Tweet
Finally got around to changing the rack today....
Changed rack for a recon unit from Milners that comes with new rack ends, gaiters, and poly bush kit.
Brief run down of what I did that may hopefully be of use to someone in future. No pics unfortunately as it was damn cold & I was short of daylight.
Tools required
Jack
Axle stands
Torque wrench or long bar
12mm, 22mm & 29mm sockets with extension
Insulation tape
22mm open end spanner (think it was 22mm)
12mm open end spanner
hammer
brass drift bar for moving bush sleeves
small tyre lever
assortment of small blunt chisels used for removing column clamp from rack
grease for bushes
Copper grease for anything you may want to remove at any point in future.
1 litre PAS fluid
With truck on the ground, slacken off bolts holding steering rack to truck, these are tight and I did not feel comfortable using force required with truck on stands. Slacken off wheel nuts and raise front corners, remove wheels and remove rear bash plate.
Crack lock nuts on track rod (22mm) and put a good binding of tape on the wheel side of nut to make sure it stays put (this should just about keep tracking setting).
Wind rack end joint off track rod with open end spanner (22mm) on both sides, this leaves track rod end attached to hub and avoids need to split joint.
Crack bolts at rag joint on steering column (12mm).
Remove securing bolt that holds PAS pipes on to D bush (12mm) bracket then crack and remove fluid pipes from top of rack and drain fluid into suitable container.
Remove two bolts that secure rack to truck on passenger side at top and bottom of D bush (19mm socket with upper requiring extension) then remove middle retaining nut and bolt then remove bolt from drivers side mounting point both need 22mm socket. Next remove nuts & bolts from rag joint.
Ease rack away from truck, this required some persuasion to get free, remove rack.
I had to put the rack into a vice to remove clamp at the bottom of the steering column due to it being a bit corroded.
Put the clamp on to the new rack, fit the bushes and loosely put the new rack in place, centre the steering wheel and check clamp is in correct position to have column line up with rag joint with steering centred. Fasten the clamps up and re fasten the rag joint in the column. New rack requires some wiggling to get into position. Note, the orange bushes from Milners make things much more difficult that the super pros bought from Roughtrax hence I refitted my fairly new SP bushes back into the new rack and forgot about the new Milners set after much cursing and faffing about trying to get rack mounts lined up.
Next I refitted the D bush mount, attached PAS pipes to rack, secured pipes to D bush mount then nipped other two mounting bolts (middle & drivers side).
After that I refitted the track rods into the rack ends on both sides, refilled PAS reservoir, started the engine and worked the steering wheel from side to side for a good 20 mins until most of the air was expelled from system and topped up as required. With air in the system there were stiff and slack points as I turned the wheel, once fluid became clear and bubble free steering tension was even from lock to lock.
Put wheels back on and drop truck off stands, tighten all rack mounts and recheck tension on everything removed, refit bash plate and that is job done.
Whole thing took about 5 hours and there is probably a better and more logical way to do this but the above got the job done and the tracking doesn't seem too far out after a quick drive.
I did this with assistance and under the supervision of someone far more competent than me but having done it I would attempt it again alone if required. Nothing too tricky but obviously, if in any doubt pay someone to do it for you.
Only thing I think I have messed up is turning the steering wheel too far whilst rag joint was split, this seems to have done something to the air bag sensor as the warning light is now permanently on and the horn is not working. Hopefully will get this sorted tomorrow and will make a note here of the issue once resolved.
Cheers
Ben
Changed rack for a recon unit from Milners that comes with new rack ends, gaiters, and poly bush kit.
Brief run down of what I did that may hopefully be of use to someone in future. No pics unfortunately as it was damn cold & I was short of daylight.
Tools required
Jack
Axle stands
Torque wrench or long bar
12mm, 22mm & 29mm sockets with extension
Insulation tape
22mm open end spanner (think it was 22mm)
12mm open end spanner
hammer
brass drift bar for moving bush sleeves
small tyre lever
assortment of small blunt chisels used for removing column clamp from rack
grease for bushes
Copper grease for anything you may want to remove at any point in future.
1 litre PAS fluid
With truck on the ground, slacken off bolts holding steering rack to truck, these are tight and I did not feel comfortable using force required with truck on stands. Slacken off wheel nuts and raise front corners, remove wheels and remove rear bash plate.
Crack lock nuts on track rod (22mm) and put a good binding of tape on the wheel side of nut to make sure it stays put (this should just about keep tracking setting).
Wind rack end joint off track rod with open end spanner (22mm) on both sides, this leaves track rod end attached to hub and avoids need to split joint.
Crack bolts at rag joint on steering column (12mm).
Remove securing bolt that holds PAS pipes on to D bush (12mm) bracket then crack and remove fluid pipes from top of rack and drain fluid into suitable container.
Remove two bolts that secure rack to truck on passenger side at top and bottom of D bush (19mm socket with upper requiring extension) then remove middle retaining nut and bolt then remove bolt from drivers side mounting point both need 22mm socket. Next remove nuts & bolts from rag joint.
Ease rack away from truck, this required some persuasion to get free, remove rack.
I had to put the rack into a vice to remove clamp at the bottom of the steering column due to it being a bit corroded.
Put the clamp on to the new rack, fit the bushes and loosely put the new rack in place, centre the steering wheel and check clamp is in correct position to have column line up with rag joint with steering centred. Fasten the clamps up and re fasten the rag joint in the column. New rack requires some wiggling to get into position. Note, the orange bushes from Milners make things much more difficult that the super pros bought from Roughtrax hence I refitted my fairly new SP bushes back into the new rack and forgot about the new Milners set after much cursing and faffing about trying to get rack mounts lined up.
Next I refitted the D bush mount, attached PAS pipes to rack, secured pipes to D bush mount then nipped other two mounting bolts (middle & drivers side).
After that I refitted the track rods into the rack ends on both sides, refilled PAS reservoir, started the engine and worked the steering wheel from side to side for a good 20 mins until most of the air was expelled from system and topped up as required. With air in the system there were stiff and slack points as I turned the wheel, once fluid became clear and bubble free steering tension was even from lock to lock.
Put wheels back on and drop truck off stands, tighten all rack mounts and recheck tension on everything removed, refit bash plate and that is job done.
Whole thing took about 5 hours and there is probably a better and more logical way to do this but the above got the job done and the tracking doesn't seem too far out after a quick drive.
I did this with assistance and under the supervision of someone far more competent than me but having done it I would attempt it again alone if required. Nothing too tricky but obviously, if in any doubt pay someone to do it for you.
Only thing I think I have messed up is turning the steering wheel too far whilst rag joint was split, this seems to have done something to the air bag sensor as the warning light is now permanently on and the horn is not working. Hopefully will get this sorted tomorrow and will make a note here of the issue once resolved.
Cheers
Ben