Has anyone dropped their rack and pinion?
11-04-09, 06:01 PM
#1
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Has anyone dropped their rack and pinion?
I'm about to replace my rack and pinion and have been reviewing the Toyota/Lexus repair manual. The manual shows removing the steering wheel for some reason. The LS400 and SC300/400 don't need this done at all. Anyone understand why this is necessary in our SC430's?
Last edited by Bon; 11-04-09 at 06:08 PM. Reason: tpyos
11-04-09, 06:45 PM
#2
its pretty easy, you have to remove the main bolts that hold the unit up, then disconnect the end of the tie rods and loosen the two bolts that hold the steering rack to the steering column.
look up my post on my header install, you will get an idea of what you have to do.
look up my post on my header install, you will get an idea of what you have to do.
11-04-09, 08:05 PM
#3
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its pretty easy, you have to remove the main bolts that hold the unit up, then disconnect the end of the tie rods and loosen the two bolts that hold the steering rack to the steering column.
look up my post on my header install, you will get an idea of what you have to do.
look up my post on my header install, you will get an idea of what you have to do.
Your post makes me want to put in some headers while I'm under there. . . and I might as well do the motor mounts . . . and I might as well replace the tie rod ends. . .and I might as well. . .
I thought that my rack was okay but when I pulled back the boots both ends were filled with fluid. I've never had a rack go like this; ever.
11-05-09, 07:39 PM
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Well, I've begun replacement of the steering rack. I thought I'd post my progress and perhaps it will help someone since the factory manual seems to be so inadequate, no Chilton's or Haynes manuals to help either, just us SC owners. I won't go into what the factory manual says because, at this point, I don't think it's very accurate as to what actually "needs" to be done to just replace the rack. We'll see . . .So here goes: This is a garage floor exercise. I'll edit this as I go and learn.
My goal was to avoid removing the tie rod ends and reinstalling everything retaining the alignment and steering wheel level position.
(1) Loosen the front lug nuts.
(2) Jack up one side of the car at a time and place floor stands underneath each lower suspension arm. I use an the car's emergency jack and a floor jack at the cars front jacking locations as insurance.
(3) Set the steering wheel level and front tires pointing straight ahead.
(4) Use a 2' level (as a straight edge) and a laser level. Place the straight edge up against the side of a front tire. Place the laser along the straight edge and "spot" your garage wall with it. Put a piece of tape on the garage wall and have a helper mark the spot on the wall. Repeat for the other front wheel. These reference points will be used to ensure that the new rack, tie rods and splines that mate to the steering column are installed and adjusted back to where they started.
(5) Remove the Engine cover #2 under neath the rack as well as the the three, right , left and center, under body struts to clear the area underneath the rack. (12mm and 14mm socket reqd.)
(6) Remove a tire and set aside.
(7) To avoid removing the tie rods from the lower ball joint: Carefully measure the distance along the tie rod from the bolt to the groove and write down. I used calipers and measured x.xxx". Now loosen the tie rod lock nut and unscrew the tie rod into two pieces. One end stays on the ball joint and the other end stays on the rack.
(8) Repeat (7) for the opposite side.
(9) Remove the bolt that binds the steering rack to the steering wheel column yoke. Squirt with some penetrating fluid on the splines to help with later removal.
(10) Loosen/remove two brackets attached to the rack that stabilize several fluid lines along the rack. The fluid lines will stay with the car when the rack is removed. (10mm reqd.)
(11) Loosen all four bolts that attach the rack to the frame. Remove three of the four bolts that attach the rack to the frame. Leave the lower, right side bolt loosely in place. I used an impact wrench. You may be stronger than I am, but good luck. (17mm reqd.)
(12) Loosen and remove the two power steering lines located, awkwardly, on the drivers side of the rack and pointing toward the top/front of the car. Be prepared because they will drain fluid. Lexus says the two metal washers and the special washer on the pressure side tubing are not reusable so go to your dealer to purchase. My Lexus dealer only had the special washer in stock. This tells me that it's probably okay to reuse the two metal washers that are on the bolt heads. (17mm reqd.)
(13) Let the tubing and rack drain into something. Take a break.
(14) Use a ball joint removal tool (wedge) and hammer to pry apart the rack gear splines from the steering column splines.
