How To: Replace your own steering rack (3 Viewers)

[PabloCruise]

Keep the steering wheel near center in the cab to avoid damaging the clockspring (airbag wires). You'll get it perfectly straight at the end of the installation.

Install the rack any way you can. Sometimes it helps to push in one of the ends to make it shorter on one side. After the rack is installed, move the ends so they have equal length sticking out on both sides. That means the rack is centered and you can attach it to the steering shaft.

Most of this stuff is covered in the .pdf instructions in post #324. Please ask questions if you need more info on any of the steps.

^^^ This.

I just adjusted the rack by hand.

 

[PabloCruise]

Thank you very much for that detailed brilliant post!
It means we only need to remove two bolts of the DS engine mount then we are good to jack up the engine from that side right?
I just curious why we don't need to release the PS side engine mount bolts, would it be damaged during the jacking up from the DS?

I don't think so. Engine mounts are designed to absorb the vibrations of the engine, so there are rubber biscuits in there that can handle some movement.

If you would feel better disconnecting the passenger side mount - go for it!

 

[zhloea]

I don't think so. Engine mounts are designed to absorb the vibrations of the engine, so there are rubber biscuits in there that can handle some movement.

If you would feel better disconnecting the passenger side mount - go for it!

No, if this job only need losses half of a bolt I will only do that half~just curious, thanks man!

 

[zhloea]

Affirmative.

I believe I made a mostly inclusive list of the work performed, but did not itemize or create specific part numbers.

Look toward the end of that thread.

• Replaced Steering Rack with OEM
• Replaced Upper and Lower Control Arm Bushings (including lower #2 in frame)
• Replaced Front Diff Bushings and Pucks
• Replaced Anti-Sway Bar Bushings
• Replaced Upper and Lower LCA Ball Joints with (555)
• Replaced Tie Rods both sides (555)
• Replaced CV Axles both sides
• Replaced Drive Flanges both sides
• Replaced Wheel Bearings and Races (Koyo)
• Replaced Brake Rotors both sides (Brembo)
• Rebuilt Brake Calipers both sides
• Replaced Brake Pads (OEM)
• Replaced Diff Seals both sides
• Replaced all hoses to Oil Cooler
• Disassembled, cleaned and resealed Oil Cooler
• Changed out front diff gear lube
• New engine oil and oil filter
• Drained and refilled radiator/cooling system
• All new gaskets and seals everywhere

I am on your way, but how many years you want to keep her? I plan to keep her until the end of 25 yrs lifespan, so I have 8 yrs there~

 

[neilsen100]

That is fantastic! I am sorry I have a dumb question about "move the ends so they have equal length sticking out on both sides", do we need use any tool to move the ends, or just hand pulling the ends to whatever position we need?

I just finished up this job and I found it useful to use a soft face deadblow mallet to tap the ends into position for the final few millimeters. The rack adjusts by hand but it has a kind of 'give' point that made it difficult for me to do very fine adjustment. The small taps helped, but are not absolutely necessary.

 

[zhloea]

Now the rack is still loose. Center it by measuring both ends until you are satisfied you cannot get it any closer.

The factory manual says you must center the rack w/in 3mm (or 1/8th"). I got mine w/in 1/16th". I measured from the end of the boot to the tip of the inner end. For my rack I was centered when both sides were a 16th short of 10.5 inches. I guess that would be 10 & 7/16ths...

View attachment 1564051 View attachment 1564052

Where to start and end the measurement?

 

[Ayune]

Where to start and end the measurement? View attachment 2604247

Yes. End of rod to end of boot. Both sides should be equal.

 

[zhloea]

Now is a great time to remove the bolt for the steering column u-joint at the input shaft - 12mm.

You must get the bolt all the way out as the shaft has a groove in it that the bolt occupies.

The bolt looks like specialty hardware with a knurled portion - keep track of this!

Then I went underneath and pried on the column u-joint with my pickle fork, when I ran out of advantage with that I got a screw driver and just pounded that u-joint back until she was free. Being able to move the rack to the passenger side will give you some room to get the column u-joint off at the rack.

Once I had the joint free, I saw the corrosion in the splines. A battery clamp cleaning brush fits in there nicely and can clean the splines with an in-and-out movement, not twisting.

View attachment 1564041 View attachment 1564042 View attachment 1564043

Before we punching from the bottom of the steering column shaft u-joint, do we need to loose some nuts from the top of the steering column to give it a little space for moving up? or we just need punching until the u-joint is loose enough and it actually will not go up or separating from the Rack input (only by punching the u-joint)？

Thank you so much!

 

[zhloea]

1. For the engine mount, remove the two screws that hold the mount on to the chassis. This will leave a nice flat surface for you to place the wood block. (NOTE: the chassis nuts may be welded to the chassis and not able to turn ). From your pic it looks like you've removed at least one of the screws already.

The center bolt in your pic is attached to the mount and the engine won't lift up if you just remove the upper nut.
View attachment 2518477

2. Yes, that's a fine place to jack the engine. It will only lift about 1.5" so don't keep jacking or you may lift the truck off of the jack stands!

Sorry, I still not really clear where to put the jack, I saw we said it is ok to put the jack under the bell, so should I put the jack with a woodblock at the top then jack the bell from one side of the bell (because we suppose only to jack up the driver side)? or I should put the jack and woodblock under the center of the bell? What kind of jack will be best for this work floor jack or bottle?

