Power Steering Gear, Disassembly/Assembly
Fig. 4 Disassembled view of power steering gear assembly:
DISASSEMBLY
1. Remove tie rod end.
2. Remove boot, Fig. 4.
3. Using a suitable chisel, bend back staked portion of locking washer between inner tie rod and rack.
4. Remove tie rod from rack.
5. Disconnect right and left pipe assemblies between valve housing and cylinder.
6. Loosen adjusting plug nut, then remove spring and rack bearing.
Fig. 5 Measuring & centering rack/pinion:
7. Rotate pinion gear until pinion flat is parallel or aligned to the rack assembly. Carefully measure dimension A, Fig. 5. Record reading. This relationship must be used for assembly.
8. Remove valve/pinion housing assembly.
9. Remove adjusting shims and retaining ring.
10. Withdraw rack assembly and seal holder together.
11. Remove inner rack seal and shock dampener.
12. Remove piston and O-ring seals from rack.
13. Remove valve assembly from housing.
14. Remove bearing and seal from valve housing.
15. Remove snap ring from spool end of valve assembly, then slide spool, seals and spacer. Do not remove Teflon seals.
ASSEMBLY
1. Install spacer, then slide oil seal onto shaft.
2. Install valve spool.
3. Install snap ring on to shaft at spool.
4. Install upper bearing and seal into valve housing.
5. Before installing pinion/valve assembly into valve housing.
6. Place tool J-33997-10 or equivalent, onto upper pinion shaft.
7. Install pinion/valve assembly into valve housing.
8. Install seal onto rack piston.
9. Lubricate rack gear surfaces. Install seal into seal holder with flat end of seal in first, then install seal holder.
10. Install shock damping ring.
11. Install inner rack seal with flat end of seal facing away from rack piston.
12. Install rack assembly and push seal holder into housing.
13. Install retaining ring.
14. Move rack assembly into housing as far as it will go and measure distance between end of holder and tip of rack shaft. The seals are positioned correctly when dimension L is .39 inch (10 mm) or more.
Fig. 6 Centering rack assembly:
15. If the valve assembly, valve housing, or any internal valve components, rack assembly or housing have been replaced, it is necessary to check and adjust the clearance between the valve assembly and housing. To check and adjust clearance, proceed as follows:
a. Center rack assembly, then measure between end of seal holder and rack end. Distance should be 2.5 inches, Fig. 6.
b. Lubricate pinion gear teeth and pinion ball bearings with suitable grease.
Fig. 7 Installing adjusting shims:
c. Using valve assembly repair kit, install all seven adjusting shims, Fig. 7.
d. Install pinion/valve assembly into housing and carefully tighten the two bolts 1/4 turn each until snug.
Fig. 8 Checking clearance:
e. Using a feeler gauge, measure clearance between the valve and gear housing, Fig. 8. The purpose of step e is to reduce the clearance as close to zero as possible by removing shims. This minimizes endplay for the pinion gear assembly.
f. Using example shown in Fig. 8 calculate, then remove the necessary shims. Install pinion and valve assembly following the procedure in step d. Again check clearance. Final clearance measurement obtained should be .002 inch or less.
g. Carefully set rack to dimension A, recorded previously. Install pinion aligning flat parallel, as shown in Fig. 5. Plus or minus 5 degrees from parallel is acceptable.
h. When final clearance is obtained, use RTV sealer No. 1052366 or equivalent, to seal mating surfaces of valve and steering housing. Torque to 18 ft. lbs.
i. Install rack plunger, spring, adjusting plug and locknut. Torque adjusting plug to 3.6 ft. lbs., loosen plug, then again torque to 3.6 ft. lbs. Back off plug 30 or 35 degrees, then tighten locknut.
j. Check pinion shaft preload. Preload should be 4.1-2 ft. lbs. If preload is not as specified, loosen locknut and adjust plug torque. When an acceptable preload is obtained, apply liquid thread lock to locknut and torque nut to 49 ft. lbs.
16. Install right and left cylinder pipes. Torque fittings to 14 ft. lbs.
17. Install inner tie rod and new locking washer to rack end. Torque to 65 ft. lbs. Stake locking washer to the flat of inner tie rod. Apply grease to inner surface of small opening of boot.
18. Install boot over inner tie rod. Install boot clamp and wire. Use new boot, if necessary.
19. Install tie rod nut and attach tie rod end.
20. Adjust rod length L dimension to 7.5 inch.
21. Torque tie rod locking nut to 40 ft. lbs.