Steering Gear, Reconditioning

Special Tools
951 2050
999 1801
999 2250
999 2706
999 5046
999 5154
999 5179
999 5182
999 5277
999 5333
999 5388
999 5389
999 5393
999 5919
999 8081

Disassembling steering gear

Hint: Removing steering gear, see Steering gear, replacement. To install see Steering gear, replacement.

Clean steering gear externally
Remove delivery lines and O-rings from the pipes





Note! Late version delivery lines have conical seals.





Install steering gear in fixture 999 5046 and stand 999 2250 or 999 5154
Use U-bolt 1272597-4 and intermediate piece 1272679-0 for attachment.

Drain steering gear oil





Position a container under the pipe connectors. Turn pinion backwards and forwards until the oil is pumped out. Use socket 999 5179 and a bar. Position steering rack in central position.

Check for wear in outer and inner ball joints.





Remove:
- the outer ball joints
- clamps and boots
- boot sealing rings on steering gear housing.

Note! On steering gear for right-hand drive cars there is only a sealing ring on the right-hand side.





On the left-hand drive cars:
Remove the left tie rod and slacken off the right a few turns

On right-hand drive cars:
Remove the right tie rod and slacken off the left a few turns
Use an adjustable spanner and an pipe wrench. Position a adjustable spanner as counterhold as far out on the steering rack as possible. Remove/slacken off the tie rods.

Note! On certain models there are washers on the tie rods.

Caution Use a counterhold, otherwise the rack and pinion can be damaged.

Caution The right/left tie rod stays in place. This is to prevent the end sleeve from escaping. See more below (P6).

Remove:





- the sealant covering the locking wire hole.
- steering rack bushing locking wire.
Turn the end sleeve with a hook wrench so that the locking wire is released and can be removed.

Note! If necessary a screwdriver can also be used to pry the wire out.

Blow through steering rack bushing and seal





Counterhold pinion with socket 999 5179 and a bar.
Use compressed air in the outer pipe coupling to force out the bushing with seal. The steering rod is now acting as a stop, to prevent the bushing escaping.

Warning The compressed air can cause a loud bang. Use ear defenders.

Remove:





- the tie rod
- the bushing with seal.
Remove the steering rack pre- tensioning assembly





Use a pin spanner 999 5333 on the cover. Remove the cover, spring and pre-tensioning piston.
Remove dust cover and pinion snap ring





Use a screwdriver for the dust cover. Take care not to damage the pinion or the steering gear housing.
Remove pinion cover





Use a chisel. Tap cover loose.
Remove pinion locknut





Counterhold with a socket 999 5179 and the handle, when nut is removed.
Remove pinion





Knock lower part of pinion with a hammer and a drift.
Remove steering rack





Carefully pull out the steering rack so that the surfaces on the steering rack and housing are not damaged.
Tap out the pinion bearing from above





Remove the snap ring and knock out the bearing with drift.
Knock out pinion lower seal and bushing from underneath





Use a long extension bar and a socket with a 24 mm exterior diameter.
Tap out steering rack seal and support ring from steering gear housing





Use two extension shaft and a socket with 25 mm exterior diameter.
Install the extension and the socket through the steering gear housing. Ensure that the socket connects with the edge of the support ring. Tap out the seal and support ring.

Caution Take care not to damage the surfaces in the housing.





Replace the piston seal only if it is damaged or if the car has driven more than 40,000 km.





Remove the pinion:
- socket 999 5179 (1)
- dust cover (2)
- snap ring (3)
- sealing ring (4)
- bearing (5).

Caution The four Teflon sealing rings on the valve sleeve must not be removed.

Clean and check all components
Check:





- boots, change as necessary
- boot seals, change as necessary.
- All components for wear, corrosion, cracking and pressure damage.
- pinion with valve sleeve. If these parts are damaged the steering gear must be replaced.

Caution Thoroughly clean the threads in the steering gear housing. Use cleaning tool 999 5389 for the pre-tensioning assembly insert.

Assembling the steering gear
Piston seal





Replace the piston seal only if it is damaged or if the car has driven more than 40,000 km
Install first O-ring and then the Teflon ring. Heat the Teflon ring to 40 - 50°C if it is difficult to thread onto the piston.
Install the new pinion bushing in the steering gear housing





Use bar 999 1801 and drift 999 5277.

Caution Be careful when installing bushing. If it is deformed the pinion will jam.

Check through the pre-tensioning assembly hole that the bushing is correctly seated in the housing.
Install a new sealing ring in the steering gear housing





Use bar 999 1801 and drift 999 5393.

Note! Carefully tap sealing ring into place.

Install the pinion bearing





Use bar 999 1801 and drift 999 5388. Reinstall snap ring.





