Removing steering rack, Help Please (PART 2)
karlak - 8/6/11 at 06:12 PM
Blinkin 'eck.. ME Again !!!
So, I got the rack out of the car and now want to strip it down to just the rack. Not sure what these parts are called that attach to the rack, but I
can't budge them.
From the pictures you can see that the builder of the car has keyed (is this the right term) them to i presume to stop them unscrewing - is this
common practice when building the rack?
Any ideas what I can do about this with pretty standard home workshop tools etc. I really was hoping not to destroy the rack and bits. -- photos below
off to the fridge for a beer..........
Just for info, the reason for removing is that I am having it changed to a 2.7 turn rack.
left side
right side
mookaloid - 8/6/11 at 07:28 PM
They just unscrew mate.
They are a bit stiff at the start to overcome the staking but if you hold the rack in a vice and get a big spanner or stillsons on the ball joint
housing they will come off.
NigeEss - 8/6/11 at 08:03 PM
As the Mook says, but you're are hindered by the rack being off the car. Much easier
when it's bolted to something rigid. Have you a vice (bench, not a habit) ?
karlak - 8/6/11 at 08:13 PM
quote:
Originally posted by NigeEss
As the Mook says, but you're are hindered by the rack being off the car. Much easier
when it's bolted to something rigid. Have you a vice (bench, not a habit) ?
LOL, yes I do have a Bench Vice 
What i was trying to point out on the photos was that the original builder seems to have used a chisel or similar tool to make a "dent"
between the mating faces. The idea being to stop them unscrewing I guess. This is why I think I am having difficulty in releasing them.
Just got to up the effort I guess.
birdii - 9/6/11 at 11:08 AM
I think they are supposed to have pins in the holes which are then peened in. Mine did anyway and am pretty sure thats what the haynes manual
instructs although on your pics it looks like this has been substituted by heavy peening.
A locking method is rerquired as the cups are not that tight otherwise the track rod balls will lock up.
I had to drill the pins out to strip my rack - check all round to make sure that nothing else is holding it.
Dan
tompat3463 - 2/8/11 at 07:13 PM
no pins.. there just punched into place after there tightened on... the bits are called drum sticks... lol...its funny