Rack and Pinion Leak - Damnit

falcn · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2014 5:32 pm

Well my transmission cooler was leaking - added an external one.

Now I find that my passenger side of the rack and pinion is leaking like a sieve when I turn the wheel to the right.

I've seen it mentioned that it is a bear on the CRD to change this out - I'm not sure I can tackle it with the tools I have on hand.

Is there a good how-to on the CRD rack and pinion removal? I could not find one in the CRD Tech section.

I found this on the jeepkj forum - seems to be for the gasser:

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f202/how-st ... ent-48537/

Anyone done a rack and pinion replacement on CRD that has wisdom to impart?

RockAuto has three models of remanufactured racks:
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carco ... ttype,7388
ATSCO Part # 64296
A-1 CARDONE Part # 22389
ACDELCO Part # 36R0329

Is one better than the other?

geordi · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2014 6:58 pm

From what I understand of these, the remanufacturing is all done by the same plant, so even the "genuine" mopar is the same part as the others. Meanwhile, the replacement job should be the same as on the gasser - this isn't a CRD part as much as it is a Jeep part.

falcn · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2014 7:13 pm

geordi wrote:

From what I understand of these, the remanufacturing is all done by the same plant, so even the "genuine" mopar is the same part as the others. Meanwhile, the replacement job should be the same as on the gasser - this isn't a CRD part as much as it is a Jeep part.

Even the ones you pick up from the local auto parts store then? Might save myself some wait time if one of the local places has one.

falcn · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2014 8:43 pm

Well now I am not sure it is the rack leaking - it is coming down in a waterfall now from above the cross member on the passenger side. Boot seems dry on the rack - pump reservoir just ran itself dry.

I have steering lines on order - hopefully....

Can't see above the member at all to know wtf is leaking. sigh.

geordi · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:03 pm

Above the crossmember on the passenger side is the pump itself and that is also where the lines cross forward to the rack. Could be either. The rack runs across the crossmember. You will want to pull the fan and shroud to give yourself the access to at least see what is going on.

Then I would suggest drowning everything in that area with Royal Purple degreaser from the parts store - use it straight, that stuff is amazing. Spray it all down, then add some trans fluid back to the power steering reservoir (it uses the same ATF+4) and see what starts bleeding next.

falcn · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:15 pm

geordi wrote:

Above the crossmember on the passenger side is the pump itself and that is also where the lines cross forward to the rack. Could be either. The rack runs across the crossmember. You will want to pull the fan and shroud to give yourself the access to at least see what is going on.

Then I would suggest drowning everything in that area with Royal Purple degreaser from the parts store - use it straight, that stuff is amazing. Spray it all down, then add some trans fluid back to the power steering reservoir (it uses the same ATF+4) and see what starts bleeding next.

Yeah I guess that is a plan. I took off the skid and tried my best to see/feel what was leaking. The steering lines go over there and the transmission lines...

Fun times...not like I wanted to do anything fun on my weekend!

I really hate how difficult it is to get to anything anymore on vehicles. Sigh.

falcn · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 1:36 pm

Not the rack!!! Wooo. I split a piece of rubber hose and put it around the suspect steering hose section. That way I could isolate that line from other possible leak sources. This showed that the power steerig line is where the leak was emanating.

Now to get the hose off the thing.... erm....

It is the steering hose that goes over the top of the rack and cross member. It is pretty rusted - must have pinholed.

falcn · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 3:55 pm

Holy hell I want to smack me some Jeep engineers.

I had to take off the grille and bumper to get to the steering line bracket under the drivers side light. Grr. Then one of the bolt heads on the cross member that holds the clamps for the hose rounded due to being so rusted. Luckily #2 bolt out extractor worked perfectly (for once).

Just need to undo the filter/surge protector (is that what the big bulb is?) bracket and undo the ends and extract the b*stard and see about repair or....?

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 6:53 pm

It is my fervent wish that ANYONE that seeks a career designing cars... Needs to spend a solid YEAR in a shop learning which end of a wrench goes on the bolt. Only after they have suffered and cursed at their older-and-future colleagues... should they be allowed near a pencil or a CAD system.

VW designers located one of 4 sensors on the body of the transmission... directly underneath the transmission MOUNT. Imagine my glee at discovering that.

I think I invented several new painful things to do to the German designer, should I ever get my hands on him.

falcn · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 7:08 pm

Undid the line at the top of the pump...whew.

Last thing to get is the two lines from the pump/return to reservoir off the front of the steering rack.

This is proving very flipping difficult for me as I can not reach up from underneath to get it, and reaching down from above there is a pulley in the way...

Anyone have any secrets to getting the lines off the steering rack??

The FSM just says (not very helpfully) remove the lines from the steering gear. GEE THANKS!!!

I think I might need stubby line wrenches for this part, which I do not have, only regular length. I am getting desperate enough to just cut the hard lines as close to the rack as possible so I can use a regular socket on them to remove the hoses and devise a way to get them back on later....hmm

Well - looked around on Google and KJ forums and seems I will need an 18mm crowsfoot flare nut wrench :/ which I do not have. Wife is away of course with the other car and I am filthy enough I really dont want to take the motorcycle out.

Well it doesn't matter since every place is closed

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 7:37 pm

falcn wrote:

Holy hell I want to smack me some Jeep engineers.

