Installing Rack and Pinion

...Centering the Rack.

Turn the pinion ALL the way in One Direction to 'Gently' Lock the Rack, turn ALL the way Back to the Other Side to 'Lock' the Rack again. Count and document the EXACT Number of turns from One Side to the Other, HALF of that is Your Center! Go Back that Distance.
Know that after You Hook-up the Rod Ends, You'll need to have Her 'Front-End Aligned'.
And Probably the Rear, Also.

(This is Also, By the Way, How You 'Center' a Telescopic Sight)

Steve,

Marlin set you straight. The stock clamp steering rack u-joint can be a PITA to work with so just heads up on that. Its a tight fitting and you're stuck working in a low access area.

I'm over in Manassas, glad to help if you need some.

Dave

Just getting the 8-lb rack in position to add the mounting screws to the chassis is sometimes a pain. You're balancing the long rack, the two backside rack clamps and if you use them, the two bump-steer spacers all while trying to get a bolt started. A few owners have used metric studs to make this juggling act a bit easier. And for safety, if you do add factory bump-steer spacers, the stock bolts should be replaced with 5/16" longer ones to compensate for the spacer thicknesses.

Listen to Jack! He's Right. Installing the 'Anti Bump-steer' Spacers requires using Longer Bolts, or You will most Definitely Suffer the Warning to Follow.

I would like to add This WARNING:

When Torqueing those Mount Bolts Back in.
If I remember Correctly (Someone Else Chime-In If I'am Wrong) The Manual states ONLY 20 Ft/Lbs. Torque!! Be Very VERY Careful! Go Easy, The NUTS On the 'Backside' are Easy to STRIP-Out! Some Have Done It! That means the fix is to cut open the Sheetmetal Floor of the 'Trunk' to Access, Between Panels, and replace the Nuts. OR, From the Underside, Drill and tap to the next larger Bolt...But a Larger Bolt Will NOT Fit through the Rack. So You would have to Drill Clearance Through that, Also.
Be Forewarned!!

Marlin

It's even MORE fun if you have the dropped battery box in the trunk floor AND the shims.
URGH!