hi

 

[Straino]

MY son just bought a 2005 VZ Lumina. His first car. On inspecting the rack and pinion today I discovered that the internal thread was stripped at the left side rack end of the steering rack. It appears previous mechanical work used a large amount of loctite to keep the thread together. How can you fix the stripped internal thread on the rack side. I have new rack ends and and tie rods but the rack end will not screw into the female side of the rack. Can I re-tap clean the thread, use helicoil, or is it buy a replacement rack and steering assembly? thanks

 

[Immortality]

You can try re-tapping the thread but if it's severely damaged I doubt that will fix your issue. Part of the problem is from the factory, after the rod end is threaded in the rack is crimped and a real PITA to remove again and unless the thread is cleaned up, screwing in a new rack end, ends up damaging threads more.

I don't believe it's a standard thread either, fairly sure it's a 1.75mm pitch thread.

 

[Straino]

You can try re-tapping the thread but if it's severely damaged I doubt that will fix your issue. Part of the problem is from the factory, after the rod end is threaded in the rack is crimped and a real PITA to remove again and unless the thread is cleaned up, screwing in a new rack end, ends up damaging threads more.

I don't believe it's a standard thread either, fairly sure it's a 1.75mm pitch thread.

thankyou. I'm told by supercheap, autobarn, bursons, repco it is M14x1.5mm internal; thread see this video which is the same thread issue

I'm not sure if Holden will give me this information? I'll be doing lots of thread size checking tomorrow to get sizes right. I've never used a tap nor a helicoil.

 

[Immortality]

It may be, I've not done a VZ one and Holden did change things from model to model.

 

[Skylarking]

I‘d hate to imagine what may happen if an unconventional repair of a critical safety component failed and one front wheel decided to flop about unrestrained by the tie rod while your son is doing 100kph on a bend

Really, save yourself any potential funeral costs and just buy a new or quality used rack. That’s unless some mechanical engineer can certify that re-tapping and Loctite the 1/2 remaining good threads or drilling and tapping with a helicoil repair kit is safe on a critical safety component like a steering racks, but I doubt you’d fine one that would say such…

 

[Fu Manchu]

You can get racks cheap enough.

There was a change to a larger thread size midway in VZ production.

 

[vc commodore]

Don't loctite the rackend...Comes time to replace it makes it a pain in the backside...Even seen threads get stripped replacing them because someone though loctite was a good idea.

Replace the whole rack....Cheap enough and safer in the long run