Install the sealing ring and support ring on the steering rack
Apply a wide strip of tape to the cogs as protection. Oil the tape.
Carefully insert the sealing ring with the lip against the piston seal. Check that the seal plastic ring is in place.
Install support ring.
Remove tape. Check that there is no tape or adhesive residue remaining.
Pack the steering rack teeth with steering gear grease





Use Volvo grease, P/N 1161001-1
Install the steering rack with seal and support ring





Guide the rack in so that it does not damage the housing surfaces. When the rack is at the bottom push so that the seal and support ring catch in the seat. Carefully tap the end of the rack with a rubber mallet.
Check the position of the sealing ring





Carry out a final inspection of the delivery line terminal. When the rack is pressed against the seal the piston seal should have passed the hole center.
Press back the steering rack





Caution The steering rack should not be pushed back further than that the end is outside the steering gear housing otherwise the seal is damaged by the teeth.

Install:





- the seal and bushing on the steering rack
- O-ring on the bushing
- the sealing ring on the steering rack. Take care, Check that the seal plastic ring is in position.
- bushing on the rack. Press sealing ring onto the bushing.
Install the bushing with the seal in the steering gear housing





Align the sleeve so that the hole for the locking wire is opposite the hole in the steering gear housing.
Press in the bushing.

Caution Take care that the O-ring is not damaged by the hole edges in the steering gear housing.

Install locking wire

Caution Use new locking wire.





Insert a loop of wire into hole in sleeve. Turn the bushing with a hook wrench until the thread is in position. Seal the hole with sealing compound P/N 1161277-7.

Install pinion

Part 1 Of 2:

Part 2 Of 2:

Fill the pinion teeth with grease, P/N 1161001-1.
Install the pinion in the housing in the surface for the clamp screw as illustrated. Take care when installing the pinion not the damage the valve sleeve. Check that pinion and steering rack mesh together properly. The pinion surface, early version (A), for the clamp screw should lie in the position illustrated when the steering rack sticks out 82 mm. On late version pinion (B) the marking should point towards the line. There is however a tolerance of [plusmn] 10° in the pinion position.

Install pinion locknut





Use a new nut. Tighten to 37 Nm. Counterhold with a socket 999 5179 and a bar.
Check steering rack
To check that the steering rack does not jam; Turn the pinion between left and right limit positions several times. If the steering rack sticks either the pinion guide sleeve is deformed or the steering rack out-of-true.
Install pinion bearing
Lubricate bearing with grease, P/N 1161001-1.





Install bearing. Use drift 999 5519. Carefully tap the bearing into place in the steering gear housing.
Install the upper pinion sealing ring





Lubricate seal. Thread seal onto the protective sleeve 999 5182. Install the seal on the steering gear with the spring on the seal turned down.
Remove protective socket 999 5182. Counterhold seal and pull off tool.

Caution The sealing ring cannot be properly finally installed with this tool.

Tap in sealing ring





Use drift 999 5519. Carefully tap the sealing ring into place.
Reinstall snap ring. Grease between the sealing ring and the dust cover.
Install the pinion dust boot





Use protective sleeve 999 5182 according to paragraph (P35). Tap in dust cover. Use drift 999 5519.
Install a new sealing plug in the lower pinion bearing
Fill the plug with grease, P/N 1161001-1. Install plug. Use drift 999 2706.

Install:





- pre-tensioning assembly components. Apply locking fluid to threads of new cover
- piston greased
- spring
- cover.
Tighten cover





Set steering rack to central position. Tighten pre-tensioning screw to 5.0 - 5.6 Nm. Use a pin spanner 999 5333 and a torque wrench 999 8081. Then slacken off the screw 50° - 55°. Use a protractor 951 2050.
Check steering gear torque





Connect torque wrench 999 8081 with socket 999 5179 on the pinion shaft. Turn steering rack backwards and forwards to the limit positions.
If the torque is too high anywhere on the steering rack put the steering rack to that position, and reset and adjust the pre-tensioning cover.
If the torque is still too high, replace the steering gear. If the torque is correct secure the pre-tensioning assembly with three punch mark in steering gear housing.
On certain versions: Install the spacer washers





See also Steering gear spacers, installation
Install the spacer washers on the steering rack (both sides).
Thread the washers with the smooth sides to the steering gear housing.

Note! The inner radius of the washers should lie against the tie rods.

Install tie rods





If original rods are to be re-used, exchange left and right tie rods so that another locking surface is used. Rods with worn locking surfaces are not to be reused.
Tighten with a pipe wrench and counterhold with a adjustable spanner, see illustration.

Caution A counterhold must be used otherwise the steering rack and pinion can be damaged.

Lock the tie rod to the steering rack





Bend ball joints edges down into steering rack recesses. Do not turn the steering rack further than it can reach.
Use a thin drift to lock the tie rod.
On certain versions: Press the spacer washers against the tie rods.
Thread on the boots





Fill each boot with 20 grams of grease, P/N 1161001-1. Thread on boots and clamp both ends.
Install ball joints





Remove steering gear from the fixture and install delivery lines
On early versions: Install new O-rings. Tighten to 7.5 Nm.
Late version (pipes with conical seals): Tighten to 16.5 Nm.
Fill steering gear with oil when in position in car.