With Manual Steering

Fig. 7, Disassembled View Of Manual Steering Gear (RX-7):

1. Before assembly, the following components should be coated or packed with lithium base grease or equivalent:
a. Lower bearing.
b. Pinion teeth and upper bearing.
c. Gear housing interior.
d. Lip of oil seal.
e. Pressure pad sliding and rear surfaces.
f. Rack gear and outer surface of rack shaft.
g. Housing rack bushing inner surface.
h. Tie rod ball joint.
i. Inside of both boots.

2. Install gear housing, then the rack bushing, Fig. 7.
3. Carefully install rack in opposite direction of removal.
4. Slide pinion into housing.
5. Apply suitable sealant to rear cover, then install the cover with oil seal.
6. Slide rack into housing until it clears bushing at opposite end of housing.
7. Rotate pinion in both directions to ensure proper seating.
8. Tighten rear cover and adjust as necessary to provide pinion preload of approximately 7.1 ounces. Measure pinion preload using adapter tool No. 49 0180 510B or equivalent and a suitable spring scale.
9. Install locknut and torque to 29 - 43 ft.lb., then recheck pinion preload and adjust as necessary to 3.5 - 10.6 ounces.
10. Install pinion dust cover.
11. Move rack to position pinion in center of rack gear.
12. Apply suitable sealant to adjust cover threads, then install pressure pad, spring, yoke sheet, adjust cover and locknut.
13. Tighten adjust cover and adjust as necessary to provide less than .0031 inch total movement of the rack, as measured with dial indicator.
14. Torque locknut to 29 - 43 ft.lb., then recheck rack movement and adjust if necessary.
15. Measure pinion preload as previously described. Preload should measure 35 - 53 ounces when pinion is positioned with 90° of neutral position in either direction and less than 45.9 ounces in any other position.
16. Secure rack gear in vise, then install tie rods and torque to 58 - 80 ft.lb. Install new spring pins.
17. Install boots, wrapping a new wire around boot twice and twisting off four times.
18. Install boot clamps and ensure boots are not twisted or otherwise deformed. Ensure rubber spacer is properly installed on righthand boot.
19. Install tie rod ends, referring to alignment marks made during disassembly. Tie rod ends should be installed so approximately 0.47 inch of threads remain exposed.