How to choose a steering rack and where to buy it. Types of spare parts
Since "nothing lasts forever", any car sooner or later needs spare parts. Some need to be replaced due to natural wear and tear, others - after a DPT. This applies to all parts without exception, including steering racks. Is it better to buy new or used spare parts? And if new, then which ones, and if used, then where?
I would like to start the conversation about replacing the steering rack with advice for car enthusiasts with little experience - do not rush to buy. Visit a service station, let the mechanics look at what they have. Maybe it is enough to replace the repair kit or just adjust it. If you still need to change the rack, you should know which one is better to buy, so as not to pay more (sometimes several times!) where it is not necessary at all.
What types of spare parts are there?
First, let's figure out what types of spare parts there are. Their classification is rather conditional and exists in several interpretations, of which we will consider the most popular.
New original
New original parts include those made at the vehicle manufacturer's plant or by contractors who supply components to it. (Another name is OEM spare parts from OEM manufacturers Original Equipment Manufacturer. In the world, this name refers to parts manufactured by the same company that makes them for the assembly line. In Ukraine, it is often believed that these are analogs for the secondary market, see "Aftermarket" below). In the first case, these are "native" spare parts. They are "one hundred percent" suitable for your car and their quality is the same as those "from the factory". Disadvantages: the manufacturer does not produce all the items and in small quantities, and if you order them, you have to wait a long time. The main disadvantage is the high price. This is the price for quality and for a well-known brand.
Even for its assembly line, the automaker does not manufacture all the components itself; many are manufactured by contractors. This is the second case - when spare parts are made by other plants, but by order of the manufacturer, according to its technical documents and under its careful control. After a few years (usually 3-5) after the start of assembly of a new model, according to the contract, they receive the right to sell these "branded" parts as spare parts under their own brand. The quality and compatibility here are the same as the original ones, but the price is up to 30% lower (and maybe more). The negative aspects are that the cost, although lower, is still high. Plus, contractors do not make the entire range, sometimes it is difficult to find something needed.
Marking of original parts strictly corresponds to the manufacturer's catalogs. It can be done in the form of laser engraving, colorful printing, stamped or cast symbols. Many parts (technically complex - all) come with documentation on the characteristics or with instructions. Original spare parts are supplied in the original packaging of the car manufacturer, although the stamps on the labels may be from contractor plants, indicating the catalog number and country of manufacture.
All other new parts are considered non-original.
New licensed
Licensed spare parts are manufactured at enterprises that have a license for this activity from the automaker. It is not easy to get it. It is necessary that the equipment of the production lines and the technologies used are at a sufficiently high level. Plus, you will have to regularly undergo certification, and the plant that issues the permit will also control the quality of the parts. The price of licensed products is noticeably lower than the original ones, not only "native", but also "branded". The quality can be the same, sometimes even better, but often slightly lower, as well as the working resource. Nevertheless, they are very popular because they are considered very good analogues.
This is a kind of golden mean between cost and quality. It is easier to find them on the market than branded ones, the quality and service life are at a decent level, the price is acceptable, with availability in warehouses usually without problems. The negative side is the risk of losing the warranty on the car (depending on the conditions of the car manufacturer), a higher percentage of factory defects and problems with catalogs due to more frequent errors. And also - not the widest range. Plus, some manufacturers in an effort to reduce the cost use lower quality raw materials, with all the ensuing consequences. So it is advisable to buy licensed ones from trusted companies.
Aftermarket
In our country, sometimes the aftermarket includes parts that OEM companies, with the permission of the car manufacturer, make for the spare parts market under their brands. These are copies of the originals, made in compliance with the same quality standards. Although, in general, the definition of "licensed" or "branded" is more suitable for such products (see above).
In fact, the word aftermarket means after-sales, that is, the secondary market. In this case, these are spare parts made by companies that do not supply their products to the assembly line. They produce parts under their own trademarks, based on the technical specifications (TU) that they themselves have developed.
True, in this case, the permissible parameters of the parts given by the automaker are taken into account. But, all the same, there will not be complete compliance, at least because it is enough to provide the lower limit from the "fork" of the brand range, and you can safely send the products to the market. Plus, the requirements for materials are not always met here. High-tech additives and expensive alloys increase the cost price and reduce profits.
As a result, we get spare parts that are more or less suitable for a given brand of car. They are much cheaper than original, branded and licensed ones, which means there is demand for them, and a steady one at that. But the match is not always exact and the quality is not necessarily good.
Packers
A separate conversation about packaging companies. They do not have factories for manufacturing parts, they only have packaging lines. They sell other companies' products in boxes with their own logos. The main goal is to promote their brand and make a profit from it. Everyone approaches promotion in their own way, so the box may contain anything from a decent licensed or even OEM part to an obscure "Chinese" one.
Monobrands
In the spare parts industry, a monobrand is an enterprise that produces parts for a specific brand of car. It does not supply them to the assembly line. Is this a good product? It all depends on the owner's policy. Such spare parts are usually inexpensive, but there is a risk of running into low quality, so it is advisable to read reviews before buying.
Analogs
According to Wikipedia, an "analog" is an object with the same purpose as the original, and also close to it in basic characteristics. That is, we are not talking about complete similarity in quality, parameters, materials used, manufacturing technology, etc. Therefore, strictly speaking, all the above groups of non-original spare parts can be called "analogs" of original spare parts. Although in practice many experts put a more specific meaning into this concept - certified or not, exactly corresponding in size/parameters or just suitable, with or without compliance with manufacturing technology, etc.
