Blown
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- December 6, 2007
- Messages
- 1,079
- Reaction score
- 836
- City, State
- Montrose, CO
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2000 X-Edge
I had been watching steering wheel slop and finally had to do something as it got drastically worse with 1 1/4" play......................
The column is fine, the lower steering shaft was not. The slip shaft and the double cardan u-joints were loose. The u-joints were not easily rebuildable and there was no use in doing so as loose as the slip shaft was. There appears to be a heat shield around the top of the shaft which was partly melted and cracked. I was not able to source a new lower steering shaft for a V8, it's discontinued, nor from Dormann, could get one built by someone (flaming river.com), but found a 4.0 lower shaft from a U-Pull that fit with slip shaft and cardan joint but had no heat shield. I wrapped it in self adhesive heat shield and tied them on with steel zip ties. I hope that protects the shaft from the heat as it is very close to the headers. I used high heat brake grease on the slip shaft. I'll get a couple pics up later of the lower shaft.
I wrestled the rack and pinion out with the two lines from the pump removed and a line disconnected on the passenger side of the rack that was hitting on the frame. It wasn't hard, but barely came out by pushing it into the passenger side and pulling it out the front drivers side with the tie rods removed and the rack turned hard left. I caught a youtube vid that helped, but he did not clean and flush everything. Yo need to be clean and have clean parts, kinda like working the AC, it will eat itself if dirty. I used new lines, new pump, and did thoroughly clean the reservoir and low pressure lines. The frame and axle were a mess, scraped a mess of stuff off. The pump must be primed first! There are warnings all over the rack and pump! The video showed a way to do this without a vacuum pump. After I had everything back in and hooked-up, I filled the reservoir and turned the steering at the wheel by grabbing the rotor. You turn it back and forth a few times, add fluid, do it again add fluid, start it briefly add fluid, then start it and turn it side to side with the steering wheel to bleed the rest of the air and add fluid.
This was an overall difficult job, in tight places, required cleanliness, and you got to be comfortable with messing with your steering and be able to set the toe-in or get it done. I found a new 4.0 lower shaft for $230, got a tight one at the wrecking yard for $20. I think I saved about $1,000 to $1,400 doing it myself for about $400 but it was a messy PIA! It did come-out great and I am getting used to having no play or very very little at the steering wheel.
The column is fine, the lower steering shaft was not. The slip shaft and the double cardan u-joints were loose. The u-joints were not easily rebuildable and there was no use in doing so as loose as the slip shaft was. There appears to be a heat shield around the top of the shaft which was partly melted and cracked. I was not able to source a new lower steering shaft for a V8, it's discontinued, nor from Dormann, could get one built by someone (flaming river.com), but found a 4.0 lower shaft from a U-Pull that fit with slip shaft and cardan joint but had no heat shield. I wrapped it in self adhesive heat shield and tied them on with steel zip ties. I hope that protects the shaft from the heat as it is very close to the headers. I used high heat brake grease on the slip shaft. I'll get a couple pics up later of the lower shaft.
I wrestled the rack and pinion out with the two lines from the pump removed and a line disconnected on the passenger side of the rack that was hitting on the frame. It wasn't hard, but barely came out by pushing it into the passenger side and pulling it out the front drivers side with the tie rods removed and the rack turned hard left. I caught a youtube vid that helped, but he did not clean and flush everything. Yo need to be clean and have clean parts, kinda like working the AC, it will eat itself if dirty. I used new lines, new pump, and did thoroughly clean the reservoir and low pressure lines. The frame and axle were a mess, scraped a mess of stuff off. The pump must be primed first! There are warnings all over the rack and pump! The video showed a way to do this without a vacuum pump. After I had everything back in and hooked-up, I filled the reservoir and turned the steering at the wheel by grabbing the rotor. You turn it back and forth a few times, add fluid, do it again add fluid, start it briefly add fluid, then start it and turn it side to side with the steering wheel to bleed the rest of the air and add fluid.
This was an overall difficult job, in tight places, required cleanliness, and you got to be comfortable with messing with your steering and be able to set the toe-in or get it done. I found a new 4.0 lower shaft for $230, got a tight one at the wrecking yard for $20. I think I saved about $1,000 to $1,400 doing it myself for about $400 but it was a messy PIA! It did come-out great and I am getting used to having no play or very very little at the steering wheel.
. 
