Disassembly and Assembly

Steering Gear





Special Tool(s)





Material

Disassembly

NOTE: The steering gear is serviced as a long rack assembly. Only the front wheel spindle tie-rods and tie-rod bellows can be serviced separately.





1. Remove the bolts using a plastic or rubber mallet.





2. Mount the steering gear on the special tool.
3. Clean the exterior of the steering gear with solvent. If necessary, drain any excess power steering fluid.
4. Inspect the steering gear housing for cracks and other damage. If necessary, install a new steering gear.
5. Verify the power steering gear input shaft bearing rotates freely. If necessary, install a new steering gear.





6. CAUTION: Use care not to damage the tie-rod bellows. Damaged tie-rod bellows will allow contamination into the steering gear and can cause leaks.

Remove the nuts and the tie-rod bellows outer clamps.
- Discard any clamps that are damaged or excessively corroded.





7. Remove and discard the bellows inner clamps.





8. Remove both tie-rod bellows and the air tube.





9. CAUTION: Hold the steering gear rack with an adjustable wrench when removing the tie-rod to absorb the rotational force. Damage to the steering gear can result.

Remove the tie-rods.
10. If a new steering gear is being installed, remove the gear from the special tool.

Assembly
1. If a new steering gear is being installed, mount the steering gear in the special tool.





2. CAUTION: Hold the steering gear rack with an adjustable wrench when installing the tie-rod to absorb the rotational force. Damage to the steering gear can occur.

Install the tie-rods.





3. NOTE: Inspect the bellows. Install new bellows if torn or cracked.

Position a new inner clamp on the bellows.





4. NOTE: To prevent the tie-rod bellows from twisting during toe adjustment, apply long-life grease to the groove in the front wheel spindle tie-rods and uniformly to the inner diameter of the tie-rod bellows.

Position both bellows and the air tube on the steering gear. Make sure the air tube is correctly inserted into the bellows.





5. Using the special tool, tighten the bellows inner clamp.





6. Install the bellows outer clamp and the nut.





7. Install the power steering hose bracket and the bolts.
8. Remove the steering gear from the special tools.





9. Install the bolts using a plastic or rubber mallet.