Diassembly, Inspection and Reassembly

Disassembly

Fig. 5 Power Steering Gear Eclipse & Expo:

Disassemble power steering gear in numbered sequence shown in Fig. 5, noting the following.
1. Using a screwdriver, remove the dust cover from the tie rod end. Loosen, then remove the boot retaining band.
2. Unstake the tab washer which fixes the tie rod and rack with a chisel.
3. Disconnect end plug caulking and remove end plug.
4. Using special tool No. MB991204 or equivalent, remove the rack support cover from the gearbox.
5. Using a plastic hammer, gently tap the pinion to remove it.
6. Using a socket, remove the oil seal and the ball bearing from the valve housing simultaneously.
7. Turn the rack stopper clockwise until the end of the circlip comes out of the slot in the rack housing, then turn the stopper counterclockwise to remove the circlip.
8. Remove the rack, at this time also take out the rack stopper and the rack bushing.
9. Partially bend oil seal and remove from rack bushing, do not damage oil seal press fitting surface.
10. Using a brass bar, remove the ball bearing from the gear housing.
11. Using special tool No. MB991120 or equivalent, remove the needle roller bearing from the rack housing.
12. Remove the back-up washer and oil seal from the gear housing, do not damage the inner surface of the rack cylinder of the gear housing.

Assembly

Assemble power steering gear in reverse numbered sequence shown in Fig. 5, noting the following.
1. Install back-up washer and oil seal, coat the seal with Dexron II ATF, press the back-up and oil seal into the rack housing to the specified position.
2. Install needle roller bearing, press straight as valve housing is aluminum.
3. Press fit ball bearing.
4. Install oil seal and O-ring, press fit oil seal until it reaches rack bush end.
5. Apply coating of multipurpose grease to the rack teeth face.
6. Install rack assembly, noting the following:
a. Cover rack serrations with tool No. MB991213 or equivalent.
b. Match oil seal center with rack to prevent retainer spring from slipping and slowly insert rack from power cylinder side.
7. Wrap the rack end with vinyl tape, apply a coating of Dexron II ATF, install the rack bushing and the rack stopper.
8. Insert circlip to rack stopper hole through the cylinder hole, turn rack stopper clockwise and insert circlip.
9. Install seal rings, using tool No. MB991317 or equivalent, the the pinion and valve assembly.
10. Install end plug, secure the threaded portion at two places by using a punch.
11. Adjust total pinion torque to 5-11 inch lbs.
12. Install tie rod, fold tab washer end to tie rod notch.
13. Install dust cover, pack dust cover interior with multipurpose grease.