99 Mercury 5.0 AWD steering rack help | Ford Explorer Forums

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99 Mercury 5.0 AWD steering rack help

halo15

Elite Explorer
Joined
June 9, 2006
Messages
74
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18
City, State
PA
Year, Model & Trim Level
1999 mountain 5.0
Beat the crap out of the old rack to get it out. Afraid I’m going to do the same trying to get the new one in. It appears that my 99 AWD Merc 5.0 has tighter clearances than the videos/discussions posted. Has anyone had to remove the oil filter housing or lift the engine to do this? The oil filter housing takes up a ton of real estate as well as the oil pan.

Haven’t ordered the new rack yet. Cardone always gave me problems. I see SKP and others on Rock Auto. Any recommendations?

Any help appreciated!!
 



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Lifting the engine is the norm, not the exception. Loosen the nuts that hold the motor mounts to the motor plates and lift 1” or so.
 






Beat the crap out of the old rack to get it out. Afraid I’m going to do the same trying to get the new one in. It appears that my 99 AWD Merc 5.0 has tighter clearances than the videos/discussions posted. Has anyone had to remove the oil filter housing or lift the engine to do this? The oil filter housing takes up a ton of real estate as well as the oil pan.

Haven’t ordered the new rack yet. Cardone always gave me problems. I see SKP and others on Rock Auto. Any recommendations?

Any help appreciated!!
Take the inner arm off one side, remove swing bar.
Should make it easy too remove.
See Donalds write up on the forum. I think He does it in a few hours.
 






Lifting the engine is the norm, not the exception. Loosen the nuts that hold the motor mounts to the motor plates and lift 1” or so.
Thanks for the info. Does this require getting in underneath and dropping the differential for access or just loosening from the top?
 






Shouldn’t have to drop the diff, but it’s been a while and my memory is shot

Donalds has a SOHC. The 5.0 is much much tighter

Lifting the engine isn’t bad. Keep the nuts on the studs so the engine doesn’t come off the mounts, just spin them up an inch or so. The worst part of the job is getting the lines off the rack
 






Thanks for the info. Does this require getting in underneath and dropping the differential for access or just loosening from the top?
On my car, I have too remove the swap bar and one inner and outer tie rod .
First Mark the center of your steering wheel. I using masting tape. On the trim panel too the steering wheel than cut it. Now you have center.
I turn the steering wheel too the right, which makes pass side control go into the rack. Then I removed the driver side control arm complete.
You will be getting new control arm with the new rack.
Don't buy a remain rack, three replacement nothing but problems.
Next there is a check valve in thE tube port, I want to say bottom( high pressure line). That needs to be transfer over to be New rack. Its he'll in with a tab washer. You need a small pick or screwdriver too remove it. Either turn it out or bent the tab on the washer. A and uses a magnetic to remove it.
O-rings use warm water to soften then before using.
Mark the center of the new rack on shaft too body bottom side so you can see it, when you on the ground.
I am up in air about this. My new rack came grease. Reman rack don't.
You need too grease to inner control arm joint and the rack splice shaft wIth wheel Bearing grease.
Read Donalds writeup. It take me a day (6hrs)too remove and next day to install.
Hope you are also replacing the tube hoses. This way you can just cut the tube and can use a socket to remove the fitting. You can wait and see how rusted everything is.
Replace the outer tie rod ends
End links
Spray some wd40 ( or similar)inside the frame for the swap bolt bolts threads.
 







Back in 2009 post 546 I replaced rack and pinion in my old 96 5.0 truck
I have gotten much faster at it over the years it is actually a 3-4 hour job once you have done a few
 






Thanks for all the input. I’m at the point of loosening the motor mounts. I see 2 nuts on the top side behind the upper control arms. Do I loosen these to raise the engine to get the rack back in or are they hidden some place else?

Thanks!!
 






Yes loosen! Two hold down nuts they hold the motor plate down
The motor plate is bolted to the side of the engine block

They are/ should be 18mm sometimes 19
You can get them from above using a wobbly extension 1/2” drive and an impact
Or box wrench
Or ratchet from the front of engine
 






Yes loosen! Two hold down nuts they hold the motor plate down
The motor plate is bolted to the side of the engine block

They are/ should be 18mm sometimes 19
You can get them from above using a wobbly extension 1/2” drive and an impact
Or box wrench
Or ratchet from the front of engine
Got it and Thanks!
 






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