Rack and Pinion Writeup (anyone even have 56K anymore??)

Here is my writeup to replacing the rack and pinion as I have been working on all day today. Enjoy.


Replacing your Rack and Pinion

First losing your lug nuts on both front tires and chalk the rear tires. Set your E-Brake and jack up car so you can place jack stands under the driver and passenger door where the body pinch is.

After the vehicle is secure, go ahead and remove both front tires and set aside. Remove your intake (easier to get to boot). Took me both, from top of engine and under the car, to push the rubber boot up just enough to get the bolt out of the steering column. The bolt in the steering column is a 7/16” SAE.



Once that is removed, remove the nut from the tie rod ends on driver and passenger sides. That nut is a 18mm. Take a hammer and use light taps to work it out of the spindle.



Place a jack under the front cradle and remove the bolt on both driver and passenger side holding it to the body. Use the jack to drop cradle about 5”. DO NOT PUT ANY PART OF OUR BODY UNDER THE CRADDLE WHILE BEING HELD BY JACK. IF POSSIBLE USE ANOTHER JACKSTAND UNDER IT.



Next use an 18mm wrench, preferably a tube wrench, to remove the top fluid lines. Place a container to catch any fluid that comes out of them.



Remove the two bolts that are holding the Rack and Pinion on the cross member. These are also 18mm on the bolt/nut sides.




Make sure nothing is in the way and from the drivers side, slide the shaft out through the wheel well and your done, its out!



Install is reverse of removal.

good write up, why would you do a replacement, what happens when it goes bad?

Good write up, but that's one I don't think I would tackle at my somewhat advanced age....

A few things, what happened with mine is the seals blew out of all areas on it and was POURING fluid everywhere. Got under there and yep, had to replace the entire thing!

my gosh man. I dont think that looks like any fun!

Nice Job!

A lil more intense than what I thought you were talkin about. Good write-up and good job.

This is what is in store for me next week. Nice write up.

Its very simple really, just allot of labor and a PITA possition it is in

nice write-up...i may be referring to this in the near future since my powersteering is always loosing fluid...i've yet to track it down my just from intial inspections the driver side lower control arm was pretty covered it some sort of oil...but i do keep loosing powersteering fluid...i have to refill almost every week! how expensive was the rack and pinion?

~Stauffie

It was 185 plus core, so after you take old one out you get your core money back. Thats what was happening to me, then all of a sudden boom, it was POURING out of my rack and pinion, and now my car has NEVER drivin/turned this nicely.


Also I ended up doing my CV joints and throttle body gasket this weekend as well.