Steering knuckle attached to rack and pinion help. (1 Viewer)

[maccheeseboy]

Howdy. My story is simple. I am trying to remove a rack and pinion on 04 tundra sr5 4wd.
Everything is removed except for...

This is not my pic but it is what my issue is. all bolts on it are size 12 and all of them are stripped. I was able to get the bottom bolt off thatknuckles into the rack and pinion. but the knuckle is still attached no matter how hard I hit.


My question is can I detach from in truck without destroying steering? I imagine the shaft would fall with r.a.p and I can detach bolts from there or buy new shaft. Help 500 $later means I should have had someone do it.
Like I would be replacing seal of intermediate shaft but instead I just dico it to drop rack. Any ideas?

 

[maccheeseboy]

 

[maccheeseboy]

can I detach the bottom without detaching the top? all im asking folks please

 

[maccheeseboy]

anyone? Its dangling right now

 

[Jgrauman]

@GTV He did his rack not long ago

 

[BudgetLC]

You might try an 1 1/2" Dremel cut off wheel on the nut if it will fit.

 

[GTV]

I've done two of these, I did not touch the fasteners on the coupler, only loosened the pinch bolt and used a screwdriver to help pry the gap apart. Might need a few hammer taps to get the shaft on the steering rack to fall out.

 

[maccheeseboy]

I've done two of these, I did not touch the fasteners on the coupler, only loosened the pinch bolt and used a screwdriver to help pry the gap apart. Might need a few hammer taps to get the shaft on the steering rack to fall out.

sall good. quick recap. I bought a stripped bolt kit 12mm. snuggled in a wratchet and with a click or two at a time got it off intermediate shaft rag or knuckle and dropped coupling with rack. new on cost 150 for part including new bolts 12 mm. installing and matching tie rod ends and installing with new brackets and bushings and bolts. After this I will be bleeding brakes and on my way. Been a journey to get a sticker on this thing. Wont be a good day if they look at it again and add s*** on.

oh and I seperated the crud out of the bottom of that joint pinch bolt, you probably meant the top thats the stripped bolt so i focused on bottom pinch. I mean wailed on it. It was open more than the pic of the top. Still wouldnt come off. The top pinch way is better even if its more expensive (again you probably said that as quoted so ty). Got the rack off r.ockauto so it was a fair price. like 250 or something. So overall probably a 500 to 600 dollar job due to tools and parts (impact wrench, wrench set, joint, rack, bolts, fluid and specialty bolt strip set. Good news is I will have those tools for years to come now. VS 900 or more