Hi Gang,

I've got the entire front end off the car but the rack doesn't want to budge. I've loosened the knuckle under the dash etc... any tricks? I'd like to take it out to refinish it, the pan and install the Turbo Tie rods.

Any help would be appreciated...

Have you taken the gas tank out?
Look under it. There's a connection there.
Paul

Everything is out... this thing's a shell right now.

And you undid the u-clamp that is in the gas tank compartment?

So what's not budging?

Yupper... I can pull on it but it feels like a rubbery hold up. No hard clanking or anything. Seriously stuck.

Time for the BFH

(not really)

Paul

Use a bigger hammer

DO NOT get under and pull. It is HEAVY! (Wonder why I know?) Work it from the sides.

Fucking genius... Stop sawing on that jungle drum and get your ass over here and help me!

We have a DDS on the board

So what was holding yours up?

Is the master cyl removed or in the way?

Maybe pics of where you are would help!!!

And I assume you undid (loosened and separated) the u-joints from the steering column shaft to the steering rack?

Oh, you've just been waiting to use that picture thingy haven't you? You mean I have to get off my ass... it's so comfy here in my big ole computer chair.

And yup... I loosened and removed the u joints down there. I'll see if I can take any pics that actually "mean" something...

Thanks!

OK...

Karl, thanks for prodding me to take the pics. It forced me to tackle it one more time. It's out (with no help from Stitch... probably why it didn't take too long! HA)

The joint under the dash was the culprit. It was totally undone and loose. It was just binding there. I reached under the dash and tapped it with my pry bar (honest... I just tapped it) and "clunk" the rack hit the floor.

No pictures on this thread. I'll post another showing the dismantle and the Turbo Tie Rod install.

Couple of ?'s:

1. What have you guys done to tighten the Turbo Tie Rods. Looks like a thin 31mm. Should I just grab an el'cheapo and grind it down?

2. Anything I should do to this rack while it's out? Part of me wants to dig in and relube it etc... but prior sources say not to touch it.

??

Thanks!

E. (I'm actually doing something today!)

P.S. Karl... gotta love the glass bead blasting cabinets huh?

I just did this. It is VERY easy with the rack out of the car.

Use a molybdenum based synthetic grease in the rack housing. Take the grease covers caps off and clean out any old grease. Add the new grease. Turn the rack to both extremes and it will pull some of the grease in the rack. Add some more. Repeat as necessary.

Also, when the rack is rotated to each extreme, add some grease on the part of the rack that is exposed and then rotate it the opposite way. Be sure to reseal the grease cover caps on the rack. There is a paper seal you can get, or just use some type of sealant like loctite, otherwise your grease may leak out over time.

I also cleaned the mating surfaces of the grease cover caps really well before reinstalling and resealing.

In regards to the tie rods, I rotate the old tie rod until it was 90 degrees to the rack and use the tie rod itself as leverage to unscrew itself from the rack. The circular pieces that held the old boot on came along with the tie rods and then easily unscrewed off of the old tie rod.

Be sure to note that you use the new spacers in the tie rod kit and not the old round pieces from the stock setup.

Also, the end of the boot needs to be pulled tight so that the end locks into the groove on the rubber piece in the middle of the new tie rod. I have seen some people think it is supposed to fit in there and ziptie it down, not realizing that you have to stretch the tiny hole at the end to fit around the rubber cap.

Thanks Karl...

Already figured out the 90 deg. lever thing. I have a set on my 911 so I saw the rubber thang as well. I'll start cleaning and lubing and throw'er back together.

Film at 11:00

E.

Its a 32mm x 4-5 mm thick.

Oh... scrub the rack clean with Castrol Purple and a wire brush.

Anything that is baked on can come off with MEK solvent.

It will help make it nice and clean and shiny...

Karl, you should be ashamed. Look at these spots of dirt!

I am sorry.

I will rebeadblast it or find a new one.

I will do better next time.