What year ST has this rack and pinion?

[John Johnstone]

Ok, I bought a new rack and pinion for my truck. Somehow my original one got cracked.



So yesterday I got the old one pulled out. And when getting ready to put the new one in, my friend and I noticed that two of the hoses that hook up to it do not connect the same way on this new rack.



So the new rack and pinion must be a newer design. Actually looks better than the old design. Easier to get the hoses on and off.



On my original one, the two hoses each threaded into the rack. On the new one, it seems they slide into place and there is a stud on the new rack for them to be tightened down with. See pictures below.



So my fellow Sporttrac owners, my question is, what years of Sporttrac's come with the newer designed rack and pinion? I need to know so that I can order those two hoses and get mine put back together.



So if you can do me a favor and get a look underneath your front ends and tell me if your model year of Sporttrac has a rack and pinion that matches the new one I bought.



Thanks,

John



Old rack and pinion...

New rack and pinion with hose mounting stud

 

[Gavin Allan]

WTF happened to your old rack? A huge chunk is missing out of the mount!!!

 

[John Johnstone]

It's not going back in, so we were not nice to it to get the bushings out.

 

[Todd Z]

That rack body probably fits other vehicles and the re builder just uses it to cover other aplications...



IT also could be where the PS cooler mounts to..



Todd Z

 

[John Johnstone]

Ok, I just realized I had the new rack and pinion pictured annotated wrong. It has been corrected.



Todd, the two holes on the new rack for the power steering pump hose and the cooler hose are totally different than on the old rack. The holes on the new rack are smooth(no threads for the screw in fittings on the old hoses). And it just seems to me the stud is there to hold down those hoses with some kind of bracket.



And believe me that would be a much easier design for getting those hoses disconnected while its on the truck so that you can remove and install it. There was little to no room to remove the old threaded fittings with the required 18mm open end wrench. I had to remove the 2 smaller lines on the left to get to the 2 bigger ones on the right.

 

[EddieS'04]

I have an '04. My rack has the studed connection..



edit; Iam suprised that the new rack didnot come with mount bushings...

 

[Chris Parker]

John -



I hate to say it, but looks like your are in for a big surprise. It would appear your blinker fluid is low and well, the truck is a total loss, just by looking at that rack!



Sincerely Yours,



The person who smashed the rack.

 

[Johnny O]

WTF happened to your old rack? A huge chunk is missing out of the mount!!!

You don't know Johnstone very well, do you? :lol::lol::lol:

 

[John Johnstone]

Ok, I have gotten the details it seems for my problem.



My friend Chris P was the person helping me this weekend. But he drove down to visit me using his 04 Mustang. He had left his 2002 Sporttrac 4x4 back at home. But, he got home this afternoon. And he took some pictures of his rack and pinion setup. His rack is like the new one I bought. So at least I know now that the hoses I need to get are for a 2002 to 2005 Sporttrac. Looks like the hose that goes to the power steering pump is the one with the bracket attached to it that holds the two hoses into the rack. See the highlighted bracket in the picture below.

 

[Todd Z]

The re builder may have given you the wrong rack then, You can upgrade with the hose and retro fit the newer stuff.... IT is probably better that way any way...



Todd Z