(15) Remove the last bolt holding the rack to the frame. The rack is now free from the car. Whew!
(Option: You can flush your power steering pump and lines easily at this time. Just lay the lines in a catch basin and put a rag over them to stop spattering. Add fluid to the ps reservoir and briefly start the engine. Repeat as long as you want. I didn't think to do this at the time but I wish I had. Now I have to do it the hard way.)
(16) Get new/rebuilt steering rack.
(17) Push rack up into place and loosely fit the bottom bolts. DO NOT ATTACH THE RACK TO THE STEERING COLUMN SPLINES AT THIS TIME.
(18) Attach the power steering pressure and suction tubes using new washers. The manual says to use 35 ft-lbs torque but I chickened out at 30. I'll be watching for leaks.
(19) Reattach one tie rod end to the new rack. Adjust the gap that you recorded in steps 7 or 8.
(20) Reinstall the tire on that side then, as in step 4, place your straight edge and laser level along the side of the tire and adjust the rack steering spline shaft to make the laser hit the same spot as before.
(21) Ensure that the steering wheel is level and then push the rack splines onto the steering wheel shaft yoke while being careful to engage the splines with the yoke without turning either either shaft.
(22) Now the fun begins! I used my ball joint tool to help spread the steering wheel shaft yoke while pushing the rack upwards and towards its final resting place. Mine was quite the shoving/pushing/pullin match but it finally relented. When it's fully engaged you can insert the retaining bolt into the yoke.
(23) Insert the final bolts securing the rack to the frame and tighten them up.
(24) Reattach the two bolts to the tubing retaining brackets removed in step 10.
(25) Attach the second tie rod end and adjust to the length you previously recorded. Don't bother with tightening the lock nut because your will need to adjust the tie rod end.
(26) Install final tire.
(27) Ensure that the first tire is still pointing at the laser mark on your wall that you made earlier and that the steering wheel is still pointing straight and level. Adjust the tie rod end of the tire you mounted in step 25 and make it point it at its corresponding laser mark on the wall.
(28) Reinstall the three underbody struts removed in step 5,
(29) Reinstall the engine cover #2 using the eight screw/bolts (12mm reqd.)
(30) Add power steering fluid and begin bleeding the pump and rack by starting engine and turning slowly from side to side several times. Pause on each end of travel for several seconds. There will be sounds and the steering will not be smooth until the the air is purged.
(31) Remove jack stands and torque up the lug nuts for both front wheels.
(32) Recheck power steering fluid level, look for leaks, and drive car to make sure all feels right.
(33) Return old rack for core charge refund. Use refund to have a great dinner!
I'm going to flush the power steering system to ensure that there's no grit or contamination in the fluid. Contamination is the #1 killer of racks. My old rack had a couple of splits or cuts that were on the top of the bellows. I think this is how contamination got to the rack and ruined the seals. My Sc was a Florida car and sand is everywhere in Florida. By the way, I wouldn't do this job without access to an impact wrench, a wedge ball joint tool. the laser level is optional but well worth the effort.
My goal was to avoid removing the tie rod ends and reinstalling everything retaining the alignment and steering wheel level position.
(1) Loosen the front lug nuts.
(2) Jack up one side of the car at a time and place floor stands underneath each lower suspension arm. I use an the car's emergency jack and a floor jack at the cars front jacking locations as insurance.
(3) Set the steering wheel level and front tires pointing straight ahead.
(4) Use a 2' level (as a straight edge) and a laser level. Place the straight edge up against the side of a front tire. Place the laser along the straight edge and "spot" your garage wall with it. Put a piece of tape on the garage wall and have a helper mark the spot on the wall. Repeat for the other front wheel. These reference points will be used to ensure that the new rack, tie rods and splines that mate to the steering column are installed and adjusted back to where they started.
(5) Remove the Engine cover #2 under neath the rack as well as the the three, right , left and center, under body struts to clear the area underneath the rack. (12mm and 14mm socket reqd.)
(6) Remove a tire and set aside.
(7) To avoid removing the tie rods from the lower ball joint: Carefully measure the distance along the tie rod from the bolt to the groove and write down. I used calipers and measured x.xxx". Now loosen the tie rod lock nut and unscrew the tie rod into two pieces. One end stays on the ball joint and the other end stays on the rack.
