Losing my (steering box 14) bearings - how to reassemble

[DrJeff]

I've been doing a refurbish on the steering rack and took apart the steering box. Suffice to say everything came apart fine, but I'm running into trouble trying to reassemble the steering box. I'm using the "assemble the pinion upside down with the bearing races held in place and insert from below into the pinion channel" method - sounds like a plan except the outer bearing guide keeps getting stuck. The tolerances between the bearing guide and steering box channel are very tight. The frustrating part is that any untoward movement causes the bearings to fall out of the races.

Any one have experience and clues to success to reassemble the bearing races in the steering box?

Thanks
Jeff

[DMC5180]

Most people don't completely disassemble them.

My suggestion would be to install the lower (bottom) cup race into the housing then place the ballbearings into the cup with grease to hold the bearings in place. Then insert the shaft down into the housing. You may also need to use the grease method on the upper bearings too.

[Mark D]

Check to make sure the inner cylindrical surface of the rack housing is smooth...run your finger inside along the edge of the internal oblong hole where bar passes through against the pinion gear.

I had to file down the edge slightly to get the inner bearing to go in cleanly without snagging on that opening where the bar passes through. It would catch on one side and cause the bearing to pivot and go out of alignment. I used a super fine rounded file to take the edge off so the bearing could slide past freely. Also make sure it's super clean inside and there is no grit that's causing the bearing to hang up.

Packing some grease around the ball bearings inside the race will also help hold everything together.

When I was disassembling my steering rack the bearings seemed to come out without any issues but during reassembly there was just enough interference that made it slightly difficult to get it all back together without the the outer race getting pushed sideways and the ball bearings squirting out.

After reassembly I stumbled upon this video from Martin in the UK and ended up buying a set of his sealed bearings for the steering rack. Here's the video if you're interested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffLRDUxevPA

[DrJeff]

I had contacted Martin about his bearings quite a while ago and he said he wasn't making them any more.

I can see getting the first outer guide in place, greasing it up, and then getting the other bearings in place. I assume the grease won't cause any problems with the gear oil that goes in last.

I'll give this a go in the morning.

[DMC5180]

The gear oil will just thin out the grease, which perfectly fine, after its all together.

[Mark D]

I think the way I ended up installing the bearings was in two steps.

I installed the inner most bearing on the end of my finger so I could guide it into the deepest recess of the housing.

Then I installed the second bearing onto the pinion shaft, and installed the shaft + second bearing as a unit into the housing that already had the first bearing installed.

The grease held everything together so the first bearing didn't separate while I was maneuvering the pinion shaft and second bearing into place.

The grease should not be an issue mixing with the gear oil. I used white lithium grease.

[DrJeff]

It worked. Lower bottom guide, grease, bearing, grease, lower top guide, grease, assemble upper race on pinion, insert geared rod, grease, anticlockwise twist pinion into place.

Pics to follow.

Thanks for the pointers!!!

[Mark D]

Glad you got it!

The best part is when you get it installed back in the car and get to feel the smooth and tight response from the steering wheel for the first time. It's was a very satisfying moment in my rebuild. It will make all the tinkering worth it.

[DrJeff]

Just in case others are interesting in how to get the steering box re-assembled...

some photos...
Needed to reinstall all the parts from the steering box. The process (that worked) went something like this...
a) Inserted the lower bearing guide - lots of grease to make it go in easier. When it stuck I rocked it from above and below (through the other openings) to keep it moving.
b) Put grease on top of the lower bearing guide and dropped in the 14 bearings. Positioned the bearings around the outside using a BIC pen case.
c) Put the upper part of the bottom bearing in place... bearings need to be in grease and positioned around the outside.
d) Assembled the upper bearing on the bench. 14 bearings again and lots of grease.
e) Placed the upper bearing on the Pinion and kept pressure on it to prevent the bearings from falling out.
f) Inserted the rack rod into the steering tube from the drivers side, made sure gear teeth were visible in the steering box through the pinion opening.
g) Inserted the pinion (and bearing) into the steering box, rotating anticlockwise to get the pinion gears past the rack rod teeth. Needed to rotate the rack rod slightly to let the pinion in (teeth engaging).
h) Once the pinion is in, install the gasket, skim(s), and pinion cover (with the rubber/plastic seal) can be re-installed.
Steering box parts.jpgLower Bottow race guide.jpgGrease and bearings at bottom of steering box.jpgFull bottom bearing race installed.jpgSteering rack rod installed.jpgPinion with upper bearing race installed.jpg

