Rack & Pinion How To Illustration & Nut Sizes?

[gavin]

"Lock to lock" meaning turn steering wheel in each direction until you can't turn anymore?

yup

 

[madbrown]

Thanks

 

[madbrown]

Well everything is installed & seems to be working properly (so far)! The only thing is I wasn't able to get in to grease my ubjs as my gun has a angled nozzle and not a flexable rubber one. My alignment is off pretty bad as well. Which, honestly I expected, but I've got a set of new geolanders that I'm having the local shop throw on. So I'll have them do an alinement & grease my ubls as well. Also I torn up my wheel well skirt pretty good to get to my ubjs. Does anyone know who carries replacements. I can find them for 99' & up, but not 98'. Thanks y'all.

 

[madbrown]

Just got all 4 new tires mounted, balanced,and the front end aligned by a local shop. There still appears to be 2 issues. First, even though it's been aligned the steering wheel is still off center,however not near as bad as it was. Second issue, when going into a turn it feels as there is play in the steering. It feels like it "floats", and then will catch when cranking the wheel slightly more than seems necessary?

 

[dana88]

Just got all 4 new tires mounted, balanced,and the front end aligned by a local shop. There still appears to be 2 issues. First, even though it's been aligned the steering wheel is still off center,however not near as bad as it was. Second issue, when going into a turn it feels as there is play in the steering. It feels like it "floats", and then will catch when cranking the wheel slightly more than seems necessary?

The Steering Wheel off, should be fixed by adjusting the Outer Tie Rods, unless for some reason the steering wheel itself it off when it was connected to the Rack.
The Floats feel, may just be air in the steering system. When I first installed my Rack and pinion, I had bleed the system, but still had air in it. It did work itself out after a few hundred miles.

 

[madbrown]

If I mess w/the outer tie rods won't it make my alignment out of whack? If not, how would I go about adjusting them to true up the wheel. I'll also check, with the steering wheel set straight to see if maybe the wheel got out of place when I installed the rack, but I did try to make certain that it stayed straight when I did the installment. If I need to bleed the rack where should I bleed it at? Thanks

 

[Turdle]

The alignment shop should have centered the steering wheel--
take it back to have it done right!!!!

Don't let them fool you either-they will try to get out of it. Make them do it right.

The wheel is centered, then alignment performed. Both sides tie rods must be adjusted .

 

[gavin]

The alignment shop should have centered the steering wheel--
take it back to have it done right!!!!

Don't let them fool you either-they will try to get out of it. Make them do it right.

The wheel is centered, then alignment performed. Both sides tie rods must be adjusted .

definitely do this.

The Steering Wheel off, should be fixed by adjusting the Outer Tie Rods, unless for some reason the steering wheel itself it off when it was connected to the Rack.

if the steering wheel itself is off when it was connected to the rack, it would be off by 180*; nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Turdle]

I think the steering box and steering shaft are "keyed" preventing this from happening.

Here is a picture of the end of the shaft. The shape of the hole is "keyed"

 

[gavin]

I think the steering box and steering shaft are "keyed" preventing this from happening.

Here is a picture of the end of the shaft. The shape of the hole is "keyed"

IMG]http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=36169&stc=1&d=1162528291[/IMG]

it could be off by 180* where the lower steering shaft connects to the upper steering shaft
if I remember correctly, anyway.

 

[madbrown]

The shop that did the alignment is 90 mi. away. It was Big O, who I wouldn't of chosen, however I was in town and they were the only shop that could do it that day. I knew I shouldn't of went to them! As for air possibly trapped in the rack, causing that float feel, where would I bleed the rack from?

 

[Turdle]

it could be off by 180* where the lower steering shaft connects to the upper steering shaft
if I remember correctly, anyway.

That is also "keyed" like a "D" shape

 

[gavin]

That is also "keyed" like a "D" shape

ahh, you're right. Well, it's not D-shaped, but the lower steering shaft has a notch for a nipple that's on the upper steering shaft.

but yeah... it'll only go on one way.

 

[madbrown]

So when I linked the lower steering shaft to the upper, it did only go on one way. However, the steering wheel was quite off even though I had the wheel centered up before disconnecting the rods. So I figured that the new inner and outer tie rods were a different length than factory or something. I did turn the lower steering rod by hand when it was discounted from the upper to get the rack to slide from side to side so I could get it out and then did the same to get it back in.

 

[madbrown]

So just came back from a short drive, and the steering is definitely off! The wheel's probably pointed between 8-9 o'clock. Is there something I can do to remedy the problem? As I said the shop is 90 mi. away, and even when I get back up there it will a few hundred miles later so I can just see how that's going go. I'm sure it will be my word against there's. Could this be off because off air trapped in the rack? With the wheel positioned as it currently is will it wear the tires unevenly?

 

[waskly]

Do I need to make certain that my steering is locked straight when taking out?

you need to make sure the steering wheel does not move, once the shaft is disconnected else you will break the clock spring in the column and not have a horn, cruise, and a nice little air bag light on.

 

[waskly]

So just came back from a short drive, and the steering is definitely off! The wheel's probably pointed between 8-9 o'clock. Is there something I can do to remedy the problem? As I said the shop is 90 mi. away, and even when I get back up there it will a few hundred miles later so I can just see how that's going go. I'm sure it will be my word against there's. Could this be off because off air trapped in the rack? With the wheel positioned as it currently is will it wear the tires unevenly?

your alignment will be off. esp if you use a different mfg rack then was installed. not all parts are equal and non can be made the same.

 

[gavin]

well, there's really 2 different types of mis-alignments.
#1 - alignment is good, in that the vehicle does not pull to either side, but the steering wheel is off-center. This just means that when the alignment was done, the tech did not center the steering wheel before hand. There will be no handling or wear issues, since it's (basically) just an inconvenience, if you will.

#2 - bad alignment, where the vehicle does pull; if you're constantly "fighting" the steering then yes, that will cause premature wear.

 

[madbrown]

Makes sense. When I let go off the wheel it does not pull, but it does eventually drift to the right. So there is nothing I can do to fix the wheel myself?

 

[waskly]

Makes sense. When I let go off the wheel it does not pull, but it does eventually drift to the right. So there is nothing I can do to fix the wheel myself?

you can use a string and try to get the tires straight, the easy way is get an alignment.

you will get tire ware, premature tire wear and needing tires, or spend 45-90 bux on an alignment and no need to worry over tires.