mahoney944

I'm getting ready to install a new power steering rack and I noticed the the diamond shaped plate on my old rack looks different from the one on my new rack. My old one has an extra threaded tab for the ground wire and support hanger for the one hose where the new one does not. Now where I don't need the ground wire because I have an airbag car, I'd like to keep the support hanger. I took the old plate off and did not find any evidence of a seal in there like the one in the picture below. Is there a source for this seal? Will it leak here without a seal?

Spring44

Can't you just swap out the new plate with your old one with the extra bolt hole? If not, install the hanger using one of the two existing mounting bolts?
You can just cut a gasket for that plate out of gasket paper or an old manila folder if you want one. I don't remember even seeing a gasket there on my last rebuilt rack. Nothing special about that area; no pressure in that area to speak of. That opening just connects to the tube that the rack moves back and forth in and it is isolated from the PS fluid.

mahoney944

I guess that's my real question. I'm not sure what the spring and washer do underneath the plate and if having a leak there is possible or not to require a gasket. My old one didn't seem to have one at all. I plan to swap the plates but was unsure what that part of the rack does and if adding a gasket there, which would bump that plate out a hair, would cause any issues.

Spring44

That spring puts a slight side load on the steering rack, thereby keeping it properly engaged with the pinion gear and preventing slack or slop in the steering. There is nothing else in there except the grease that lubricates the rack
If you are in doubt, bolt it up with a thin gasket and if the shaft has no slack you are golden.