steering rack install issue

[glowryder]

I am having an issue where i just intalled my rack, but i cannot get the steering column collar to go down all the way on the pinon / rack shaft... its on jack stands.. could that be the issue?

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

 

[rlacasse1]

Is the collar keyed. Every car I've ever replaced a rack in has been. But I don't know if a DSM is. I've never pulled a rack out of one. I would check that and if there is get it lined up.

I guess I should say they aren't really keyed. It's more like a missing spline. If that makes sense. And the collar matches it.

 

[glowryder]

its splined. are you suggesting, that the collar is missing a spline notch? the pinion, that has the male end of the spline, seems like it has all the notches and they are equaly spaced.. but ill check it out to verify.

it goes into the collar about half way.. but i cant get it on all the way

 

[rlacasse1]

Yeah. Like the collar will have one spline valley filled in and the rack will have a missing spline, so it's keyed in a way. Possibly.

And other than that you may have to just use a little force to get it.

 

[Agent Ezzard]

I am havin the same issue. Was this ever resolved?

 

[99gst_racer]

I had the same problem the first time I reinstalled a rack on my car. The solution is to loosen the bolts for the steering column about half way. That will give enough play in the column/shaft to allow the u-joint to slide right on.

 

[gprix1]

I actually just went throught this very thing the other day doing my aluminum subframe bushings.
What happened was the splines were lined up but it was every so slightly cocked crooked going in and at a certain point it just wouldn't go any more. When you get it right, it will go in very easy. Here's how I fixed it:
* Loosen the 2 passenger-side power steering bolts to where they are holding by 4-5 threads.
* Next while holding the rack with one hand, completely (yes, completely) remove the drivers side bolts.
* Now, lower the rack from the u-joint. The u-joint will fall back away toward the firewall.
* Holding the rack with one hand reach up over the subframe next to the AC compressor and get ahold of the u-joint at the same time with your other hand.
* Now raise the rack into the u-joint. You may have to wiggle the rack and u-joint a bit but when you get it the spline will just suddenly slip all the way in real easy.
* Keep pushing up on the rack to keep the spline in and slide yourself into position to tighen the drivers side rack bolts in.
* Tighten all the rack bolts while holding the rack up.
* Insert the pinch bolt to clamp the spline and your done.

 

[theoutlaw82]

I just went through this about 2 weeks ago. Take a pry bar or screw driver and stick it in the slot where the collar is split and pry that apart just a little. You shouldn't have to drop the rack to do this. I went in through the driver fenderwell witha long pry bar, stuck it in the slot and twisted it to make the gap a little bigger. Don't overdo it though.

 

[gprix1]

I had the same problem the first time I reinstalled a rack on my car. The solution is to loosen the bolts for the steering column about half way. That will give enough play in the column/shaft to allow the u-joint to slide right on.

I didn't try that with mine. Might be an easier way to go about it.

 

[99gst_racer]

I didn't try that with mine. Might be an easier way to go about it.

It's good to know there's more than one way to do it. With my method, it took about 10 minutes to loosed the column bolts, install the u-joint, and retighten the column bolts. And all without getting under the car.

 

[TSiAWD666]

Anyone of you steering rack experts fudge with the pinion torque adjustment? I'm trying to solve a dead zone issue in my steering rack and from the FSM that's the only adjustment there is, but it's unclear on just what that does or if it's accessible without pulling the subframe down and rack to get room for a wrench. I looked up there once (half-assed admittedly as I was busy with something else at the time) and couldn't see where that adjustment even was.

Sorry for the thread hijack but seems the question was answered, and we appear to have a handful of folks familar with the 2g turbo steering rack here. Feel free to PM answers to these questions if anyone can clue me in.

 

[3kgt2nv]

i used a light coat of anti sieze to help the splines slide together when i installed my manual rack. it did take a little bit of wiggling of the yoke to get the splines to align properly. once aligned it slipped on very easy though.

 

[Agent Ezzard]

Thanks fellas I'll try some of these ideas out.

 

[Agent Ezzard]

Just an update on this: What I did was loosen the 4 bolts under the dash holding the steering column down. That gave me the extra 1/2" I needed to thread the bolt through the knuckle.

 

[kyler021]

Sorry to revive an old thread but any other ideas guys? I'm stuck. I've tried all the different ways on this forum and nothing.

Is there anything else that could be causing this? Subframe bushings just got replaced with aluminum ones, and I converted to a manual rack. Subframe is torqued, steering column bolts are loose and I can't seem to get it to go all the way on. I've tried with one person pushing on the steering column while I try to wiggle on the sleeve and it just seems like it doesn't want to reach all the way.

Should I try loosening the very top bolts on the column too? And not just the bottom ones? I'm desperate here