Hey guys, heading home this next week to do some much needed repairs. Wondering if anyone has replaced their rack and pinion recently and how I should go about the installation? Thanks
I just did mine. It's not too hard. Remove the tie rod ends from the spindle. Remove the two mounting bolts that attach the rack to the frame. Take the two power steering lines loose. One will stay on the rack until you transfer( the one closest to the engine). This one has a hose clamp near the radiator. Just take off the clamp and pull the rubber line loose. The other line (closest to wheel well) stays with the car and has to be taken off the rack with an open end wrench. Remove the bolt that holds the rack to the steering shaft. It should come right out. With the rack off, I took off my serpentine belt and turned the pump pulley by hand to get out all of the old fluid. Transfer tie rods and one line to the new rack. Install your new rack and hook up the lines and steering shaft. Refill the pump with dextron 2 atf or ps fluid. It takes a couple of hours total. Note: Be careful when you're reinstalling the one line to the rack. The threaded fitting on the line is steel, and the rack and its threads are aluminum. It's easy to strip the threads on the rack if you're not careful. Good luck!
yep not too bad. i would put new outers on while doing it, as you will need to get an alignment afterwards. good luck.
Depending on what you use the car for. In my particular appliction I'd definately think about a Flaming River manual rack. Power or manual, like said, it's pretty straight foreword.
The two inner tie rod ends are usually what wears out, and at $45 each, it's better to get a replacement rack assembly since they are part of the package. The rack is about $100 + a $40 refundable core charge, which you get back when you return the old rack. Be sure to ask for the GT or high performance rack, it has fewer turns lock to lock than the standard rack. The flex coupling for the steering shaft needs to be disconnected before you can get the rack out. You should disassemble the coupling by undoing the 2 bolts that hold it together. The lower part of the coupling will then come out with the rack, and can easily be removed. The tie rod ends can be removed with a tool that looks like a giant "pickle fork", it's less than $8, or some stores will rent/loan one. Remove the cotter pin & nut on the tie end, stick the tool between the rod end and the arm it connects and hammer away. The bigger the hammer, the easier it comes apart. Remove the two bolts that bolt the rack assembly to the frame and then pull the rack down. Get a catch pan to dump the fluid in when you disconnect the hydraulic lines. I replaced the rack mount bushings with some Energy Suspension urethane ones, the ones that came with the rack didn't fit. When you re-install the rack assembly, put the rear bushings in the rack assembly and lift it into place. Then install the front bushings & washers and tighten down the nuts. Doing it this way makes room for the hydraulic lines without having them bind against the frame. To change the tie rod ends, do them one at a time. Loosen the jam nut 1/4 turn, then unscrew the tie rod end from the rack. Turn the jam nut back 1/4 turn to return it to its original position. With the tie rod end removed, use a machinist square to measure the distance between the end of the threaded rod and the jam nut. Sit the bottom of the square against the end of the threaded rod, and the end of the blade of the square against the jam nut. Duplicate the measurement on the new rack and then install the tie rod end and tighten the jam nut. Then do the other side: the front end will need aligning , but the toe in will be close enough to the setting of the original rack to drive. Buy several extra quarts of fluid to run through the system to flush it when you change the rack. Fill the pump up, start the car, and turn the wheels lock to lock to bleed the air out. Then stop the engine, disconnect the low pressure hose (the one that is secured with a hose clamp) and drain the pump. Re-connect, refill and do it several more times or until the fluid looks clear and not burnt or black.
