Steering Gear: Service and Repair

Fig. 11 Power rack & pinion steering gear removal:

1. Disconnect battery ground cable.
2. Remove lefthand sound insulator.
3. From under instrument panel, pull downward on steering column seal, then remove upper pinch bolt from flexible coupling.
4. Remove air cleaner, then remove windshield washer reservoir attaching screws and position reservoir aside.
5. Raise and support front of vehicle, then remove both front wheel and tire assemblies.
6. Disconnect tie rods from struts using tool No. J24319-01, then lower vehicle.
7. Remove steering gear mounting clamps, Fig. 14.
8. Move steering gear assembly slightly forward, then remove lower pinch bolt from flexible coupling and detach coupling from steering gear stub shaft.
9. Remove dash panel seal from steering gear.
10. Raise and support front of vehicle, then remove splash shield from left inner fender.
11. Place lefthand knuckle and hub assembly in the full left turn position, then remove steering gear through access hole in left hand inner fender.
12. Reverse procedure to install. If steering gear mounting clamp studs have backed out during removal, install double nuts on stud and torque stud to 15 ft. lbs. Torque coupling to stub shaft pinch bolt to 29 ft. lbs. and coupling to steering column shaft pinch bolt to 30 ft. lbs. Torque steering gear mounting clamp attaching nuts to 28 ft. lbs. Torque tie rod to strut attaching nuts to 35 ft. lbs. The tie rod to strut attaching nuts can be tightened up to an additional 1/6 turn to allow installation of cotter pin.