Heavy steering with recond rack

[czechone]

This follows on from a prior topic where my power steering fluid was leaking. AU3 XR8.

So took it to my mechanic, he discovered that the steering rack was leaking. This was replaced with a reconditioned rack and a wheel alignment was done.

He mentioned that the steering pump doesn't seem to be 100% ie. slightly noisy but he said it shouldn't be a problem and we agreed to leave it for now but change it later if need be (so i wasn't coughing up mega$$$ in one hit).

The problem now is that my steering feels noticeably heavier/less free/tighter than it was before.

Couple questions :

1) Should i expect this heavier movement from a "new" (ie. recond) rack as perhaps it needs some time to loosen up or wear in (for lack of a better way to describe it) ? Or should my steering be as free and light as it ever was ? Could the rack itself be suspect ?

2) Would a less than perfect pump cause the steering to be heavy as perhaps it's not pumping the fluid through with enough pressure ? Am i better off to just replace the pump as well and then worry again ? Or if the pump works, it just "works" and there's no question of it working less effectively than it should ?

I hate when things are changed on the car and they aren't as they were before !

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

[NC1183]

I not long ago had my steering rack replaced and it felt a little heavier after it was done but seemed to free up after a around 1000k's.

[mik]

the pump might make a difference but i think most of it will be because the the rack is tight, it will loosen up after a while.

[czechone]

I like the sound of the replies there and yeah "tight" is really the best way to describe the way it feels ... maybe i'm just too used to driving with a dodgy rack haha.

Suppose i'll give it a chance to wear in then.

[b2tf]

Was it just the rack that was replaced? The common stuffup on the power steering systems is the line that goes from the pump to the rack, check it to see if youre losing fluid from it, usually it leaks from where the line connects to the pump.If youre losing fluid it will start to feel a bit heavy.

[Sledgehammer]

Yes replacement rack will be tighter than the old one.