Rack and Pinion remove and replace write up

jdumont · **Posted:** Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:03 pm

Brief write up of how I got this done... with a lot of instruction from Troy of course!
This was for my 2002 V6 KJ Limited 4x4 with HD cooling and aux PS fluid cooler.

The reason I did this is because my steering was getting very loose. Hitting bumps would cause the steering wheel to get thrown to the side. Also the front end was "crashing" over sharp bumps very harshly. I jacked up the front end of the KJ and had a lot of left to right play while pulling the tire. Tie rod end and inner tie rods looked fine. Only movement was the inner tie rod shaft where it went into the rack.

Steps do not have to be done exactly as shown but this worked for me. This was one of the messiest jobs I have ever done so lay lots of cardboard down to catch p/s fluid drips.

Also, I was removing the front half shafts and driveshaft at the same time as the steering gear so if I forgot anything below let me know and ill amend.

Josh

1. Ratchet strapped the steering wheel to the seat frame.
2. Disconnect battery
3. Remove fan shroud electric and mechanical fans. Rented spanner from Auto Zone. Not exact size but worked fine. Its for a 5.9 L Ford actually. I didnt have the spanner to hold the pulley in place so i grabbed the outside and inside edges with vise grips. Cut cardboard and block radiator fins to protect while wiggling the old and new rack in place. Keep mechanical fan in upright position so fluid doesnt leak. I read that somewhere and figured it couldnt hurt to do it.
4. Remove serpentine belt
5. Jack up and remove front wheels.
6. Disconnect tie rod ends and remove them from the rack. Measure exposed threads or count turns to get it close on the new rack.
7. Remove the bolt for the passenger side diff mount and let it sag as much as it can.
8. Remove oil filter
9. Disconnect steering shaft from steering gear. Just one pinch bolt. be sure to mark the coupler so you know which end goes up just in case the steering wheel moves somehow.
10. Unbolt the rack from the cradle.
11. Remove the two the hard lines from the bad steering gear. 13mm wrench.
12. Remove the soft p/s fluid lines from the bad rack. 18mm wrench. These were almost frozen on mine. Soak everything in this write up liberally with PB Blaster each day for a few days prior to doing this job.
13. Slide rack out through passenger side wheel well. You'll have to turn the rack so the input shaft faces the radiator. It wont seem like it will come out but it will. I did this myself but with two people to guide the rack out it would have been a lot quicker.
14. Throw old rack across yard triumphantly and yell at the top of your lungs! You'll know why once you get it out....
15. Measure inner tie rods on new rack to make sure its centered. Mine wasn't and I had to turn the input shaft 1/4 turn to align it with the steering shaft coupler. Of course i didnt find this out till it was in the car so do it ahead of time. Notch in input shaft should face the passenger side I believe.
16. Remove hard lines from new rack and cover holes with tape.
17. You may want to tape the boots real heavy with some painters tape or something. I didnt and the boots werent damaged but there is lots of sharp edges where you're stuffing it and you dont wanna damage those!
18. Once its in place carefully remove the tape making sure you get it all and reconnect the hard lines. Dont overtighten.
19. Reconnect the steering shaft before anything else so you can move the rack around to realign easier.
20. Replace oil filter
21. Secure rack to cradle making sure new bushings are inserted from the bottom.
22. Thread on the tie rod ends being sure to duplicate the thread count.
23. Reconnect tie rods to knuckle.
24. Flush P/S system with new fluid.
25. Untether the steering wheel
26. Top off reservoir and bleed system. Turn wheel slowly 1/2 turn each way, not lock to lock. Keep reservoir at correct level while doing this.
27. Get an alignment.

I finished this today and it seems to have cured my problems. The KJ rides beautifully again. Even without the alignment it tracks dead straight and absorbs bumps in the road nicely again with no steering wheel play.

Good luck!

riptricket · **Posted:** Sun Jun 12, 2011 1:53 am

Any trick to installing the new one?
I can't get it to go through the passenger side hole.

ahh help :banghead:

Thanks!

jdumont · **Posted:** Sun Jun 12, 2011 8:19 am

Oh man, its been a while and I'm now in a 99 XJ so I cant even go out and look.... hmmm.

Did you get the old one out through the same spot? I think some part of the suspension had to be loosened in order to raise it up just a c-hair in order to fit the new in....

I remember what a biotch this was! After I got the old one out I threw it as far as I could and let out a mighty CURSE!!! LOL

Let me look through my pics and info and if I find anything ill get back to you!

GOOD LUCK!

joejeeper420 · **Joined:** Thu Jun 17, 2010 12:22 pm **Posts:** 230

GREATEST POST EVER!!! I just have to add one thing that will make this job a piece of cake for anyone...

Mark the alignment shim on the passenger front lower control arm bolt... Remove it... Then remove the forward diff mounting bolt that is in the control arm sleeve... Let the diff droop and the rack goes in and out with EASE! It took about 10 minutes to get it in place and bolted down Once I did this.

jdumont · **Posted:** Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:11 pm

Glad it could be of help! I miss my KJ.... :cry:

Rack and Pinion remove and replace write up

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