(8) Repeat (7) for the opposite side.
(9) Remove the bolt that binds the steering rack to the steering wheel column yoke. Squirt with some penetrating fluid on the splines to help with later removal.
(10) Loosen/remove two brackets attached to the rack that stabilize several fluid lines along the rack. The fluid lines will stay with the car when the rack is removed. (10mm reqd.)
(11) Loosen all four bolts that attach the rack to the frame. Remove three of the four bolts that attach the rack to the frame. Leave the lower, right side bolt loosely in place. I used an impact wrench. You may be stronger than I am, but good luck. (17mm reqd.)
(12) Loosen and remove the two power steering lines located, awkwardly, on the drivers side of the rack and pointing toward the top/front of the car. Be prepared because they will drain fluid. Lexus says the two metal washers and the special washer on the pressure side tubing are not reusable so go to your dealer to purchase. My Lexus dealer only had the special washer in stock. This tells me that it's probably okay to reuse the two metal washers that are on the bolt heads. (17mm reqd.)
(13) Let the tubing and rack drain into something. Take a break.
(14) Use a ball joint removal tool (wedge) and hammer to pry apart the rack gear splines from the steering column splines.
(15) Remove the last bolt holding the rack to the frame. The rack is now free from the car. Whew!
(Option: You can flush your power steering pump and lines easily at this time. Just lay the lines in a catch basin and put a rag over them to stop spattering. Add fluid to the ps reservoir and briefly start the engine. Repeat as long as you want. I didn't think to do this at the time but I wish I had. Now I have to do it the hard way.)
(16) Get new/rebuilt steering rack.
(17) Push rack up into place and loosely fit the bottom bolts. DO NOT ATTACH THE RACK TO THE STEERING COLUMN SPLINES AT THIS TIME.
(18) Attach the power steering pressure and suction tubes using new washers. The manual says to use 35 ft-lbs torque but I chickened out at 30. I'll be watching for leaks.
(19) Reattach one tie rod end to the new rack. Adjust the gap that you recorded in steps 7 or 8.
(20) Reinstall the tire on that side then, as in step 4, place your straight edge and laser level along the side of the tire and adjust the rack steering spline shaft to make the laser hit the same spot as before.
(21) Ensure that the steering wheel is level and then push the rack splines onto the steering wheel shaft yoke while being careful to engage the splines with the yoke without turning either either shaft.
(22) Now the fun begins! I used my ball joint tool to help spread the steering wheel shaft yoke while pushing the rack upwards and towards its final resting place. Mine was quite the shoving/pushing/pullin match but it finally relented. When it's fully engaged you can insert the retaining bolt into the yoke.
(23) Insert the final bolts securing the rack to the frame and tighten them up.
(24) Reattach the two bolts to the tubing retaining brackets removed in step 10.
(25) Attach the second tie rod end and adjust to the length you previously recorded. Don't bother with tightening the lock nut because your will need to adjust the tie rod end.
(26) Install final tire.
(27) Ensure that the first tire is still pointing at the laser mark on your wall that you made earlier and that the steering wheel is still pointing straight and level. Adjust the tie rod end of the tire you mounted in step 25 and make it point it at its corresponding laser mark on the wall.
(28) Reinstall the three underbody struts removed in step 5,
(29) Reinstall the engine cover #2 using the eight screw/bolts (12mm reqd.)
(30) Add power steering fluid and begin bleeding the pump and rack by starting engine and turning slowly from side to side several times. Pause on each end of travel for several seconds. There will be sounds and the steering will not be smooth until the the air is purged.
(31) Remove jack stands and torque up the lug nuts for both front wheels.
(32) Recheck power steering fluid level, look for leaks, and drive car to make sure all feels right.
(33) Return old rack for core charge refund. Use refund to have a great dinner!
I'm going to flush the power steering system to ensure that there's no grit or contamination in the fluid. Contamination is the #1 killer of racks. My old rack had a couple of splits or cuts that were on the top of the bellows. I think this is how contamination got to the rack and ruined the seals. My Sc was a Florida car and sand is everywhere in Florida. By the way, I wouldn't do this job without access to an impact wrench, a wedge ball joint tool. the laser level is optional but well worth the effort.
Last edited by Bon; 11-06-09 at 08:18 PM. Reason: Reality
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