Was trying to track down that ever elusive "bang" in the jeep this weekend and after pulling skid plates & sway bar, I noticed that the rack bushing were shot. There isnt much there. Has anybody else had this issue and replaced them? It doesnt seem like it will be to hard to do, assuming that I can get just the bushings. Anybody know if anybody other than the stealerships carries them? If anybody has any input, it'd be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

On a side note, also notice that the front diff is leaking a bit at the gasket. So looks like i'll be pulling the cover during my 90K overhaul this month. Think I might just do the outer tie rods while I'm at it too. Theres a bit of play in it.

later,
mike

I have a new set of rack bushings,I'll sell them to ya cheap.You need to pull the rack out of the KJ to change them,trust me I have tried,there is now way to get the old ones out and the new ones pressed in while the rack is still in the KJ(took me 7 hours to figure that out).

So how hard is it to take the rack out of the KJ? What did you end up doing? My driver's side rack bushings and inner tie-rod are shot, and I need to do something if I ever want to get an alignment.

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2003 Limited, Silver - L.O.S.T. # 068957 Rockies
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2127390/14
2006 Kawasaki KLR650

Looking at a all day job to R/I the rack.Since I'm doing a SFA swap I didn't worry about it.

Make sure its not your diff's pinion seal leaking before you crack open the diff cover.

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LOST KJ'S
Where are you going???
Current Jeep: 2004 Jeep Liberty
-Atlantic Blue
-Air Ride Rear Suspension ; OME/Rustys Lift ; Powertrax Locker ; Moog Lower Ball-Joints ; 245/70/16 Yokohama Geolander A/T-S's on MOABS ; Flowmaster 50 SUV
Lost #007082
http://www.cardomain.com/id/jeepjeepster

Troy, there's not enough room to get the bolts out? Looks like it will def come out on the drivers side. Exaust might be in the way on the right. Man your bumming me out man. lol. pm sent too

jeepjeepster, i'll check the pinion seal. too before I rip it open. I'll have to get the old oil/ grease off the diff from the dealers crappy oil change. Then I should be able to see where it's coming from better.

thanks for the help.

mike

There is room to get the bolts out,just how the bushings are makes it darn near impossible to get them out/in with the rack still in vehicle.The bushings are a very tight fit in the rack housing with a metal sleave,the bottom of the bushing is flared out along with the metal sleave(like welding a washer on the end of a tube),this part is hidden under the rack where it bolts to the cradle.

So what needs to be done to take the whole rack out? I'm sorry I have to ask, but there is NO manual that I can find that goes that in-depth. I had to replace my diff bracketry recently and my dad found this amazingly comprehensive manual free online, but he forgot to save the URL address and the printed papers he gave me didn't have a URL header. I searched online but found nothing like it. Now I need to replace my inner tie-rods and rack bushings just to get an alignment. No repair ever seems easy!
Next I'll move on to my schizo t-case problems!

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2003 Limited, Silver - L.O.S.T. # 068957 Rockies
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2127390/14
2006 Kawasaki KLR650

Manuals
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=24600

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2005 CRD
stuff
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