Steering Shaft Coupler: Service and Repair
NOTE: Before proceeding with this removal and installation procedure, review SERVICE WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS found under Service Precautions and in STEERING GEAR.REMOVAL
1. Place the steering wheel in the STRAIGHT AHEAD position. Using a steering wheel holder, lock the steering wheel in place to keep it from rotating. This keeps the clockspring in the proper Orientation
2. Inside the passenger compartment, remove the steering column coupling retainer pin, back off the pinch bolt nut, and remove the steering column coupling pinch bolt (the pinch bolt nut is caged to the coupling and is not removable). Separate the upper and lower steering column couplings.
3. Raise the vehicle, refer to Maintaince for procedure.
4. Release the locking tab on the wiring harness connector for the power steering fluid pressure switch before connector removal. Remove the wiring harness connector from the power steering fluid pressure switch.
5. Remove the bolt mounting the engine torque strut to the right forward corner of the front suspension crossmember.
NOTE: Before removing the front suspension crossmember from the vehicle, the location of the crossmember must be scribed on the body of the vehicle. Do this so that the crossmember can be relocated upon reinstallation against the body of vehicle in the same location as before removal. If the front suspension crossmember is not reinstalled in exactly the same location as before removal, the preset front wheel alignment settings (caster and camber) will be lost.
6. Using an awl, scribe a line marking the location of where the front suspension crossmember is mounted against the body of the vehicle.
7. Position a transmission jack under the center of the front suspension crossmember and raise it to support the bottom of the crossmember.
8. Loosen and completely remove the two front bolts (one right and one left) attaching the front suspension crossmember to the frame rails of vehicle. The right side bolt can be viewed in the mounting bolt figure. The left side bolt is located in the same location on the other side of the vehicle.
9. Loosen the two rear bolts (one right and one left) attaching the front suspension crossmember and lower control arms to the body of the vehicle until they release from the threaded tapping plates in the body of the vehicle. Do not completely remove the rear bolts because they are designed to disengage from the body threads yet stay within the lower control arm rear isolator bushing. This allows the lower control arm to stay in place on the crossmember. The right side bolt can be viewed in the mounting bolt figure. The left side bolt is located in the same location on the other side of the vehicle.
CAUTION: Lower the steering gear slowly, paying special attention to the power steering fluid hoses coming down from the power steering pump. Do not strain or over extend the hoses coming to the gear. Damage to the hoses or connecting hardware could occur.
10. Lower the front suspension crossmember using the transmission jack enough to allow sufficient access to the steering column lower coupling. When lowering front suspension crossmember, do not let crossmember hang from lower control arms or power steering hoses. The weight should be supported by the transmission jack.
11. Remove the roll pin securing the steering column lower coupling to the power steering gear pinion shaft using a roll pin punch. Push the steering column lower coupling up and off of the power steering gear pinion shaft.
INSTALLATION
1. Push the column end of the steering column lower coupling partway up through its hole in the dash panel, then match the flat on the inside of the steering column lower coupling to the flat on the power steering gear pinion shaft and slide the coupling onto the top of the pinion shaft. Align the roll pin hole in the coupling with the groove in the pinion shaft and install the roll pin through the coupling until it is centered.
2. Center the power steering gear rack in its travel.
3. Using the transmission jack, raise the front suspension crossmember and power steering gear until the crossmember contacts its mounting spot against the body and frame rails of the vehicle. As the crossmember is raised, carefully guide the steering column lower coupling up through its hole in the dash panel.
4. Start the two rear crossmember mounting bolts into the tapping plates mounted in the body. The right side bolt can be viewed in the mounting bolt figure. The left side bolt is located in the same location on the other side of the vehicle. Next, install the two front mounting bolts attaching front suspension crossmember to frame rails of vehicle. Lightly tighten all four mounting bolts to a approximately 2 Nm (20 inch lbs.) to hold the front suspension crossmember in position.
NOTE: When reinstalling the front suspension crossmember back in the vehicle, it is very important that the crossmember be attached to the body in exactly the same spot as when it was removed. Otherwise, the vehicle's wheel alignment settings (caster and camber) will be lost.
5. Using a soft face hammer, tap the front suspension crossmember back-and-forth or side-to-side until it is aligned with the previously scribed positioning marks on the body of the vehicle. Once the front suspension crossmember is correctly positioned, tighten the rear two crossmember mounting bolts to a torque of 203 Nm (150 ft. lbs.), then tighten the front two crossmember mounting bolts to a torque of 142 Nm (105 ft. lbs.).
6. Fasten the engine torque strut to the right forward corner of the front suspension crossmember using its mounting bolt. Follow the procedure described in Engine to properly align and tighten the torque strut mounting bolts.
7. Reconnect the wiring harness connector to the power steering fluid pressure switch. Be sure the locking tab on the wiring harness connector is securely latched.
8. Lower the vehicle to ground level.
9. Install the dash-to-lower coupling seal in place over the lower coupling's plastic collar.
NOTE: Verify that grease is present on the lip of the dash-to-coupling seal where it contacts the coupling's plastic collar.
10. Inside the passenger compartment, reconnect the steering column lower coupling to the steering column upper coupling. Install the coupling pinch bolt an tighten the pinch bolt nut to a torque of 28 Nm (250 inch lbs.). Install the pinch bolt retainer pin.
11. Remove the steering wheel holder.
12. While looking under the instrument panel at the lower coupling, rotate the steering wheel back-and-forth to verify that the lower coupling does not squeak against the dash-to-coupling seal.