So my steering rack is leaking where the steering shaft connects via the pinch bolt. I ordered a new Cardone replacement. Does anyone know about the cardone racks? How are they? I've seen a couple of good reviews. Is it worth installing i
Cardone new Rack and Pinion
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I've put in a Cardone remanufactured rack & pinion in my nieces Xterra. It has worked out pretty well. She was looking to save money on the repair so she opted to go the remanufactured route. I am in the process of installing a new Hitachi rack & pinion on a different Xterra that I own.
If you are looking at buying new, Hitachi and Cardone are about the same price (at least on Rockauto.com). Hitachi is the OEM manufacturer so that's why I went with Hitachi over Cardone since I was buying new. The nice thing about Hitachi is that it comes with new inner and outer tie rods where as Cardone only comes with inner tie rods.
One other thing to note is that if you go Hitachi, don't forget to get a new o-ring for the high pressure inlet. The Nissan part number for this is 49745-01E00. Cardone, does come with an o-ring.
If you are looking at buying new, Hitachi and Cardone are about the same price (at least on Rockauto.com). Hitachi is the OEM manufacturer so that's why I went with Hitachi over Cardone since I was buying new. The nice thing about Hitachi is that it comes with new inner and outer tie rods where as Cardone only comes with inner tie rods.
One other thing to note is that if you go Hitachi, don't forget to get a new o-ring for the high pressure inlet. The Nissan part number for this is 49745-01E00. Cardone, does come with an o-ring.
I went with the cardone new rack, I just recently bought outer tie rods so it would’ve been a waste to buy the Hitachi rack with the tie rod ends.
I didn’t notice a o-ring in the high pressure inlet with the cardone one. Might just need to get that
Oh yes! That’s right
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I don't know if they've gotten any better, but in the past, the Cardone (formerly known as "A1 Cardone") remanufactured parts were sort of hit and miss. I remember getting a Dodge power steering pump that had no power assist out of the box. I've also had a couple of reman. R&P assemblies that developed leaks not that far long after installation. The Cardone "brand new" parts have always been good; they also have a lifetime warranty.
Hitachi is an OE manufacturer of many Nissan parts, but I'm not sure if they are the OE manufacturer of the R&P's in North America. At one point, they were using TRW for the R&P's. A lot of Hitachi parts, like the water pumps that come in the VQ40DE from the factory, are made in Mexico, although they are still a quality part. The one knock against them is the 1-year/12000 miles warranty.
Not mentioned, I think SKP may be the "sleeper" brand. Skyward Automotive Products (SKP) makes a lot of different parts, some OE parts for various manufacturers as well as aftermarket parts. Originally based in China, they have facilities in Phoenix, AZ and in Europe as well as other parts of the world. Of the SKP I've tried, quality has always been good, at least "service grade" or better and the prices are often among the lowest when it comes to new parts. While it also has only a 1-year/12000 mile warranty, their R&P for the Xterra is $200 cheaper than either Cardone or Hitachi.
Which would I use personally if I was looking at aftermarket and price wasn't an issue? I'd probably go with the Hitachi and get a pair of Moog tie rod ends.
Hitachi is an OE manufacturer of many Nissan parts, but I'm not sure if they are the OE manufacturer of the R&P's in North America. At one point, they were using TRW for the R&P's. A lot of Hitachi parts, like the water pumps that come in the VQ40DE from the factory, are made in Mexico, although they are still a quality part. The one knock against them is the 1-year/12000 miles warranty.
Not mentioned, I think SKP may be the "sleeper" brand. Skyward Automotive Products (SKP) makes a lot of different parts, some OE parts for various manufacturers as well as aftermarket parts. Originally based in China, they have facilities in Phoenix, AZ and in Europe as well as other parts of the world. Of the SKP I've tried, quality has always been good, at least "service grade" or better and the prices are often among the lowest when it comes to new parts. While it also has only a 1-year/12000 mile warranty, their R&P for the Xterra is $200 cheaper than either Cardone or Hitachi.
Which would I use personally if I was looking at aftermarket and price wasn't an issue? I'd probably go with the Hitachi and get a pair of Moog tie rod ends.
I bought a new cardone rack and installed it last week. Steering is A1 as of now.
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