Steering Rack and Pinion ....help
Driver
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 7
From: KY
The link Alchemist provided has some pictures from a P/S rack I did at work a while back...
If you want, I can do a full DIY write-up, but it may be a while until I get pictures. I don't have any racks lined up at the moment at work...
If you all would like a full write-up, just let me know
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Birmingham, AL
I just replaced my rack and pinion set on my 2005 RX330 - 2nd time in 3 months. Mine was not leaking but the original unit had a shredded boot, so I bought a reman from NAPA, just short of $500. Once I figured I had to get the sway bar tied up out of the way, and the PS lines tied up out of the way and the correct rotation of the unit to clear, it came out the drivers side wheel well no problem.
That was in June, now fast forward to September and I am inspecting all boots after I change oil and now both boots on the rack and pinion unit are shredded. (???) So here we go, call NAPA they say take it off and bring it in and they will give me another, I ask what they think happened, they say front end man might not have loosened the outer boot clamps when I took it to be aligned and he probably put a major twist in the boot and it experienced 'premature boot failure'.
So I now know my procedure and had the reman unit off in about an hour including jacking and setting on jack stands, draining fluid; etc. An hour round trip to NAPA and unit goes back in with minimal trouble. I laid the old unit out on a long piece of cardboard and marked references from point to point and counted turns to take off tie rods; etc to try to be close with the new unit. However on my road test, I was 90 degrees off on the steering wheel, I had the wheel tied straight and when I was working the shaft and spline thought I had matched the alignment marks. I also had my wife hold the wheel for good measure, oh well, I had to loosen everything to pull the spline and center the wheel.
This time I spoke with alignment guy about my 'premature boot failure' (that was embarrassing)and he assured me he loosens the clamps. I checked the molded seams in the boots after he finished and they are straight. And yes, I used a different alingment place. Sorry I did not take any photos as I went along. It is not a hard job but not easy either.
That was in June, now fast forward to September and I am inspecting all boots after I change oil and now both boots on the rack and pinion unit are shredded. (???) So here we go, call NAPA they say take it off and bring it in and they will give me another, I ask what they think happened, they say front end man might not have loosened the outer boot clamps when I took it to be aligned and he probably put a major twist in the boot and it experienced 'premature boot failure'.
So I now know my procedure and had the reman unit off in about an hour including jacking and setting on jack stands, draining fluid; etc. An hour round trip to NAPA and unit goes back in with minimal trouble. I laid the old unit out on a long piece of cardboard and marked references from point to point and counted turns to take off tie rods; etc to try to be close with the new unit. However on my road test, I was 90 degrees off on the steering wheel, I had the wheel tied straight and when I was working the shaft and spline thought I had matched the alignment marks. I also had my wife hold the wheel for good measure, oh well, I had to loosen everything to pull the spline and center the wheel.
This time I spoke with alignment guy about my 'premature boot failure' (that was embarrassing)and he assured me he loosens the clamps. I checked the molded seams in the boots after he finished and they are straight. And yes, I used a different alingment place. Sorry I did not take any photos as I went along. It is not a hard job but not easy either.
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hookem59
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May 10, 2009 10:33 PM