I am refurbishing the steering rack as part of a plan to find and fix some steering vibration sources (in preparation for other secret squirrel project). As part of this I replaced the stock plastic tie rod end cups (dimpled things) with brass ones made for a Lotus steering rack of the same vintage. As it turned out mine were not worn much.
Plastic and Brass strack rod end cup.jpg

I also wanted to replace the stock nylon (plastic) bushing at the other end of the rack from the steering box - on the passenger side. This bushing holds the rack rod in the center of the steering tube. While it looks in shape the plastic was degrading. The brass bushing is longer than the stock plastic bushing and gives a very solid feel to the passenger side of the rack. Pictures are of...
a) Stock nylon bushing
b) Brass bushing sized up to the rack location of the nylon bushing
c) Brass bushing installed on the RH side of the rack in place of a nylon bushing
d) Rack rod installed into box from the driver's side
e) Rack rod installed through new brass bushing
Original RH rack bushing.jpgBrass bushing sizing.jpgBrass bushing mounted.jpgRack rod installed through brass RH bushing.jpg

Jeff

[Grover]

Where did you get the lotus bushings from?

Just in case others are interesting in how to get the steering box re-assembled...

some photos...
Needed to reinstall all the parts from the steering box. The process (that worked) went something like this...
a) Inserted the lower bearing guide - lots of grease to make it go in easier. When it stuck I rocked it from above and below (through the other openings) to keep it moving.
b) Put grease on top of the lower bearing guide and dropped in the 14 bearings. Positioned the bearings around the outside using a BIC pen case.
c) Put the upper part of the bottom bearing in place... bearings need to be in grease and positioned around the outside.
d) Assembled the upper bearing on the bench. 14 bearings again and lots of grease.
e) Placed the upper bearing on the Pinion and kept pressure on it to prevent the bearings from falling out.
f) Inserted the rack rod into the steering tube from the drivers side, made sure gear teeth were visible in the steering box through the pinion opening.
g) Inserted the pinion (and bearing) into the steering box, rotating anticlockwise to get the pinion gears past the rack rod teeth. Needed to rotate the rack rod slightly to let the pinion in (teeth engaging).
h) Once the pinion is in, install the gasket, skim(s), and pinion cover (with the rubber/plastic seal) can be re-installed.
Steering box parts.jpgLower Bottow race guide.jpgGrease and bearings at bottom of steering box.jpgFull bottom bearing race installed.jpgSteering rack rod installed.jpgPinion with upper bearing race installed.jpg

I am refurbishing the steering rack as part of a plan to find and fix some steering vibration sources (in preparation for other secret squirrel project). As part of this I replaced the stock plastic tie rod end cups (dimpled things) with brass ones made for a Lotus steering rack of the same vintage. As it turned out mine were not worn much.
Plastic and Brass strack rod end cup.jpg

I also wanted to replace the stock nylon (plastic) bushing at the other end of the rack from the steering box - on the passenger side. This bushing holds the rack rod in the center of the steering tube. While it looks in shape the plastic was degrading. The brass bushing is longer than the stock plastic bushing and gives a very solid feel to the passenger side of the rack. Pictures are of...
a) Stock nylon bushing
b) Brass bushing sized up to the rack location of the nylon bushing
c) Brass bushing installed on the RH side of the rack in place of a nylon bushing
d) Rack rod installed into box from the driver's side
e) Rack rod installed through new brass bushing
Original RH rack bushing.jpgBrass bushing sizing.jpgBrass bushing mounted.jpgRack rod installed through brass RH bushing.jpg

Jeff