Counterfeit
The English word “counterfeit” or in our language counterfeit, is translated as “fake” and that says it all. This is something created on the basis of an original product with a violation of property rights. 90% of it is “riveted” for a conditional “bowl of rice” somewhere in Chinese basements. Quality - I beg you, compliance - as luck would have it, it often happens that the part immediately falls into “its” place. Certificates, licenses? Come on, say something else funny. But you will not find anything cheaper on the spare parts market. That's how they live.
How then do counterfeit goods differ from uncertified ones? The fact that the first ones are a deliberate imitation of popular brands with the purpose of deceiving the buyer. And the second ones are not necessarily fake. They simply have not passed official testing and may not meet the requirements in terms of characteristics. That is, counterfeit ones will always be uncertified, and uncertified ones are not necessarily counterfeit.
Used original
These are spare parts from auto dismantlers. In the West, the service life of passenger cars is 4-5 years, after which the car is disposed of. But the resource of imported components (Zhiguli does not count!) is much longer, so the equipment is dismantled, and the parts are sold for spare parts. This is an excellent opportunity to save on repairs, you just need to choose a reputable company and be careful when buying.
Used at the market, in the store, by ad
Here you can find anything. If you are lucky, you will find a good thing inexpensively, otherwise you will pay twice. If you do not have decent experience and knowledge, then visiting the market without a familiar "specialist" is not recommended.
How to choose the type of spare part for the steering rack?
When buying spare parts, there are several general recommendations. Regarding used parts, it is not recommended to buy parts that seriously affect driving safety. Specifically, regarding steering, when the mileage is more than 50 thousand km, it is better not to consider such options at all. This applies to auto dismantlers. On the market ... yes, we remember, a large resource of imported parts and all that ... but logically, who will sell good ones?
In general, if there is the slightest possibility, then the rack should only be taken new. For equipment aged 3-4 years, the original is better, young cars are more demanding on the quality of spare parts, plus the manufacturer's warranty conditions. In general, there is such a rule: the more expensive and newer the car, the greater the "bias" should be on original spare parts. And vice versa, for older and cheaper cars, you can consider licensed and even aftermarket (this is if you buy racks, other parts and used ones).
Now about the cost. For a "cool" brand they add about twenty percent. So, when you take something "modest", compare prices. If what you have chosen is cheaper than the promoted brands by more than 50%, it means that they saved so much on the quality of the original materials and technologies that it is simply dangerous to be tempted by the benefit. That is, for example, when BOSH asks for its new rack, say, 50,000 UAH, then something simpler for 37,000 - 43,000 UAH will be fine. And everything that is cheaper than 25,000 UAH is "from the evil one".
Reconditioned steering racks
Well, yes, you are all smart there to advise new things, as if without you no one knows that it is the best in quality. And here is another example. New rack for Mazda 6 (GH) 2007-2012. costs 54,138 UAH. And at a car dismantling site it is the same - from 5,000 UAH. Everyone understands the danger of buying a used one, and the warranty is only 2 weeks, but almost 50 thousand UAH do not lie on the road! What to do? Try to consider the option with restored steering racks. The price is from 9,000 UAH to 15,000 UAH, which is much lower than a new one. The warranty is given for six months.
But what if it is used?
It also happens that there is no other choice, you have to buy a used one. In order to somehow protect yourself on future trips, it is advisable to determine the remaining resource. It is better to do this at home, for which you should agree with the seller that he is ready to accept the goods back within 2-3 days. To check, you need to:
- Inspect the unit. There should be no cracks or dents on the body. Traces of welding - even more so.
- Some designs allow oil to fog up. If there is a choice, then it is also better to refuse racks with such "stains".
- You need to check the bearing located in the upper part of the structure. When the steering wheel is turned too often, it breaks first. The play should be no more than 1.5 mm.
- Check the bushings for play, there should be none at all. To do this, grab the outer part of the shaft from one end, and then from the other, and try to move it to the sides.
- The central tooth should not be thin, and there should not be a very large gap between the others. To do this, you need to check the shaft and gears. Fix the unit, then turn the steering column axis several times. If everything is normal, the torque is transmitted immediately.
- To check the power steering piston, just close the holes for connecting the hoses with your fingers, then turn the shaft in different directions. During normal operation, one hole will push the finger out (blow out air), and the other will pull in (suck in).
If the rack "passed" all the listed tests successfully, this does not give a 100% guarantee of its durability. You never know, maybe there are microcracks on the body or something else that is difficult to determine. But the probability that the part will work well for a long time will be much higher.
How to choose a steering rack?
It is not difficult to choose a new rack, for this it is enough to send the manager of the online store the data on the car (VIN code or FRAME code). He will select the part and offer it to the buyer. You can do everything yourself if you understand the catalogs and are well oriented in the interfaces of trading platforms. To do this, you need to know the article number (OEM number) of the part. It is useful to use aggregators that allow you to compare options in different stores. It is imperative to find out in advance whether there is a function for returning the part and exchanging it for another, because you will not be able to “touch” the product with your hands. If the car has non-standard parts, then it is better to choose the rack based on the technical data of the previous one.