is there some secret to re-attaching the lower steering shaft to the rack???

[LMHmedchem]

Hello,

Since the weather has been a bit more cooperative, I finally have the rack and pinion re-installed on my 2002 XLT 4.6L. I have the bolts back into the frame bracket, so I know that the rack is in the correct position.

I am having great difficulty getting the steering column re-attached. The arbor on the end of the steering knuckle just wont fit down onto the spindle on the rack where it is supposed to attach. I have the bolt entirely out of the arbor, but the hole just isn't big enough. I know I had to hammer the arbor off to remove it in the first place, but there isn't really a good place to put anything to hammer it back on. I have tried to spread the arbor some with a large screwdriver but again, there isn't really good way for me to try and spread the arbor and push it down at the same time.

There is a flat spot on either side of the spindle, but the hole in the arbor just looks round. Do those flat spots need to line up with something inside the arbor? I tried turning the spindle some with a wrench, but I couldn't find a position where the spindle would go in. It can't be turned too much anyway or the steering will go off center.

Are there any suggestions?

LMHmedchem

 

[LMHmedchem]

Today, I decided that I would just remove the entire lower steering shaft. That way, I could have a look inside the arbor where it attaches to the rack and see if it needs to be aligned in any particular way. Also, I thought I could wedge in a screwdriver or something to spread it some before trying to get it back on.

At any rate, I wasn't able to get the top of the shaft off anymore than I was able to get the bottom back on. I was able to get the bolt loose, but I can't get it to budge off of the part where it connects near to the firewall. I put some more PB blaster on and I will try again tomorrow. I will also try to remove some of the wiring and such that is in the way.

I have a feeling that by the time I get this steering fixed, all I will have left of this truck is a pile of rusted parts in the driveway.

LMHmedchem

 

[LMHmedchem]

I was able to get the lower steering shaft removed by removing all of the tubing and wiring over top of it. That allowed my to use a hammer to tap off the column from the attachment by the firewall. I took the shaft inside and cleaned up the inside of the arbor on both ends with a Dremel. I then hammered a chisel into the lower arbor to spread it some.

The arbors on both ends are shaped so that there is a required alignment between the parts that are connecting. The top arbor has a square hole, so it will fit in either of the two 180 degree orientations. The lower arbor has two flat surfaces making the hole somewhat triangle shaped. This means that there is only one orientation where the shaft will connect to the spindle on the rack. For me, the smaller part of the "triangle" was on the back side pointed to the back of the truck.

I was able to get the shaft back on the spindle by lining it up as best as I could and then holding the shaft vertical and tapping on the top of the shaft to push it down. This worked far too well. Of course, there isn't enough room between the exhaust manifold and the upper control arm to lower the top of the steering shaft into position. I had to take it back off and try again. It actually wasn't hard to get the lower arbor onto the spindle with the shaft running under the manifold. I don't know if this was just because I had it lined up properly or because I spread the arbor some with the chisel.

I had to turn the spindle some to get the upper arbor onto the upper steering shaft. I had the steering wheel tied off, so nothing was moving from that end but I fear that my steering wheel may not be straight when I get the outer tie rods back on. Also, to me the lower steering shaft looks too close to the exhaust manifold. I am trying to run that down in another thread.

I definitely think that detaching the lower steering shaft from the top is the easiest way to do this, at least if it won't go on easily. It is much easier to maneuver the shaft into the correct orientation with the top free. The top is the easier place to attach since access is better. I think that it may have been easier to do the initial removal of the lower steering shaft from its connection to the rack by removing it from the top first. I think that would have been easier than trying to tap it off from the bottom like I did.

LMHmedchem