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240 Anyone try the VP Autoparts 240 steering rack?

504 said:
I bought the new CAM rack. I got it from Voluparts in Atlanta. Item looked new and has steel lines on the rack. (As opposed to some plastic lines on my ZF rack.) Voluparts included the CAM mounting block and U-bolt. Installation was relatively easy as it was the third time I've changed the rack. After an alignment it's very nice. Feels like new. No leaks so far in 500+ miles.
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I am not sure which variant of the new racks you got but did you have to notch the cross member?
 
Just saw that FCP Euro carries another option vs. the Pro Parts Sweden brand. Is this another clone of what's available under other names/distributors, or is this something different?

AAE 3091N - Made in China - LINK - $470.


EDIT: Nevermind, just saw previous posts about this being carried by IPD and Rock Auto.
 
I'm probably going to go with the PPS brand at FCP - from the photo cbevis posted, it looks identical to the one from CVI.

The AAE through Rock Auto is definitely a better deal than FCP. They just bumped it up to $488.
 
go240go said:
I'm probably going to go with the PPS brand at FCP - from the photo cbevis posted, it looks identical to the one from CVI.

The AAE through Rock Auto is definitely a better deal than FCP. They just bumped it up to $488.
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Avoid pro parts Sweden like the plague unless you enjoy doing the same job over and over. I don't trust anything with their name attached. Not worth it
 
To my knowledge all these replacement racks like from PPS, and VP are being reproduced by CVI Automotive. If that is truly the case it should be a good quality part even if it has the PPS branding on it. CVI has been reproducing parts for many years. I've used the hydraulic slave cylinders for Amazons from them without issue so far.
 
That is partly why I've been delaying the purchase. PPS parts are horrible - but I doubt (hopeful thinking) they manufacture the steering rack. They don't even know how to make a coolant expansion tank that doesn't crumble upon installation.

Unless I'm wrong? If no one knows for sure, I'll take one for the team and see what arrives. If it looks like the CVI that cbevis installed, it'll concern me less.
 
@dl242gt That's fair, if it is really a CVI rack rebranded as PPS it'll be fine. The PPS/MTC parts I've bought have all been such terrible quality I've learned to avoid those at all costs.
 
Radtap said:
@dl242gt That's fair, if it is really a CVI rack rebranded as PPS it'll be fine. The PPS/MTC parts I've bought have all been such terrible quality I've learned to avoid those at all costs.
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This is my hope considering one is in my car right now. I only noticed the PPS connection when I saw the VP/CVI rack on their website alongside the repro manual racks and got frightened.
 
FYI CVI is now only a wholesaler of products. So if you do want to order from them you would have to have a business connection. They used to have a great selection of E code lights and parts for them.
 
The FCP rack arrived. It looks like the CVI in the photo in post #84. PPS stamped it with their PN, but there's also an AEF PN. AEF appears to make steering racks for a bunch of cars, made in China.

Top is the FCP rack, bottom is the CVI, photo borrowed from post #84 to compare.
AP1GczOCBab-McE_0Y-4n7yqqbWOTI9ePZomAid4NKUsDT5NyCRlBekRkYha8Dvu1guWAqA5ncGjdxCBy11pWjYJqyGhpT1iZv74P10ULkB08X2oyOlEl6hc4Km8jniShN3U0UzLjEilcBiLxqmJmqSGC_A7rQ=w859-h1145-s-no-gm


AEF part number
AP1GczMcht4uYBqvycQbLQ4VYCYV1x7-5HX6z76eF12XDpfcL3eXHhY_LOjMQCNvlqP_X1MG06hZUz72SM1WvbhUY36v6tYsPAxIs7lCZo32RV3FvEr6_fYNhrEzkbd0P9_yFVrajBf1JSl8O9Xpkg_z9PAV2g=w2035-h1145-s-no-gm


Similar insufficient packaging like others mentioned - it was in a box simply placed in a plastic bag and zero padding. Box was half torn in the center. Luckily the hard lines seem to be OK, but there was some clear lube pooled on one side of the bag (right / passenger side of rack). The boot appears fine, but hard to really confirm. I'm hoping it's just in the bag for corrosion prevention.

If this in fact the same as the rack CVI is reselling, FCP seems to be the best deal at the moment. $399 free shipping.
 
I went with the AAE 3091N from Rock Auto, it was $345 with no core. Looks nice, good packing, nice information sheets for install and maintenance and another magnet. I will update after I see install it but seems like a good deal so far.
IMG-20240907-021946857-HDR.jpg

IMG-20240907-021616174.jpg

IMG-20240907-021909285.jpg

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IMG-20240907-021751961.jpg
 
I don't need a rack ATM but it's great to see all these options now especially after Jorgen's closed shop. Not long after I got a rebuild from them for the 91 245, they closed up.
 
Took me 2 tries to get one shipped that wasn't damaged from Parts Geek, third time was the charm.
 
I have installed the same rack as NJGreenBudd in my 1978 242gt. Got it off Rockauto for $400ish shipped. No magnet though, and one of the tie rods was sticking out of the box. I ended up having to replace the input shaft and both u-joints up to the firewall due to the original rack having a smaller input shaft/spline. So the total cost ended up being $550 but that's shipped and taxed and including the rack, tie rod ends, input shaft, both u-joints, and a rack mounting kit off ebay. I haven't got to put very many miles on it since the A/C's out and I live in Texas, but for the little I have driven it it feels solid. Also, the PS fluid doesn't just pour out as soon as I put it in so that's a plus. Here are a couple of pictures for reference:
photo_2024-09-09_22-17-57.jpg
The old one almost seems beefier than the new one, but as you can see the spline shaft is remarkably smaller. I used all the mounting hardware except for the spacer next to the parts tray and the metal U (not the threaded one). The former was obsolete (and broken) and the latter was too thick so I used a length of fireman hose instead.
photo_2024-09-09_22-18-00.jpg
Here is the difference between the input shafts. This time the newer style (top) seems stronger. It seemed at first that it would be too short, but with some adjusting it worked. Bonus points if you manage to get steel u-joint yolks vs the post-87 aluminum ones like I did thanks to 2manyturbos.

All this to say if you have a pre-79 240 switching to a later style rack is feasible and will only take 2 days if you have my level of experience, which is not much at all. I did have to get it aligned afterwards, too.
 
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