Or please let me know if you have a better place for the jack. Thanks!

 

[Ayune]

Sorry, I still not really clear where to put the jack, I saw we said it is ok to put the jack under the bell, so should I put the jack with a woodblock at the top then jack the bell from one side of the bell (because we suppose only to jack up the driver side)? or I should put the jack and woodblock under the center of the bell? What kind of jack will be best for this work floor jack or bottle?

Or please let me know if you have a better place for the jack. Thanks!View attachment 2605045View attachment 2605046

Center the jack so it pushes safely and securely on the housing. The engine will lift and turn a bit. It’ll only lift about 1.5”, and do not try to lift it higher because you may lift the entire car up off the jack stands.

When it’s up 1.5” place a block of wood between the drivers engine mount and frame, then lower the engine onto the wood block and remove the jack. When you’re done and it’s time to remove the wood block, do the above steps in reverse.

 

[PabloCruise]

Before we punching from the bottom of the steering column shaft u-joint, do we need to loose some nuts from the top of the steering column to give it a little space for moving up? or we just need punching until the u-joint is loose enough and it actually will not go up or separating from the Rack input (only by punching the u-joint)？

Thank you so much!

No, there is a slip joint in the column.

 

[PabloCruise]

Sorry, I still not really clear where to put the jack, I saw we said it is ok to put the jack under the bell, so should I put the jack with a woodblock at the top then jack the bell from one side of the bell (because we suppose only to jack up the driver side)? or I should put the jack and woodblock under the center of the bell? What kind of jack will be best for this work floor jack or bottle?

Or please let me know if you have a better place for the jack. Thanks!View attachment 2605045View attachment 2605046

I guess I did not take a picture, but my memory is that I lifted on the side of the engine, as close to the engine mount as I could.
I used a piece of 2x4 that I thought would deform before I deform the oil pan.
Make sense?

 

[zhloea]

No, there is a slip joint in the column.

So It means that the column assembly itself has a little given, then the joint will just slip away if been tap from the bottom And the only thing we need to do is completely remove the bolt there and tap from the bottom of the joint, is that correct?

 

[zhloea]

I guess I did not take a picture, but my memory is that I lifted on the side of the engine, as close to the engine mount as I could.
I used a piece of 2x4 that I thought would deform before I deform the oil pan.
Make sense?

Thank you for the reply, so you jacked it from the oil pan? or you just saying put a block to avoid deform the oil pan but still jacked from the bottom of the bell in the pic I posted?

 

[PabloCruise]

So It means that the column assembly itself has a little given, then the joint will just slip away if been tap from the bottom And the only thing we need to do is completely remove the bolt there and tap from the bottom of the joint, is that correct?

That is what I did!

 

[PabloCruise]

Thank you for the reply, so you jacked it from the oil pan? or you just saying put a block to avoid deform the oil pan but still jacked from the bottom of the bell in the pic I posted?

I put the jack on the DS of the oil pan, in the vicinity of the engine mount that I disconnected.
Then I jacked up until I could slip a piece of wood in between the engine mount halves.

 

[zhloea]

I put the jack on the DS of the oil pan, in the vicinity of the engine mount that I disconnected.
Then I jacked up until I could slip a piece of wood in between the engine mount halves.

Thank you, I think I am good to go now~

 

[neilsen100]

So It means that the column assembly itself has a little given, then the joint will just slip away if been tap from the bottom And the only thing we need to do is completely remove the bolt there and tap from the bottom of the joint, is that correct?

Just another experience to share. I was never able to 'slip' the column assembly up, there was never movement. I decoupled the steering column from the rack by sliding the rack forward.

For lifting the engine, I centered my floor jack, with a piece of wood, on the bell housing to lift. Since the passenger side it still bolted down, the engine tilts as it lifts. First time I had plenty of fun and concerning creaking sounds which I ultimately attributed to the exhaust system flexing and pinging. No damage was done.

Below, jack lifting engine

Below, small 2x4 wedged into driver side engine mount as seen through front driver's wheel well

One other comment about having the engine in this position. It gives significantly more access to the oil dip stick access point into the pan. I replace the o-ring before I lifted the engine but wish I had waited until it was up, would have saved me 20 minutes of fiddling.

 

[kevin2i]

I just learned from this thread that "we want to keep the steering wheel and the rack in center position". I assume we can tape the wheel in the cab or some other way to make sure all in the center when we start the work, but how do we make sure or adjust the position of the new rack? We adjust the new rack after install it or we need to pre-adjust the rack before the installation?

Once the rack is installed (and approximately centered) bolt it down snug.
With the steering wheel centered, turn left and count the turns to full lock
Center steering wheel, now turn right to full lock.
Must be exactly the same.
I was off by 1 spline, and it is significant (maybe 90 degrees) at the steering wheel.

Basically the steering rack must be centered to the steering wheel (you can’t fix this with tie rod adjustment).

(Haven’t read the entire thread, but did my rack last year - OEM. I had my front diff out, so the job was easier than expected. The main aggravation was the steering box spline - getting to it and pulling old rack out. New rack had to be tilted 30 degrees or so don’t bolt down rack until spline is engaged).
Kevin.

 

[flintknapper]

. New rack had to be tilted 30 degrees or so don’t bolt down rack until spline is engaged).
Kevin.

Same for me.