Originally Posted by
Mark D
No problem :)
If you plan on removing the cover plate/pinion gear seal to remove the pinion gear (to check for wear) you may also want to get a new paper gasket for that cover plate. I ended up tracing the plate and making my own gasket and then using RTV silicone to seal it up. There is a similar gasket also needed for the blanking plate on the side of the rack where the U shaped bushing and preload spring sit. You can adjust the pressure of the rack against the pinion gear by adding or removing shims on that plate.
While I had everything taken apart I sand blasted and powder coated the outside of the rack tube. If you end up going that route be sure to mask off the inside of the tube at the ends. I had the powder coating done with the two plates installed so the inner surfaces wouldn't get coated. Afterwards I took a razor blade and cut around the edges to separate the plates from the rack tube since the powder coating fused the parts together. You'll also need to press out the rubber seal from the pinion gear plate beforehand so it doesn't melt during the powder coating process. I don't know of anyone that reproduces the seal.