Overhaul

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 bellows boot outer clamps.
^ Discard any clamps that are damaged or excessively corroded.
7. Remove and discard the bellows boot inner clamps.
8. Remove both inner tie-rod bellows boots and the air tube.

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

Remove the inner 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 inner tie rods to absorb the rotational force. Damage to the steering gear can occur.





Install the inner tie rods.
^ Tighten to 100 Nm (74 ft. lbs.).

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





Position new inner clamps on the bellows boots.

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





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





5. Using the special tool, tighten the bellows boot inner clamps.





6. Install the bellows boot outer clamps and the tie-rod jam nut.





7. Install the power steering hose bracket and the bolts.
^ Tighten to 10 Nm (89 inch lbs.).
8. Remove the steering gear from the special tools.





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