Steering rack removal

[King Peetis]

My car is on jack stands for a four wheel brake job. I turned the wheel to better access the calipers and I heard something squirting from under the car. I asked my wife to give the wheel a turn while I got under the car. It appears to be the steering rack. I'm ready to replace it. It looks like I need to drop the sway bar, the exhaust, a linkage or two and some brackets and ball joints. Anyone do an R and R on one and can provide hints or advice before I get started? You all know I like a little experience and guidance before I tackle even the simplest of jobs.

[lostforawhile]

My car is on jack stands for a four wheel brake job. I turned the wheel to better access the calipers and I heard something squirting from under the car. I asked my wife to give the wheel a turn while I got under the car. It appears to be the steering rack. I'm ready to replace it. It looks like I need to drop the sway bar, the exhaust, a linkage or two and some brackets and ball joints. Anyone do an R and R on one and can provide hints or advice before I get started? You all know I like a little experience and guidance before I tackle even the simplest of jobs.

it's not that bad,invest in some metric flare wrenches so you don't bend up the flare nuts which are soft, if you don't know where the U joints are you will go insane trying to find them, pull back the carpet drivers side under the pedals, and you'll see a door in the floor held in with plastic screws, remove this door and there are the U joints. you will have to loosen the pinch clamp holding it to the steering box splines,but the U joints don't have to actually come off or anything,get someone to line up the splines on the steering box to the U joint when putting it back in, unless you like pain and suffering.

http://www.ehow.com/images/a07/0m/bd/rid-visual-migraine-800X800.jpg

[nswst8]

Drop the exhaust downpipe, the center engine support and shift linkage if you have it.
Disconnect fluid lines, rack mounting hardware.
Disconnect the tie rod ends. Counts the rotation needed to remove. 22-23 each side.
Disconnect the steering column linkage in the car.
Remove rack,, install in reverse order

I'm in the process myself, just reinstalling the steering linkage, it can be a bit*h.

You will need an alignment. 3-5 hours of work.

[lostforawhile]

Drop the exhaust downpipe, the center engine support and shift linkage if you have it.
Disconnect fluid lines, rack mounting hardware.
Disconnect the tie rod ends. Counts the rotation needed to remove. 22-23 each side.
Disconnect the steering column linkage in the car.
Remove rack,, install in reverse order

I'm in the process myself, just reinstalling the steering linkage, it can be a bit*h.

You will need an alignment. 3-5 hours of work.yep, it took me that long and I was working in a hanger with a nice concrete floor,light,and access to shop air

[King Peetis]

Thanks for the heads up. Im gonna start pulling it apart this weekend. I will add pics as I remove it.

[import racer]

Yeah I think you have to cut the wheels hard to the left or right to get it out.

[lostforawhile]

Yeah I think you have to cut the wheels hard to the left or right to get it out.

correct I forgot about that, it's so the rack is short enough on one end to slide out of the frame

[senor honda]

Wish I had seen your post a week ago.

Years ago I removed the power steering totally from my car.
Lines, reservoir, belt, fluid,....everything. I made a lightweight aluminum block off plate
to cover the hole on the rack.

It is a myth that a small car needs power steering.
It is a myth that power steering fluid lubricates the rack.
If ps fluid lubed the rack, when you replace a boot, fluid would leak out.

I know that you already spent the money.
Good luck with your install.
Let us know how it turns out.
Thanks.-Bob

[lostforawhile]

Wish I had seen your post a week ago.

Years ago I removed the power steering totally from my car.
Lines, reservoir, belt, fluid,....everything. I made a lightweight aluminum block off plate
to cover the hole on the rack.

It is a myth that a small car needs power steering.
It is a myth that power steering fluid lubricates the rack.
If ps fluid lubed the rack, when you replace a boot, fluid would leak out.

I know that you already spent the money.
Good luck with your install.
Let us know how it turns out.
Thanks.-Bobthe reason fluid doesn't leak out when you replace a boot, is the boots are just dust boots over the inner tie rod ends there are seals to keep the fluid in the rack. You don't need power steering at speed with a rack and pinion,only parking or low speed maneuvers, it's just like a manual rack only it has power assist. Once you are going over 15, the governor in the transmission has the rack bypass all fluid back to the reservoir anyway , it's a manual above those speeds, I can see the confusion with the hose going from one boot to the other, all that hose does is allow air to move from boot to boot,so the boot can flex and compress