Difference between revisions of "Steering Rack Removal"

Revision as of 11:10, 3 March 2008

Removal of the Steering Rack

You've decided to remove the steering rack? Well firstly I'd have to ask why as it is a fairly major undertaking for the home mechanic not owing to the complexity, but owing to the access without a 4-post lift. But if it has to come off, then so be it:

Preparation

Park the car on a flat paved surface and prepare to get it as high as you can at the front. I achieved this by driving it up ramps at the back, then jacking the front. When you jack at the front, note that you will need to support with safety-certified axle stands as you'll be working underneath. Also, you will be removing the cross member, hence access will be required to the bolts and the normal raft supporting points become mobile once the cross member is removed. The best way is to jack from the raft lifting point, then support with the normal body lifting points. It needs to be secure as it is likely that many of the bolts will be very tight.

1) Removal of Cross Member

This is covered in the starter motor section of the electrical manual. You are looking to remove this:

2) Disconnecting the Steering Column

Dive head first into the driver's footwell and first remove the two bolts securing the plate at the base of the sterring column to the bulkhead. Then undo the pinch bolt on the UJ at the base of the steering column. Working your way up the column, remove the two bolts securing the steering column tilt mechanism to the crossbeam. The steering column will now be completely mobile apart from the wiring; be careful! At this point the manual suggests that you undo the lower UJ from inside the car. I found this impossible so I didn't.

3) Disconnecting Track Rod Ends

Having removed the roadwheels, split the track rod end ball joints. If you have trouble undoing the nut because the taper is rotating, don't fret; rejoice as this means the joint will split easily. Simply squeeze it together with a g-clamp and the friction will be sufficient to undo the nut. Once the nuts are off, tap the end of the taper with a hammer or use a ball joint splitter.

4) Accessing Hydraulic Pipes

The hydraulic pipes from the pump/reservoir attach to the rack in a very awkward spot. To access the unions which will probably be seized, you need to lower the right-hand suspension raft. This sounds like a nightmare, but actually isn't too bad:

1) Undo anti-roll bar ball joint and separate. 2) Remove bolt securing the ARB ball joint and suspension strut to the lower wishbone. 3) Undo the three nuts securing the suspension strut-top to the chassis, accessed under the grommets in the engine bay. 4) Undo the four clamping bolts holding the shock absorber to the two halves of the yoke that connects it to the wishbone. 5) You should now be able to carefully remove the shock absorber/spring as a complete unit by wiggling it downwards.

At some point in here you will probably have to remove the wheel arch liner. Mine was already out, so I don't know what access it affects.

6) Securely wire the upper wishbones to some part of the chassis above. Use wire that is shorter than the brake hose, but allows the suspension assembly to move around. 7) Undo the bolt connecting the tubular steadying arm to the chassis attachment point. 8) Undo the bolt that secures the suspension raft to the chassis at the top. It is the one that clamps through two large plates. 9) Lower raft gently downwards allowing the weight to settle on the wires you fitted in step 7. Ensure the brake hose is unaffected.

You should now be able to see the various hydraulic lines connecting to the rack. You need to remove the two larger diameter pipes that route upwards rather than the smaller ones that disappear along the rack body.

Removing Hydraulic Pipes

Clean the area around the unions with a wire brush, compressed air, gunk etc until you can get some WD-40 or similar into the union threads.