rickjames8
12-19-2016, 03:04 PM
So all I could find on this topic was this PDF (http://www.dmcnews.com/Techsection/Steering%20Rack%20Rebuild/Steering%20Rack.pdf), with no photos.
Seeing as I had to do the job, I figured I'd document the process. For the record, this is my first attempt at taking out any steering rack on any car, and I did not find the job too difficult. I would say the 2 most important tools I used were a good flashlight and strong crowbar. In addition to the usual assortment of sockets and wrenches, I couldn't have done the job without those.
First thing you need to do is chock your rear wheels, apply the parking brake, and set the car on jackstands.
47928
Next, you need to loosen the nuts on top of the tie rod ends. In hindsight, I wished I'd removed them completely to get them fully unstuck, then put them back on a few turns. The reason for leaving them on there is just so the tie rod doesn't come shooting off, but you're free to remove the nut completely if you choose.
47929
Next, get your $15 tie rod removal tool (https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W83025-Tie-Puller/dp/B002NE0UPQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1482176318&sr=8-8&keywords=tie+rod+removal+tool) and push out the tie rods.
47930
Next, remove the steering shaft (this is the bit that goes to your steering wheel). The PDF guy said he needed to remove the lower bolt and loosen the upper bolt, but I found I had enough play simply by removing the lower bolt. You'll need a 1/2" socket, and a 1/2 open ended wrench to grab the nut. I guess it depends on where your wheel is at the time of the job, and you could move it around, but I found that this angle was the best for me. A better photo of this part can be seen here (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--ielCk6GnT8/VRhoClohUBI/AAAAAAAAABU/ImAXpKZJ_tQ/s1600/IMG_5774.JPG).
47931
Then, I needed to use my crowbar to open the joint slightly. I inserted it in to the gap, and gave a few taps with a hammer. Then I pried upwards using the frame for leverage. This, plus a lot of PB Blaster and a few choice words, and it came right out.
47932
Then I removed the 4 bolts that actually hold the rack in place. I used a breaker bar, but they were surprisingly easy to turn.
47933
(interesting note, for the photo, I held the breaker bar in my right hand, camera in my left, and pushed the shutter with my nose.)
Then, the metal brackets should each lift off with a little persuasion. I used the trusty crowbar once again. (Photos: driver, then passenger)
4793447935
Once the brackets are off, you need to remove the rubber bushings, or the rack can not slide out. On the passenger side, you can remove this rubber bushing quite easily, and then there is a small metal plate beneath it. On the drivers side, there seems to not be enough space to get the bushing out. The guy who wrote the PDF was able to turn his 90* counter clockwise so it could lift up. The image below shows the bushing, and the direction you need to turn it.
47936
This is much easier said than done. What I ended up doing was wedging a scrap of 2x4 between the rack and the back of the frame so that the rack could not move all the way back. Then, I got the crowbar and pushed on the bottom of the bushing until it rotated around.
47937
Ever hear someone refer to a job as 'knuckle busting', well the little spots on the sway bar there are from my knuckles....
Once that bushing is out, the rack slides nicely out from the car. I pulled it out the drivers side, but have no reason to doubt it would come out the other side just as easy.
47938
Seeing as I had to do the job, I figured I'd document the process. For the record, this is my first attempt at taking out any steering rack on any car, and I did not find the job too difficult. I would say the 2 most important tools I used were a good flashlight and strong crowbar. In addition to the usual assortment of sockets and wrenches, I couldn't have done the job without those.
First thing you need to do is chock your rear wheels, apply the parking brake, and set the car on jackstands.
47928
Next, you need to loosen the nuts on top of the tie rod ends. In hindsight, I wished I'd removed them completely to get them fully unstuck, then put them back on a few turns. The reason for leaving them on there is just so the tie rod doesn't come shooting off, but you're free to remove the nut completely if you choose.
47929
Next, get your $15 tie rod removal tool (https://www.amazon.com/Performance-Tool-W83025-Tie-Puller/dp/B002NE0UPQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1482176318&sr=8-8&keywords=tie+rod+removal+tool) and push out the tie rods.
47930
Next, remove the steering shaft (this is the bit that goes to your steering wheel). The PDF guy said he needed to remove the lower bolt and loosen the upper bolt, but I found I had enough play simply by removing the lower bolt. You'll need a 1/2" socket, and a 1/2 open ended wrench to grab the nut. I guess it depends on where your wheel is at the time of the job, and you could move it around, but I found that this angle was the best for me. A better photo of this part can be seen here (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--ielCk6GnT8/VRhoClohUBI/AAAAAAAAABU/ImAXpKZJ_tQ/s1600/IMG_5774.JPG).
47931
Then, I needed to use my crowbar to open the joint slightly. I inserted it in to the gap, and gave a few taps with a hammer. Then I pried upwards using the frame for leverage. This, plus a lot of PB Blaster and a few choice words, and it came right out.
47932
Then I removed the 4 bolts that actually hold the rack in place. I used a breaker bar, but they were surprisingly easy to turn.
47933
(interesting note, for the photo, I held the breaker bar in my right hand, camera in my left, and pushed the shutter with my nose.)
Then, the metal brackets should each lift off with a little persuasion. I used the trusty crowbar once again. (Photos: driver, then passenger)
4793447935
Once the brackets are off, you need to remove the rubber bushings, or the rack can not slide out. On the passenger side, you can remove this rubber bushing quite easily, and then there is a small metal plate beneath it. On the drivers side, there seems to not be enough space to get the bushing out. The guy who wrote the PDF was able to turn his 90* counter clockwise so it could lift up. The image below shows the bushing, and the direction you need to turn it.
47936
This is much easier said than done. What I ended up doing was wedging a scrap of 2x4 between the rack and the back of the frame so that the rack could not move all the way back. Then, I got the crowbar and pushed on the bottom of the bushing until it rotated around.
47937
Ever hear someone refer to a job as 'knuckle busting', well the little spots on the sway bar there are from my knuckles....
Once that bushing is out, the rack slides nicely out from the car. I pulled it out the drivers side, but have no reason to doubt it would come out the other side just as easy.
47938