Stuck WAY out West . . .

[Mike Arman]

>From: Shaun Folkerts <fiatlancia at earthlink.net>
>Subject: 'Racking' my brain - advice requested, please.
>
>Can anyone provide a real-life, long-term testimonial to Jorgen racks? I
>know they come highly recommended here, but a very informative
>conversation I had with an incredibly helpful (he is to be commended for
>his honesty) Jorgen technician this morning basically had them disowning
>their own product. Said he was close to giving up on rebuilding
>5000/100/200 racks entirely. I took that to be a very bad sign.



I'm curious as to exactly what he said and why - can you give us some more
detail on this?

I've had a Jorgen rack for at least two years (maybe three), and no, it is
NOT pentosin-tight, but the whole damn system leaks a little bit from
everywhere anyway, so I do go through about a liter of pentosin every two
months or so. I replace all the aluminum "seal rings" (ha!) each time I'm
there, and the green gold always manages to find yet another way out. I
figure the Jorgen rack is 85% of the solution, and the other 15% is just
persistence. I honestly do not ever expect to get this system totally
leakproof.

>
>I'm currently working out in Nevada and once here, my power steering
>rack basically decided to take a dump - literally. I need to drive home
>in three weeks and have a couple options. Please vote for your favorite:


OK, you're broken down FAR from home and nervous - makes sense - but hang
onto you wallet a little longer.


>
>1. Wolf DMS (a local Audi/VW tuning repair shop) will install a rack
>that they provide (which the owner tells me is the "equivalent"? of OE,
>not aftermarket-rebuilt), installed, with alignment, for about $950. P/S
>hoses (which need to be replaced) will be extra.


Sounds like "Wolf" DMS is named that for a reason . . . by the time they
are done, you'll be looking at $1,500. Such a deal. And if it comes apart
after you are back in NY, they'll tell you "sure, bring it back and we'll
fix it!"




>
>2. Wolf will install a Jorgen rack for $450, including alignment, but
>not the purchase/shipping of the rack itself. So total investment for
>this option is about $700, plus hoses, which will cost extra.



Jorgen rack is under $200, exchange.

I know you can't take yours out and wait (rental car time?), but are there
any pick and pulls near you where you could buy a core for $25 or $30?


Time to do this job yourself is four to six hours of not especially
intensive labor, most of which is figuring out how to get a wrench - any
wrench - on THAT fastener or other. It really goes much faster if you have
some help. You don't even need a well-stocked tool box, either. Most of
what you do need is hammers, punches, and other implements of destruction
to separate the tie-rod ends from the steering arms. You could probably buy
ALL the tools to do this for under $150, less if you bought cheapies. And
you could keep them, afterward.

Procedure for this is in the archives.

The only hose that REALLY leaks is the top pressure hose - and you can get
that one done for $30 at a hydraulic supply place (Aeroquip or similar),
any place that does industrial equipment like bulldozers, etc., can whip
this little sucker out in a heartbeat, pardner.

Alignment - all you need is toe-in, caster and camber are not affected, so
any half-bright alignment shop can do this for $30 or so. Tell them you
don't need their lifetime guarantee either, cause you WON'T be back that
way any time soon. (Tell them AFTER they are done, not before!)




>
>3. A local "we do all cars" shop will install a Jorgen rack and have the
>lines rebuilt by a hydraulics shop for $350, without alignment. So total
>for this option is about $675 (which includes hoses and installation).


I like this option the least worst, assuming I were not going to do this
myself.



Here's another option - rent a truck (U-haul and car trailer) and take a
long SLOW ride home, fix the car at your leisure. But check the U-haul
prices first!



You do seem to be between a rock and a hard place, but if you take two or
three days and don't freak out, you can probably do this yourself for $300
to $400.



>
>Is there a better combination of parts/service I should pursue? Any and
>all advice welcome. I just need to get myself and my Audi back home to
>NY!
>
>Oh, patient in this case is the 1989 200qa.
>
>Thanks much for your input...
>

Best Regards,

(And good luck!)

Mike Arman