Overhaul

DISASSEMBLY

Fig. 2 Rack & pinion manual steering gear. Typical of 200SX, Maxima, Pulsar, Stanza & 1982-86 Sentra:

1. Remove boot clamps from steering gear boots, Fig. 2.
2. Flatten lock plates, if equipped.
3. Disconnect tie rod or side rod inner socket and remove side rod or tie rod from rack. Do not disassemble inner socket assembly and outer socket assembly, or inner socket assembly and side rod assembly.
4. Loosen adjusting screw locknut and remove adjusting screw.
5. Remove retainer spring and retainer, or the retainer cover.
6. Remove and discard gear housing oil seal.
7. Pry off and discard gear housing snap ring or loosen rear cover locknut and remove rear cover.
8. Remove steering pinion assembly.
9. Remove rack from gear housing.
10. Pry off snap rings securing pinion bearing from side of bearing, if equipped.
11. Press bearing from pinion shaft, if equipped.
12. If equipped, remove rubber mount by striking with wooden mallet, then remove snap ring retaining rack bushing and remove rack bushing.





ASSEMBLY




Assemble steering gear in reverse order of disassembly, observing following instructions.
1. Install inside snap ring of .0469-.0488 inch thickness onto pinion gear.
2. Press bearing onto pinion gear.
3. Install outer snap ring(s) of such thickness so that axial play is less than .004 inch.
4. Clamp steering gear housing in suitable vise.
5. Sparingly apply suitable lubricant to toothed faces and friction surfaces of rack.
6. Insert rack gear from gear housing side.
7. Properly mesh pinion with rack and insert pinion assembly into groove.
8. Ensure that rack protrudes an equal amount from both ends of housing.
9. Secure pinion bearing to gear housing with snap ring.
10. Install new oil seal.
11. Ensure that pinion assembly rotates smoothly.
12. Apply adequate amount of suitable lubricant to steering gear retainer.
13. Insert retainer and retainer spring into housing, turn retainer adjusting screw in, and install adjusting screw locknut.
14. Fully tighten adjusting screw, then back off 10-15°.
15. Apply suitable sealant to locknut and torque to 29-43 ft. lbs.
16. Set spacer at neutral position with angle of 38.3° to 25.3° on Pulsar and Sentra, or 10° to 10° on Stanza.
17. Measure pinion rotating torque and rack starting force. Pinion rotating torque should be less than 13 inch lbs. on Pulsar, Sentra and Stanza, less than 16 inch lbs. on Maxima, or less than 17 inch lbs. on other models. Rack starting force should be 20.9-36.4 lbs. on Maxima, 22-31 lbs. on Pulsar, less than 22 lbs. on Sentra, 13-29 lbs. on Stanza.
18. Proceed as follows:
a. Install boot and small clamp or boot band on side rod or tie rod inner socket.
b. Install side rod or tie rod inner socket to rack end together with new lock plate, ensuring that lock plate ratchet enters groove at end portion of rack.
c. Torque side rod inner socket to 58-72 ft. lbs., then bend lock plate at two cutout portions of side rod inner socket.
d. Install locknut and inner socket on outer socket, then torque locknut to 58-72 ft. lbs. on Maxima, or 27-34 ft. lbs. on other models, with side rod length set at proper length. Side rod length should be 1.421 inches on Maxima, 6.93 inches on Pulsar and Sentra, or 1.677 inches on Stanza.
e. Measure rack stroke. Rack stroke should be 2.992 inches on Maxima, 2.894 inches on Pulsar and Sentra with gasoline engine, 2.756 inches on Sentra with diesel engine and manual transmission, 2.579 inches on Sentra with diesel engine and automatic transmission, or 2.795 inches on Stanza.
f. Install boot on gear housing, then tighten inside boot clamp securely, ensuring that boot is neither too inflated nor too elongated.