Milano scatola guida - true story

["Denis, Jean" <Jean_Denis@domain.elided>]

A few years ago, when my fine german ZF steering rack started to leak at the
outer ends, I was able to pick up a rebuilt rack on a rare trip to the
motherland (for the car, that would be Italia).

I was in Torino, at an Alfa dealership where they quoted me about 1.2
Million lira (the equivalent of about $1200 Cdn) for a new rack (no
rebuilds), an offer which I most graciously declined. Anyway, a guy standing
next to me said in decent English "that's a crazy price - I know a place,
come on follow me". Hmmm .... . tourist in foreign land, being beckoned by
shady native... . sounds like a familiar movie or two!

So I followed him! It wasn't easy! You try following an Italian driver on
home ground with a Ford Festiva rental!! Well, he reliably led me to a
not-so-shady rebuilder (got their card here somewhere) and a deal was done
for a rebuilt Alfa 75 1.8 Turbo scatola guida (for cash, of course) to the
satisfaction of all present.

Carted it back on the plane in my luggage. Cost me $375 Cdn and so far, so
good. These racks can fail in either of two ways:

1) outer end rubber bellows crack, dirt gets in and ruins seals and piston
rod.
2) valve housing (where the steering shaft goes) has ring seals separating
the fluid circuits inside a nickel plated aluminum housing, over time and
usage the plating will get pitted, worn and sometimes flake off - leading to
loss of pressure.

The best rebuilds would feature new or sleeved (tough to do) valve housing
as well as all seals and bushings.
Give up? Scatola Guida = Steering Box (more or less)

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