Power Steering Gear Service

Fig. 3 Exploded view of power rack & pinion steering gear:

DISASSEMBLY

1. Remove power steering gear assembly from vehicle.
2. Remove pinch bolt from flange and steering coupling, Fig. 3.
3. Remove flange and steering coupling assembly from pinion stub shaft.
4. Remove dash seal from housing.
5. Remove and discard lock plate from inner tie rod bolts.
6. Remove inner tie rod attaching bolts and bolt support plate, then the tie rods.
7. Disconnect cylinder lines and discard O-rings.
8. Remove mounting grommets, then cut off boot clamps.
9. Remove boot retaining bushing (54) Fig. 3, then slide boot assembly from housing.
10. Remove insert and rack guide assembly.
11. Remove adjuster plug locknut, then the adjuster plug from housing.
12. Remove adjuster spring, then the rack bearing with O-ring.
13. Remove retaining ring and dust cover from housing.
14. Prevent stub shaft from turning and remove pinion locknut.
15. With gear centered, mark relationship between stud shaft notch and housing for assembly reference.
16. Remove stub shaft dust seal, stub shaft seal and bearing annulus assembly.
17. Press pinion and valve assembly out of housing using a suitable press. Remove assembly with spool shaft and valve body rings attached.
18. Mark position of cylinder tube fittings on housing, then remove tube assembly using tool No. J36343 or equivalent.
19. Remove piston rod guide rack assembly from housing.
20. Remove hex nut from rod and rack assembly.
21. Remove rack piston with O-ring, then the piston ring and piston rod guide assembly. Remove guide, seals and washer from guide assembly.
22. Remove O-ring and piston rod seal from piston rod guide.
23. Remove retaining ring, then the pinion bearing assembly from housing.
24. Remove pinion shaft seal and upper pinion bushing from housing.

Fig. 4 Pinion bearing retaining ring positioning:

ASSEMBLY

1. Apply clean power steering fluid to all seals prior to installation.
2. Install upper pinion bushing into valve bore in housing.
3. Install pinion shaft seal into valve bore using tool No. 29822 or equivalent.
4. Install pinion bearing assembly using a suitable press. Install bearing retaining ring as shown, Fig. 4.
5. Install piston rod seal and O-ring onto rod guide.
6. Install rack piston O-ring and piston ring.
7. Install seal back-up washer, piston guide assembly and rack piston onto rod and rack assembly. Install hex nut to assembly and torque to 30 ft.lbs
8. Slide piston rod guide assembly into housing.
9. Apply three small, equally spaced drops of Loctite to threaded portion of housing.
10. Position cylinder tube assembly on housing with reference marks aligned, then torque to 82 ft.lbs using tool No. J36343 or equivalent.
11. Install insert and rack guide assembly, then center rack guide assembly in housing opening.
12. Install pinion and valve assembly with new valve body rings and spool shaft retaining ring. Use tool No. J33057 or equivalent to install pinion and valve assembly. With assembly fully seated in housing, ensure notch in stub shaft and mark on housing align and insert and rack guide assembly in centered in housing opening.
13. Install pinion locknut and torque to 26 ft.lbs while preventing stub shaft from turning.
14. Install housing dust cover.
15. Position stub shaft bearing annulus onto stub shaft, then slide assembly into housing.
16. Mount seal protector tool No. J29810 or equivalent onto stub shaft, then install stub shaft seals over protector and into housing. Install seal retaining ring.
17. Install rack bearing O-ring, then apply lithium based grease to rack bearing, adjuster spring and adjuster plug and install into housing.

Fig. 5 Centering insert & rack guide assembly:

18. Center rack assembly in housing opening, Fig. 5, then turn adjuster plug clockwise until it bottoms in housing. Back plug out 50-70°, then ensure pinion preload torque does not exceed 16 inch lbs.
19. Install adjuster plug locknut and torque to 50 ft.lbs while preventing plug from turning.

Fig. 3 Exploded view of power rack & pinion steering gear:

20. Slide boot retaining bushing (52), Fig. 3, from rack and pinion boot (53), then position new clamp onto boot.
21. Insert boot retaining bushing (52) into boot.
22. Apply suitable grease to inner lip of boot retaining bushing (52), then slide assembly onto housing. Ensure centering cover washers are properly positioned on boot.
23. To maintain proper alignment, slide inner tie rod bolt through center cover washers and insert and rack guide, then loosely thread bolt into rod and rack assembly.
24. Position boot retaining bushing (54) into cylinder tube and slide into end of boot.
25. Position boot and retaining bushing (52) until fully seated in bushing groove in housing.
26. Install boot clamps (51) and crimp to secure in position.
27. Position bridge of boot clamp (55) over split in boot retaining bushing (54) and crimp to secure in position.
28. Connect cylinder lines to housing. Torque fittings at valve end of housing to 14 ft.lbs and fittings at cylinder end of housing to 20 ft.lbs
29. Install inner tie rod bolts through holes in bolt support plate, inner pivot bushings and center housing cover washers. Torque bolts to 65 ft.lbs
30. Insert rack and guide assembly into threaded holes in rod and rack assembly.
31. Install new lock plate with notches properly positioned over flats of inner tie rod bolts.