In serious need of help, trying to replace rack & pinion, CANNOT get it out

[02tracNH]

I'm at a total loss! I would greatly appreciate any assistance you could possibly give me.

I have everything loose, the rack moves side to side just fine and rotates somewhat depending on what it hits, I even lowered the drivers side lower control arm, in desperation I even cut off the inner tierods to make the whole thing shorter.. but the fing thing just isn't even close to coming out, the end with the shaft looks impossibly too big to fit through the crossmember hole.

is it supposed to come out through the crossmember hole on drivers side? or somehow push through one hole and swivel out from the inside of the crossmember?

or do I Just burn the truck to the ground and go on a hunt for the engineer that designed this? The truck is 2002 sport trac.

Here is a photo of where I'm at: 20200926_165400.jpg

 

[koda2000]

I have not had to do this job (yet), but it looks like you might need to unbolt the engine mounts and jack the engine up a bit to get the clearance you need. Put a piece of wood under the oil pan to spread the load so as not to bend/dent the pan. If you have an engine hoist you could also lift the engine from the top.

Note: Going from the bottom the passenger side engine mount is a little tricky to unbolt. You have to go through holes in the frame with a combination of socket extensions and maybe a universal joint. You might find it easier to unbolt the engine mounting plates from the engine mounts from the top. I believe this will give you the room that you need to remove the rack.

 

[410Fortune]

here:

410Fortune - 96 5.0L XLT refurbish (making 1 great Ex from 2)

Okay here we go 09/13/05 In march of 05 I rolled my new to me 96 5.0L AWD 86K miles, just after driving it back to CO from OR and putting $1000 into it. You see I bought this truck from my brother with 86K miles on the clock, it would not pass emissions for him and he drove it into the...

www.explorerforum.com

Rack and pinion install starts post #546

410Fortune - 96 5.0L XLT refurbish (making 1 great Ex from 2)

Okay here we go 09/13/05 In march of 05 I rolled my new to me 96 5.0L AWD 86K miles, just after driving it back to CO from OR and putting $1000 into it. You see I bought this truck from my brother with 86K miles on the clock, it would not pass emissions for him and he drove it into the...

www.explorerforum.com

You have to remove the inner tie rods, put rack all the way to one side, then pull it out a bit, then put rack to other side, then pull other side out
Some engines you have to loosen the mounts and raise the engine up a little....usually that is the 5.0 v8

 

[02tracNH]

maybe this will help someone one day, as the poster above said, you HAVE to remove the inner tierods.. at least one..

so for the OLD one trying to come out, I simply cut off the inners at the connection points to the rack, only because I didn't have a tool to remove them properly and there's no room for giant plyers to grab it with, then I used plyers to move the rack all the way to the passenger side so the drivers side inner leftover was all the way in, THEN and only THEN it did wiggle out ok. It does NOT fit through the hole in the crossmember, you swing it out toward the front instead, it helps if the swaybar is completely out too. My passenger swaybar bushing bracket is welded onto the frame (thanks rust for snapping the bolts last year) but at least the one side I needed I could unbolt and ratchet strap to the tow hook to pull it out of the way. Whatever it takes...

This brings me to a new issue, getting new one in LOL, I am buying an inner tierod removal/installation tool tomorrow at Harbor Freight, for $30 I'd rather own it than rent it. I have pulled the drivers side boot off the rack, I'll remove the inner tierod, hopefully then the plan is to shove it in the same way.

3rd issue
If your rack is original, mine had 240k on it (1 owner truck btw, I bought it new), then chances are you will never remove the pressure/return hoses from the rack, they are aluminum or something and fuse to the rack. Rockauto has the power steering pressure hose (short metal U shaped line), but good luck finding the return hose which goes from the PS cooler to the rack, I could not.. at least not an identical one for 2002 explorer sport trac so I ordered this part number from rockauto 6L5Z3A713H , I have no clue if it will fit, but it is a Ford part, it is for PS rack return hose and it looks like it might, it's nowhere near the same shape, but since there's a rubber middle piece I'm hoping I can make it work, as long as it fits into the rack and seals I'm good to go I think... I will report back.

 

[02tracNH]

by the way thank you for the assistance! every bit of info helps someone