J
OCCUPY LoD :)
So....I hadn't driven my Tan car for almost 3 weeks (broke right before Carlisle trip) so I was having withdrawals! I had posted a couple of times in different threads about the leak and also asked Jeremi if the rack was original. Jeremi said he replaced it with a NEW Ford one back in 2006 when he rebuilt everything on the front so I figured I'd better fix the leak VS. replace it with a reman one.
Ordered this kit from RockAuto.....and waited a week for it to get here then got to work.
Keep in mind that I've never done a repair like this and all I had was these pictures from AllData......
So, jacked up the front and Duke and I got to work!
Here is the leak...on both sides.
Passenger side is where I noticed the leak started so that's the side I figured was bad. Cut off the clamp on the big end and pinched off the small end to slide the boot down the tie rod.
This exposed the inner tie rod end and large hex nut. Using a large cresent wrench I loosed the nut in a normal fashion (lefty loosey) by proping my foot against the k-member and pulling towards me without smashing my hand. Then you swing the tie rod out and over the strut rod and let it hang into an oil pan to drain.
This exposed a large tube with the steering rack "gear" protruding. Inside I could see a large snap ring. The trick is to leave the other wheel on the vehicle and I turned the wheel all the way to the left with my hands. This brought the gear almost flush with the snap ring.
Using snap ring plyers I removed the snap ring.
Next I was thinking....how am I going to get that thing out considering its totally smooth and flush?? Then I got the idea....how about I just jockey the driverside wheel back and forth and kinda shimmy it out? Sure enough, no springs or anything crazy came flying out...just LOTS of fluid, luckily my pan was already there, haha. So basically, I just moved the wheel all the way left (to the bump stop) and then wiggled it back and forth while monitoring how far the little seal holder came out of the tube. Once it gets part of the way out, I just turned the wheel to the right and then I could grab it with my hand.
Front side....you can see a copper thrust bearing or similar to what you see inside a tail shaft housing on a transmission.
Back side....you can see the basic fluid seal. There was no obvious tears....I think it just failed from lack of driving for 2 years (THANKS ERIC!
)
Lightly clamped it into a vice with a towel and used a screw driver and hammer to tap it out. One small (REALLY small) hit with the hammer and it came right out.
Flipped it over and tapped in the new seal and put it all back together. Pinched on the new clamp with some special wire cutters I had and then smashed the clamp flat with a hammer.
Then I went to the other side to replace that seal.....
There IS NO seal on the other side...gah! "OH NO!" I was thinking...."I gotta take this whole damn thing apart!?" I thought about the entire leak and when it started. Here is the conclusion I came to. The seal went bad on the passenger side and leaked into the boot. Then the boot filled up completely and the fluid went through the air bypass tube and into the driver side boot. Then that side started leaking too but it was only because the fluid transferred sides. Atleast that's what I had hoped......
Topped off the fluid and cycled the steering back and forth several times. Put the wheels back on and lowered it down. Let it warm up and took it for a drive. LEAK FIXED!
Took me about an hour and a half, $30 bucks, and 3 weeks of dreading buying and replacing an entire steering rack but I'm happy I tackled this vs. biting the bullet. Now I can say that I tried and concurred.
Ordered this kit from RockAuto.....and waited a week for it to get here then got to work.
Keep in mind that I've never done a repair like this and all I had was these pictures from AllData......
So, jacked up the front and Duke and I got to work!
Here is the leak...on both sides.
Passenger side is where I noticed the leak started so that's the side I figured was bad. Cut off the clamp on the big end and pinched off the small end to slide the boot down the tie rod.
This exposed the inner tie rod end and large hex nut. Using a large cresent wrench I loosed the nut in a normal fashion (lefty loosey) by proping my foot against the k-member and pulling towards me without smashing my hand. Then you swing the tie rod out and over the strut rod and let it hang into an oil pan to drain.
This exposed a large tube with the steering rack "gear" protruding. Inside I could see a large snap ring. The trick is to leave the other wheel on the vehicle and I turned the wheel all the way to the left with my hands. This brought the gear almost flush with the snap ring.
Using snap ring plyers I removed the snap ring.
Next I was thinking....how am I going to get that thing out considering its totally smooth and flush?? Then I got the idea....how about I just jockey the driverside wheel back and forth and kinda shimmy it out? Sure enough, no springs or anything crazy came flying out...just LOTS of fluid, luckily my pan was already there, haha. So basically, I just moved the wheel all the way left (to the bump stop) and then wiggled it back and forth while monitoring how far the little seal holder came out of the tube. Once it gets part of the way out, I just turned the wheel to the right and then I could grab it with my hand.
Front side....you can see a copper thrust bearing or similar to what you see inside a tail shaft housing on a transmission.
Back side....you can see the basic fluid seal. There was no obvious tears....I think it just failed from lack of driving for 2 years (THANKS ERIC!
)
Lightly clamped it into a vice with a towel and used a screw driver and hammer to tap it out. One small (REALLY small) hit with the hammer and it came right out.
Flipped it over and tapped in the new seal and put it all back together. Pinched on the new clamp with some special wire cutters I had and then smashed the clamp flat with a hammer.
Then I went to the other side to replace that seal.....
There IS NO seal on the other side...gah! "OH NO!" I was thinking...."I gotta take this whole damn thing apart!?" I thought about the entire leak and when it started. Here is the conclusion I came to. The seal went bad on the passenger side and leaked into the boot. Then the boot filled up completely and the fluid went through the air bypass tube and into the driver side boot. Then that side started leaking too but it was only because the fluid transferred sides. Atleast that's what I had hoped......
Topped off the fluid and cycled the steering back and forth several times. Put the wheels back on and lowered it down. Let it warm up and took it for a drive. LEAK FIXED!
Took me about an hour and a half, $30 bucks, and 3 weeks of dreading buying and replacing an entire steering rack but I'm happy I tackled this vs. biting the bullet. Now I can say that I tried and concurred.
