PS U-joint

[Pro3racer]

I'm replacing my power steering rack, and i can't seem to get the spline back into the coupler on the steering column. Is there any special way of doing it, its already hard due to the lack of space, and i have the passenger side mount already bolted up. Thanks for the help

 

[DSM90AWD]

Yes that is one PITA job

Make sure that the set screw on the coupler is fully losened and maybe even pry it apart a bit with a screwdriver. A little grease on the splines doesn't hurt either.

If you have an extra jack can lift it into position and pull it together from above (much easier if have no A/C) and then just tighten the set-screw.

BTW.. make sure the steering wheel is perfectly straight and the rack is in the middle of it's travel prior to install or you'll get to do this multiple times like I did

 

[Pro3racer]

Well, i screw for the coupler isn't even in there, and it is greased, i might try the jack thing though, except that the lines running under the rack would get in the way, i don't want to break those. My steering wheel is straight, and my wheels are kind of straight, i'm using an AWD rack for my non-turbo, and for some reason, the tie-rods are adjusted alot shorter, so i will need to do some alignment.

 

[DirtyBirdRacing]

I apologize for bring this thread back from the dead, but did you ever find a solution to your problem? I ran into this same problem with a manual rack install on my 1g today. I took it "apart" twice to make sure that I had the splines engaged properly. When I took it apart the second time, the splines on the steering rack were fine but the splines on the steering column U-Joint looked to be messed up. Almost as if the steering rack pinoin was cutting new splines into the U-Joint. I thought this was real wierd so I stopped, haha. Should I be looking for a new steering column universal joint?

Thanks,
Bill