Just how easy or difficult is it to put in a new bushing on the steering rack with it on the car??
Any tips??
Tom
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It's probably not going to be as easy as just pulling the rack, which is less than an hour's work. I was surprised how easy it was to pull. Don't forget that you need to drain (what's left) and re-fill the rack with gear oil which requires loosening a rubber boot etc. The biggest worry is if the rack mount bolts are seized which could result in snapping them off in the nuts which are welded to the inside of the frame and not easy (or even possible?) to replace.
In the car, probably a major pain in the butt.
No big deal out of the car.
4 bolts that hold the rack in rack with the mounts. Tie rods off, pulls right out.
Once out, you'll have to dig out the peaned area to get the end cap off. Remove the boots. Take the cover off the steering gear box, watch for the thin washers, there should be 2 or 3 of them. The bearing will come out. Then the steering shaft will slide out much easier. You'll need a long rod to tap out the old bushing housing that will still be in the shaft. Once this is out you put in the new bushing, I used the Bronze type. Tap it into place. Put the steering rod back in, center it and put the steering gear box back together. I would use a good grease and not gear oil. You'll find the steering gear box won't seal very well and it will leak onto the frame area on the drivers side. Axle grease works much better. You can also use it to lube the area under the boots. If you use the Bronze bushing, I would put the whole unit in a vice and work the steering rod back and forth for awhile before putting it back in the car to loosen the bushing up. If you don't your car will steer like a truch for about a week or 2 before it loosens up. No big deal. Should take you maybe 3 hours to get it done and back in the car.
No big deal out of the car.
4 bolts that hold the rack in rack with the mounts. Tie rods off, pulls right out.
Once out, you'll have to dig out the peaned area to get the end cap off. Remove the boots. Take the cover off the steering gear box, watch for the thin washers, there should be 2 or 3 of them. The bearing will come out. Then the steering shaft will slide out much easier. You'll need a long rod to tap out the old bushing housing that will still be in the shaft. Once this is out you put in the new bushing, I used the Bronze type. Tap it into place. Put the steering rod back in, center it and put the steering gear box back together. I would use a good grease and not gear oil. You'll find the steering gear box won't seal very well and it will leak onto the frame area on the drivers side. Axle grease works much better. You can also use it to lube the area under the boots. If you use the Bronze bushing, I would put the whole unit in a vice and work the steering rod back and forth for awhile before putting it back in the car to loosen the bushing up. If you don't your car will steer like a truch for about a week or 2 before it loosens up. No big deal. Should take you maybe 3 hours to get it done and back in the car.
quote:Originally posted by new & slow:
Just how easy or difficult is it to put in a new bushing on the steering rack with it on the car??
Any tips??
Tom
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While you have your rack out for rebuild, you might consider just liberally applying a high quality grease instead of filling with 90 wt. Most racks lose their liquid lube through the boots anyway. The grease stays put and doesn't run out all over your front suspension and floor of your garage.
-Kelly
-Kelly
My 90w oil stayed in for about three months after rebuild. Then it oiled down the garage floor. I agree use grease
grease gets my vote too.
I read somewhere, long ago, that the manufacturer of the steering rack, Cam Gears, intended for the rack to be lubed with grease, which would explain why the sucker can't hold oil!
LOL
the inebriated cowboy from hell
I read somewhere, long ago, that the manufacturer of the steering rack, Cam Gears, intended for the rack to be lubed with grease, which would explain why the sucker can't hold oil!
LOL
the inebriated cowboy from hell
Grease makes alot more sense than the gear oil. I never could figure out how they planned for that to stay put for any length of time