Steering Gear: Testing and Inspection

1. Carefully clamp the gearbox in a vise with soft jaws.





2. Remove the boot bands.





3. Pull the boots away from the ends of the gearbox, then unbend the tie-rod lock washers.
4. Hold the rack with a wrench, and unscrew the tie rods with another wrench.
5. Preload inspection as follows:





a. Slide the steering rack in the cylinder until the end of the rack projects 60 mm (2.4 inches) from the cylinder end. Inspection is made near this rack position.





b. Install the special tool on the pinion shaft and check the preload with a spring scale. If the preload is out of the specification, adjust the rack guide. Preload 29 N (6.6 lbs.) maximum





6. Screw each rack end into the rack while holding the lock washer so its tabs are in the slots in the rack end.

NOTE: Install the stop washer with the chamfered side facing out.





7. Tighten the rack end securely, then bend the lock washer back against the flat on the flange as shown.





8. Install the boots on the rack end with the tube clamps.

NOTE: Coat the rack end and inside of the boot with the grease. Before installing the boot, be sure that the pressure inside of the boot is the atmospheric pressure. Install the boot band with the rack in the straight ahead condition (right and left tie-rods are equal in length).





9. Install the new boot bands on the boot, and bend both sets of locking tabs. Lightly tap on the doubled portions to reduce their height.

NOTE: After assembling, slide the rack right and led to be certain that the boots are not deformed or twisted.





10. If the tie-rod ends were removed, install the tie-rods on the right and led rack ends and screw them in until the threaded section is 11 mm (7/16 inch) in length.
11. Install the gearbox and the front crossbeam in the reverse order removal.
12. Check the wheel alignment and adjust if necessary.