Manual

There are two adjustments on the steering gear: support yoke to rack fit and pinion bearing preload. The steering gear must be removed from vehicle to perform both adjustments.

Fig. 1 Support yoke arrangement:

SUPPORT YOKE TO RACK ADJUSTMENT
1. Clean exterior of steering gear.
2. Place steering gear in a soft jawed vise with yoke cover up. Use mounting pad to hold gear.
3. Remove yoke cover, gasket, shims and yoke spring, Fig. 1.
4. Clean housing and flange area.
5. Omitting gasket, shims and spring, reinstall yoke and cover.
6. Tighten cover bolts until cover just touches yoke.
7. Measure gap between cover and housing flange. With gasket included add selected shims (3F518) to give a combined pack thickness of .005---.006 inch greater than measured gap.
8. Remove cover and install gasket, selected shims, spring and cover.
9. Apply sealant a suitable sealant to cover bolt threads, then torque bolts to 15---20 ft. lbs. except on 1982-85 Escort, EXP, Lynx and LN7, or 1984---85 Tempo and Topaz. For Escort, EXP, Lynx, LN7, Tempo and Topaz, torque bolts to 5---8 ft. lbs.
10. Check steering gear for smooth operation with no binding or slackness.

Fig. 2 Pinion bearing cover & shim arrangement:

PINION BEARING PRELOAD ADJUSTMENT
1. Clean exterior of steering gear.
2. Place steering gear in a soft jawed vise with pinion cover up. Use mounting pads to hold gear.
3. Loosen yoke cover bolts to relieve spring tension on rack.
4. Remove pinion cover and clean flange area.
5. Remove spacer and shims, Fig. 2.
6. Install a new gasket and fit shims between upper bearing and spacer until top of spacer is flush with gasket. Check with a straightedge, using light pressure.
7. Add one .005 inch shim, on 1982---83 and early production 1984 models or .002 inch shim on late 1984---85 models to pack to preload bearings. The spacer must be installed next to pinion cover.
8. Install cover and bolts. Tighten bolts to 15---20 ft. lbs., on 1982---83 and early production 1984 models or 12---18 ft. lbs. on later production 1984---85 models.