Steering rack drop! - Maintenance and Repair Forum

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Steering rack drop!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 8:18 AM
OMG, this thing is pissing me off. I have the steering rack unbolted from the subframe. The rack is just hanging from the steering column and will not coming off. Is it just supposed to just pull out? or do I have to force it out? Last time I dropped the subframe the rack came out of the column by it still being attached to the subframe when it dropped.

Any tips on getting this rack out of the column?









~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
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2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
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Re: Steering rack drop!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 8:55 AM
Got it, Matt G hooked me up!!










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 2:45 PM
you didn't drop the subframe? How'd you get it out if you don't mind me asking. I'm curious.




Re: Steering rack drop!
Thursday, May 19, 2011 1:41 PM
Yep unbolted every sub frame bolt and let it hang by the control arms, enough so the rack and pinion just slide out the back of the subframe.

Pissing me off though, I have the new rack in but I can not get the shaft inside of the steering column. I may have to take the subframe completely off so I can manuver the rack withought the subframe being in the way.










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Friday, May 20, 2011 8:52 PM
Yeah I'm dreading the day my rack goes bad. I hope it doesn't, for this exact reason. I don't want to drop the sub frame.

Good luck with it!




Re: Steering rack drop!
Friday, May 20, 2011 8:56 PM
i took the rack off without dropping the subframe but was a pita



Re: Steering rack drop!
Saturday, May 21, 2011 8:15 AM
Did you unbolt the intermediate shaft from the rack? They have a fair bit of play in them and should slide right onto the rack without any issue. If ot pulled apart during disassembly, you may have a fun time trying to get it to line back up.



Re: Steering rack drop!
Saturday, May 21, 2011 6:29 PM
Clyde, are you talking about the 11mm bolt that holds the column to the rack shaft?










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Saturday, May 21, 2011 7:48 PM
There is one bolt holding the intermediate to the rack and another to the bottom of the column.

Now that I think about it, I always removed the intermediate shafts from the car and spread the end apart some before sliding it onto the rack.



Re: Steering rack drop!
Sunday, May 22, 2011 5:06 AM
Ohh, I did not know about that bolt your talking about. I will check that today. Maybe I can take that off and try the way you usually do it.

Thanks










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Sunday, May 22, 2011 5:30 AM
I always drove a large flat blade or a pry bar into the "split" in the end to spread it apart just a little bit. When you tighten the bolt back up it will recompress the end of the shaft.




Re: Steering rack drop!
Sunday, May 22, 2011 5:02 PM
Ok, will try the prybar if I have the room to do it, My auto trans is killing me space wise. I am going to take my charge pipes off at the top and access the column from the top. I think it will be much easier than from the bottom.










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Sunday, May 22, 2011 5:07 PM
Once the intermediate shaft is unbolted from the rack you can usually pull it out the top after unbolting it from the column. Just be sure that the steering wheel does not turn while the intermediate shaft is disconnected on either end. I cant recall ever pulling one out from the bottom, always through the top of the boot inside the car.



Re: Steering rack drop!
Sunday, May 22, 2011 6:00 PM
I find the easiest way to access it is through the drivers side wheel well.



Re: Steering rack drop!
Sunday, May 22, 2011 6:04 PM
Dave, how far is the intermediate shaft going down onto the rack? You can kinda see here on mine how far it should go down.




Re: Steering rack drop!
Sunday, May 22, 2011 8:08 PM
Darren, mine isnt that far down. Its only about halfway. Its like I have to get the damn thing EXACT for it to slide all the way down. I wouldnt be too concerned if it wouldnt make a popping noise when I turned the wheel as it sits now lol.










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 3:52 PM
So is it possible that there are differences in the years for these racks? I tried again today for 4 hours with No luck. The damn intermidiate shaft will not go all the way down on the shaft. I got it on there, but I can not get it all the way down.










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 5:07 PM
How far off from the bolt lining up with the notch in the steering gear shaft is it?




Re: Steering rack drop!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 5:57 PM
Not far off at all, the thing actually slides over the shaft, but only halfway. Its like something on the inside of it is preventing itself from sliding down on the shaft. I am doing all of this with the motor and auto trans inside the bay, I have ZERO room to work in there. Im not sure what else to do other than take the subfram off completely.










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 7:45 PM
It only covers maybe the first inch of the shaft on the rack. They always look like they should go on more but dont. I cant recall ever having one go on most of the way but then stop just short. Very odd. One of those times where I wish I was in teh area for some reason or another. Kinda like when DTP called me about the timing installation.



Re: Steering rack drop!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011 5:21 AM
Haha I remember when Paul called you lol. Yea man its always some quirky thing with my car that stumps me, its rarely anything major. I will try to get Darren to take a closer picture like the one he posted above. I can tell you, mine does not sit that far down like his from what I can see.

I did try to turn the wheel how I have the column on the shaft now, and all you hear and feel is clunking. So I know its not down far enough.










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ

Re: Steering rack drop!
Thursday, May 26, 2011 5:19 AM
mine was a pain in the ass to get back on as well man. i fought with it for a while. eventually i unded the bolt on the top inside the car, so i could just manuallly pus it down where i needed to be then had a friend tighten the bolts on the subrame as i guided it back on inside the car and then tightened that way when i did it one of the times. it is frustrating as heck, my problem was the exact same man. it would go on a little bit, but not enough to bolt up.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sndsgood/ https://www.facebook.com/#!/Square1Photography
Re: Steering rack drop!
Thursday, May 26, 2011 5:35 AM
Jason what bolt are you talking about that you eventually unbolted from the top?

So essentially have someone push the rack up(from the bottom), while I am in the bay pushing the steering column down onto the shaft from the rack to get it lined up right?










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
Re: Steering rack drop!
Thursday, May 26, 2011 9:53 AM
if you unclip the rubber accordian boot on the steering collum that goes to the firewall you will see that the top knuckle attaches to the steering shaft the same as the bottom, there is a 4 sided bolt that you undo and the knuckle will come off the shaft, we ended up taking the knuckle off, attaching it to the rack, and then tightening the rack up as we inserted the knuckle on the steering collum. somewhat backwards but it worked.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sndsgood/ https://www.facebook.com/#!/Square1Photography
Re: Steering rack drop!
Thursday, May 26, 2011 12:20 PM
ohhhh ok, im here working on the car now and that makes sense. Thanks










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ
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