Please I’m begging you I need help with power steering rack removal!!

[cruisin4bruisins]

Hello all, I am currently in the middle of removing the power steering rack on my 2002. This has been the worst job I’ve ever done and I do a lot of tinkering. I got the oil filter housing out, steering rack is completely loose, tie rods removed. The issue is I cannot for the life of me remove the column from the rack. See photos with red circle. I’ve applied heat, pb blaster over and over again, pry bars hammers and no movement. Please anyone want to be a hero and give me some tips or tricks.

 

[AARONTLC]

Timmy the Toolman has a video or 2 on steering rack removals for his 3rd gen 4 runners. I bet they have a similar universal joint that he had to remove.

 

[David310]

I tied a rope around that bottom end and then yanked from top towards the firewall. Took 2-3 good yanks!

 

[2001LC]

It does not look frozen on (rust). Which even those, aren't that bad to free.

Simple rotate steering wheel until split in clamp, points down for easy access from below. Wedge in a reasonable wide blade chisel. Tap on wedge/chisel, to spread clamp a bit.

If a non VGRS (03-07 LX). You can pound above U-joint on intermedia shaft, upward to toward steering wheel. Which pounds, interment shaft clamp, away and off pinion input shaft. You may need to replace a mounting bolt, to hold rack firmly.

Many shop just air hammer off. Which can be done, provide not VGRS and one is careful.

Which every method. Once open up and has moved a bit. Remove rack mounting bolts, and pull rack & pinion off intermedia shaft.

Note: Do not turn steering wheel more than 180 degrees from wheels centered straight ahead starting point. Turn steering wheel only, back in reverse direction to center. Do not lose track of which direction you turn the steering wheel. Or you'll bust the clock spring, if steering wheel turned to far in one direction..

Take note of alignment paint marks on new rack & pinion. They're on pinion housing, boot and input shaft.

Air hammer witness mark.

Poorly place air hammer sharp chisel WORNG

Once inner TRE out equally distance. Match paint color marks, to dead center R&P.

 

[Petertn45]

Hello all, I am currently in the middle of removing the power steering rack on my 2002. This has been the worst job I’ve ever done and I do a lot of tinkering. I got the oil filter housing out, steering rack is completely loose, tie rods removed. The issue is I cannot for the life of me remove the column from the rack. See photos with red circle. I’ve applied heat, pb blaster over and over again, pry bars hammers and no movement. Please anyone want to be a hero and give me some tips or tricks.

View attachment 4026926

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If the above doesn’t work, then you can remove the half shaft and rack together and then remove the half shaft later which is actually what I had done. Good luck!

 

[Landman2000]

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If the above doesn’t work, then you can remove the half shaft and rack together and then remove the half shaft later which is actually what I had done. Good luck!

This is my plan and the reason I also bought a new intermediate shaft and upper collar along with my rack. Gonna tackle it in the next few days

 

[Landman2000]

It does not look frozen on (rust). Which even those, aren't that bad to free.

Simple rotate steering wheel until split in clamp, points down for easy access from below. Wedge in a reasonable wide blade chisel. Tap on wedge/chisel, to spread clamp a bit.

If a non VGRS (03-07 LX). You can pound above U-joint on intermedia shaft, upward to toward steering wheel. Which pounds, interment shaft clamp, away and off pinion input shaft. You may need to replace a mounting bolt, to hold rack firmly.

Many shop just air hammer off. Which can be done, provide not VGRS and one is careful.

Note: Do not turn steering wheel more than 180 degrees from wheels centered straight ahead starting point. Turn steering wheel only, back in reverse direction to center. Do not lose track of which direction you turn the steering wheel. Or you'll bust the clock spring, if steering wheel turned to much.

Take note of alignment paint marks on new rack & pinion. They're on pinion housing, boot and input shaft.

Air hammer witness mark.
View attachment 4026946
Poorly place air hammer sharp chisel WORNG
View attachment 4026947
Once inner TRE out equally distance. Match paint color marks, to dead center R&P.
View attachment 4026948

Good info on lining up the paint marks.

 

[cruisin4bruisins]

Thank you all, especially 2001LC! Finally got it out, man was it a bear, went to hardware store and got a bunch of chisels and that finally worked. Broke a power steering line in the process of removal but new one is on the way. Other than that new rack and oil filter housing went in quick and painless. Hope I didn’t screw up my clock spring but we will see when I get new power steering line and start it up.

 

[2001LC]

FWIW. I don't remove oil filter housing or bracket. Only oil filter and raise BK1 of engine.

However, if oil filter housing/bracket removed. I replace O-ring(S).

 

[Texican]

Hello all, I am currently in the middle of removing the power steering rack on my 2002. This has been the worst job I’ve ever done and I do a lot of tinkering. I got the oil filter housing out, steering rack is completely loose, tie rods removed. The issue is I cannot for the life of me remove the column from the rack. See photos with red circle. I’ve applied heat, pb blaster over and over again, pry bars hammers and no movement. Please anyone want to be a hero and give me some tips or tricks.

View attachment 4026926

View attachment 4026927

View attachment 4026928

View attachment 4026929

Take a screwdriver or chisel, insert into the slot on the joint attached to rack, tap it in, should spread it enough to allow it to slide off

 

[whitec13]

I just did this a couple months back and ran into the same issue. Like someone else said, the rope trick is what worked for me. I also only removed the oil filter and removed with the intermediate shaft attached. Probably the most rewarding job when you start it all up and it works. Great job!

 

[100d ua]

Hello all, I am currently in the middle of removing the power steering rack on my 2002. This has been the worst job I’ve ever done and I do a lot of tinkering. I got the oil filter housing out, steering rack is completely loose, tie rods removed. The issue is I cannot for the life of me remove the column from the rack. See photos with red circle. I’ve applied heat, pb blaster over and over again, pry bars hammers and no movement. Please anyone want to be a hero and give me some tips or tricks.

View attachment 4026926

View attachment 4026927

View attachment 4026928

View attachment 4026929

This is cake compared to header replacement.

Glad you got it out!

 

[Edwardsrealtor]

I just did my rack about a week or two ago. I couldn't get the bottom knuckle to budge so I was able to break free the joint further up under the brake booster. I was able to get some more direct blows. Also, I bolted the front rack bolt back down, as the energy of each blow was being absorbed by the rack moving. Once out me and my 2 daughters did a combo of impact,spreading the joint, and pulling to get the knuckle to come loose.