15" 1/4" extension and a 10mm Matco "pinless" swivel socket,get's those 2 bolts every time with no need to remove anything.Putting them back in is easy to,just use a small magnet inside the swivel to hold the bolt in place.

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 7:51 pm

falcn wrote:

Undid the line at the top of the pump...whew.

Last thing to get is the two lines from the pump/return to reservoir off the front of the steering rack.

This is proving very flipping difficult for me as I can not reach up from underneath to get it, and reaching down from above there is a pulley in the way...

Anyone have any secrets to getting the lines off the steering rack??

The FSM just says (not very helpfully) remove the lines from the steering gear. GEE THANKS!!!

I think I might need stubby line wrenches for this part, which I do not have, only regular length. I am getting desperate enough to just cut the hard lines as close to the rack as possible so I can use a regular socket on them to remove the hoses and devise a way to get them back on later....hmm

Well - looked around on Google and KJ forums and seems I will need an 18mm crowsfoot flare nut wrench :/ which I do not have. Wife is away of course with the other car and I am filthy enough I really dont want to take the motorcycle out.

Power steering pulley and crank pulley are both 10mm nuts. Use a second 10mm socket through one of the "keyholes" at the top to jam against the body of the pump, and the pulley will come right off. Thank GOD that this isn't one of those stupid pressed-on pulleys.

Crankshaft pulley is a bit more tricky. Smack the wrench with a mallet to break the nuts loose, then once they are all out, use a BFS (Big Farking Screwdriver) to slide down behind the pulley on the passenger side and the driver's side, tap them down with the mallet to pop the pulley off the hub. BE THERE TO CATCH IT with your hand, it will want to fall right into the radiator.

Torque to put them back is German: Gudentight, or about 25lb-ft.

falcn · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 8:45 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

falcn wrote:

Holy hell I want to smack me some Jeep engineers.

15" 1/4" extension and a 10mm Matco "pinless" swivel socket,get's those 2 bolts every time with no need to remove anything.Putting them back in is easy to,just use a small magnet inside the swivel to hold the bolt in place.

Hmmm. I fail to see how a swivel with a 10mm nut would fit under there as the fog light housing sits RIGHT on top of the one bolt with no clearance.

Seeing that I dont have a Matco 10mm pinless swivel I will suffer the indignity of removing the bumper and light grille until I get one. That wasn't the hard part though. darn steering gear needs crow feet and don't have any in my tool box. :/

falcn · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2014 8:49 pm

geordi wrote:

Power steering pulley and crank pulley are both 10mm nuts. Use a second 10mm socket through one of the "keyholes" at the top to jam against the body of the pump, and the pulley will come right off. Thank GOD that this isn't one of those stupid pressed-on pulleys.

Crankshaft pulley is a bit more tricky. Smack the wrench with a mallet to break the nuts loose, then once they are all out, use a BFS (Big Farking Screwdriver) to slide down behind the pulley on the passenger side and the driver's side, tap them down with the mallet to pop the pulley off the hub. BE THERE TO CATCH IT with your hand, it will want to fall right into the radiator.

Torque to put them back is German: Gudentight, or about 25lb-ft.

Maybe I am missing something - why would I remove the crank pulley for steering line replacement? Forgive me I am worn out and hot and sweaty and pissed that I didn't get the line off today.

I didn't actually need to remove the PS pump pulley. Finally got the line to swivel properly inside the fitting at the top of the PS pump and it came out. Thanks for the information that is not a press on pulley!!! I was contemplating removing it, but read that if it was press on then it couldn't be reused.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Wish I had a knowledgeable KJ wrencher local

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 11:58 am

I wasn't sure which pulley was in your way - I haven't dealt with a bad steering system in a long while, and I only have the timing belt and top of the engine memorized.

Glad you got it out, I would suggest a liberal cleaning with a rough cloth and some spray lube to get the scale off the threads... It will make the reassembly suck a bit less. Also, get a car wash with underbody wash when they are salting the winter roads! :mrgreen:

jrsavoie · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2014 12:24 pm

I am always generous with anti-seez / never seez when reassembling. ALMOST EVERY BOLT EITHER GETS ANTI SEEZ, kOPR-KOTE or locktite.

I also anti-seez around lines and on the threads of fittings.

I am also a believer of oiling the underside of vehicles. I thought I was the only one til I heard there are businesses that do it.

falcn · **Posted:** Tue Aug 19, 2014 11:17 am

geordi wrote:

I wasn't sure which pulley was in your way - I haven't dealt with a bad steering system in a long while, and I only have the timing belt and top of the engine memorized.

Glad you got it out, I would suggest a liberal cleaning with a rough cloth and some spray lube to get the scale off the threads... It will make the reassembly suck a bit less. Also, get a car wash with underbody wash when they are salting the winter roads! :mrgreen:

I do take the Jeep through the underbody wash frequently in the winter - not frequently enough it seems.

I also am liberal with my anti-seize and zinc sacrificial paint when I am reassembling.

Gokeeper · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2016 9:16 pm

Did the new hose you bought come with the cooler/ anti surge bottle deal? I am not seeing that bottle on any of the parts diagrams. Not sure what its purpose is and doesn't look like the hose can be removed from it? I have a leak in the exact same spot you did.

Thanks

Clay

Rack and Pinion Leak - Damnit

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