Rack Bushing Replacement

Mine was not that hard to do, but I did all of what you had done (less the gear puller), along with putting the nut back on (more surface area) and holding a good chunk of wood against it while wailing on the wood with a hammer. I think heating the cast arm was the most helpful thing, but if you wait too long after heating the heat will just migrate to the ball joint and it will not help.

If all else fails, leave it for an evening and try again tomorrow. That works for me more often than I care to admit.

Mark

a 50/50 mix of ATF & acetone is a better penetrant than liquid wrench.

you would think the puller would have popped it out.

frustrating, I know. If you were in SoCal or I was in OK I'd offer to lend a hand. Maybe Mark is right, maybe its time for a double scotch on the rocks ... or a buttery nipple.

Thanks. Just so long as I'm on the right track I'll get it. Tomorrow is right.

Look I did front ends a long time ago no kidding put the nut back on so you don't damage the threads if you dont have a fork tool... take a 5 lb sledge hammer take very careful aim and hit the side of the joint sharply the tie rod end will pop loose. Just an option
Remember to count the turns to get it close so you can get it to the alignment place.

PS autozone will lone you a fork tool

I did mine recently. I used the small gear puller to put tension on the bottom of the stud then wacked the side of the casting with my small sledge. One side popped loose with the first wack. The other took a few. The key was the tension on the puller then the wack to shock the casting. The gear puller alone probably won't do it. Put the nut on loose so things stay put when it comes loose.

Steve

RRS1, the proper place to hammer the steering arm is directly on the end, about in the center of the circle you show. HORIZONTAL to the ground or you risk bending the arm. It's a fine line: multiple girly-hits only make you tired, while ONE hit at the right angle & force works so well it makes one feel stupid for not doing it that way first.
But after 50 yrs of this hammer-your-brains-out nonsense, last year I hit (pun intended) on a better way for removing tapered ball joints and tie-rod ends: Use an air chisel with a blunt-end tool. Guaranteed, you will not be able to get off the trigger fast enough, it will come out so quickly.
Truism: the older I get, the more I appreciate power tools! BIG power tools!

Just did mine a month ago. Pickle fork in an air tool and out in about a minute.

never!! heat a ball joint.they can and will exploid.the pickle fork is the safest but will cut the boot.you could unscrew the inner tie rod from the outter end.then use a tape measure to set the toe.

Okay, all of the above helped, I got it off. Now, still not clear on how to add bearing.

Does the red circled have to come off, How? How does the bearing get past the yellow circled with that inner flange in the way?

Really don't want to take the whole rack off, just that rod rattling. Also, how to add grease in the reservoir, it's very close to the trunk floor.

Ah. I see some of the steps on Mike Drew's instructions.