evest Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 (edited) Hi all,I'm in the middle of replacing all the suspension bushes with the Superpro PU versions, plus new dampers and springs. The front end is currently stripped of all suspension arms, dampers and springs, plus the steering knuckle, discs, calipers, etc... (doing brake lines too whilst I'm in there). After that I'll do the back end. Although I'm doing all this myself, once everything is back together again I'll take the car to a professional suspension alignment garage to have it all balanced and set up correctly.For now, my next bit of work is to remove the power steering rack to replace the bushes. I'm confident enough with following the factory service manual to remove the rack, and the re-installation also also looks fairly straightforward, presumably as long as I keep the steering wheel in the same place once the rack is off, and then and line up the lower link the same as I found it when it goes back on.Question 1 - Am I missing any gotchas with the power steering rack?Question 2 - Once everything is re-assembled (front/back suspension, brakes, etc), I can test drive the car on relatively private roads (military base). The nearest alignment specialist is 40 miles away, which I plan on driving to slowly and with relative caution... provided the 'test' drive was satisfactory. Would anybody advise against this in favour of having the car towed there?Cheers all Edited June 3, 2015 by evest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Sounds all good to me, however make sure that you lock the steering or you will damage the spiral cable and have all sorts of other issues. Alex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Cheers Alex. I don't think it is locked, but so far I've only disconnected hoses and drained the fluid, will it still lock anyway or do i need to refill? (Hubs and everything off the car too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT4 Zed Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Did not have to remove the steering rack when I did mine. Just loosened all the retaining bolts and bashed out the old rubber bushes and slipped the new ones in by hand with some lube. If you are going this far then it's worth doing the engine and gearbox mounts too! The rear is a b@&tch If you are doing the subframe and my advice will be to strip all the bits of the subframe (diff, rear hubs, arms and brakes) to make it easy to lower and handle. You could make your life easier by using whiteline slip on subframe bushes but I think a full urethane bush is better. I used Energy suspension before going with SPL solid bushes. Superpro did not make these subframe and diff bushes when I did this a few years ago. You will be so happy when this is done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 You will be so happy when this is done. So will Mrs evest so she can see me again!! Not doing the rear subframe - just the dampers/springs and arms. Thanks for the advice about the steering rack - might think again about removal. I'm on the driveway at the moment, so I'll have a go at them in situ but not sure I'll have enough room to operate effectively, otherwise I might just leave them in until I can get it on the ramp. Should at be able to get the insulator bush on there without removing the rack. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 (edited) Job done! Here's a brief write up with some tips for anybody else replacing their power steering gear bushes. (I agree with GT4 Zed that this is possible without completely removing the steering rack, if you have enough room to hammer out the old bushes in situ. They do come out fairly easily, but in my case being on the driveway it was easier for me to take the rack off so as to have enough room to swing a hammer!) I generally just followed the FSM to do this job, which was easier as the rest of the front suspension assembly was already off the car. But rather than securing the steering wheel with string, I just used the steering lock. So for the power steering rack I was left with four bolts that hold it to the car, plus the lower joint that connects the lower shaft of the steering column to the steering gear. Hard parts were one slightly tight mounting bolt and the lower joint. The FSM rather nonchalantly states: "Loosen the bolt on the upper yoke of the lower joint and remove the bolt on the lower yoke of the joint, then slide the lower joint into the lower shaft. Separate the steering gear from the lower shaft". Yeah right... not so easy when it's been on there for 12 years! I had to wedge a chisel in the slot to lever the joint open a little (see pic below), put a gallon of WD40 in it and set about undoing the rest of the steering gear bolts. Supporting most of the weight of the gear on axle stands so as not to damage the joint, with some gentle(ish) tapping and using some of the gear weight, it slowly separated from the lower joint. (Note - it may be necessary to turn the steering wheel in order to rotate the joint and get at it from the right angle. This is fine as long as the steering wheel is locked again before you separate the link.) Finally...! Now to work on the bushes... Old insulator bush: Easy swap: Old mounting bushes: Came out easily using a hammer and socket to drive them out bits of old rubber stuck inside Cleaned up ready for new bushses using some medium and then fine grit sandpaper with lubricant: New bushes push in easily by hand using grease supplied: Cleaned up the joint on the steering gear Everything then reinstalled in reverse order relatively easily (bit of tapping again for the lower link to re-engage) lined up and torqued up correctly, new power steering fluid put it. Will still have to air bleed it a few more times as the fluid is a bit frothy, but that should settle down okay. Job done! Meanwhile I've got a little goody bag from Clarke Motorsport (great service, cheers to Ewen!) to be getting on with... Edited June 3, 2015 by evest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT4 Zed Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 (edited) Good job mate! I always forget to take pics and always feel what's the point as not many will embark on such mods 😜 Looking at this pic it seems you have a very small weeping next the mounts. Mine has got even more gungy since I put the bushes last year but not enough to drip. I suspect there is a seal or gasket of some sort behind that bolt but have not investigated this. Anybody can shed some light? Edited June 3, 2015 by GT4 Zed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Some if that might be the WD40 I sprayed on the bolts. The insides were dry when I pushed the bushes out. Could the gunge you have just be excess new grease working its way out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 As far as I know the steering rack just bolts to the front sub-frame, no other gaskets etc involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPhoboS Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I (Sly) changed my ones for Prothane ones earlier in the year, certainly gives the steering a meaty feel now, I just need more tweaking imminently to the geo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT4 Zed Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 As far as I know the steering rack just bolts to the front sub-frame, no other gaskets etc involved. Not talking about the bushings mounts. Look at the pic and next to them is that large bolt/port. It's look moist as it has attracted loads of muck around there. Mine has become progressively weepy since I installed the bushes and likely has nothing to do with it but I wondered if there is a gasket/seal within this port that could do with changing? In anycase I'll open it up next week when I get ramp time and see. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evest Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Ah yes - I see what you mean now. I cleaned that up as well whilst the rack was off but that bolt/port doesn't appear to be a serviceable item from the FSM. All I can see is an O-ring that goes between the gear sub-assembly and the gear-housing assembly. Just guessing here, but from my pic the muck seems to have collected more at the top than the bottom of it, so it makes me wonder if its a case of moisture and grime collecting in the recesses of the gear sub-assembly above it (also quite mucky) and collecting downwards over time? That port would be a natural dripping point for anything travel downwards from above it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.