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Ok, first thing is first. this is a two (2) person job...for the do it yourselfer. This will take 3-5hrs depending on how skilled the person is... 1. Disconnect the battery(saftey first) 2. Take off your intake system, or stock airbox(for more room) 3. Remove the master cylinder sensor connector on the side of the resivoir 4. Remove the master cyclinder(two (2) 15mm nylon lock nuts), and place in area that stock airbox sat. TIP: with these items away from this area, it is a good time to spray PB Blaster down onto the two (2) feed lines for the rack...if you look down from your brake booster towards the down pipe..you will see these lines. spray them generously...as you dont know how much road grime faired its way on them...this helps you out later on) 5. Take front wishbones off the mounts and securely rock and lock engine in the forward position. 6. Set your emergency brake, or put chocks under the rear tires, and then jack up the front of the car and support it with jackstands. 7. Remove BOTH front wheels. 8. Remove sway bar mounts, and loosen up the sway bar endlinks from the strut assemblies. 9. From the drivers side wheel well, you will see the Rack and Pinion steering "box" so to speek where the rubber boot comes down over it. if you lift up on the boot you will see the steering shaft itself. with the steering wheel straight, and or locked straight. the steering knuckle bolt should face the wheel well. take an 11mm socket with plenty of extensions and take that bolt out completely and set in a safe place. 10. Take a pry bar, or a long flat head screw driver and gently pry from the base of the steering shaft up..so the shaft slides off the rack's 'steering knuckle'.....and set off away from the rack. 11. Ok, now that you have come this far..you are almost done.... pat yourself on the back. 12. Now take your outter tie rod ends off. OEM is just a 18mm nylon lockin nut, aftermarket you will have a cotter pin, as well as a castle 18mm locking nut. if your tie rod end is stuck into the spindle....screw the nut back on the end of the tie rod end...and tap it with a hammer so it will pop out, or hit the spindle where the tie rod is connected. this should break it free. 13. Time to get your back dirty... witht he car fully resting on jackstands get under the car. at the back of the cradle(toward the firewall) you will see two (2) bolts where the rack is being held onto the cradle. on the drivers side it is being held on by a 18mm bolt, and a 18mm nut. witht he sway bar completely loose..you can manuever it away from the end of the bolt. on the passenger side you will notice it being held on by a 15mm but, and a 16mm bolt(dont ask me why this side has different sizes). go ahead and take the nuts off these bolts....but if you are lazy...you can take them all the way out. 14. NOW...get back up to the top. while looking down under your brake booster..you will see the shifter for the automatic transmission. this will need to be taken off to get at the two (2) lines going to the "steering box" side of the Rack. it is only held on by 1 nut, which should be a 15mm. Tip: before you continue on, please have an oil drain container under your steering shaft area of the car....next step does get a bit messy. 15. Now, back to the power steering lines (from the 1st quick tip above) I hope you have long flexible arms, and an 18mm wrench. if you shine your flashlight down towards where the steering shaft attached..you will see two (2) thick lines...reach your hand down in there and loosen up the closest fitting. all you need to do is have it initially break free....then you are able to unscrw it by fingers. then pull that line out of the rack, and carefully set it aside(note these lines are metal at this area and will bend and break..take your time). now do the same for the other side. the second you pull out the first line...power steering fluid will leak out..this is where the oil drain container comes into play. 16. If you hadnt already been lazy, and pulled the rack bolts out..you may do so at this time....now that all of the fluid has leaked out. 17. Now back under the car, at the Drivers side of the rack, you will see a electrical connector...follow it up and disconnect it. now on the back of the rack under the car....the lines come down in a "U" shape. there was a wire tie around the top lines(passenger side) holding it into a plastic clip on the back of the rack. cut this wire tie, and GENTLY pull the line out of the plastic holder. now that this is done..the next step is where a 2nd person helps out. 18. With one person on the passenger side of the car, and the other on the drivers side. slide the entire Rack and pinion assembly out on the DRIVERS side. you will need to slide if initially off the mounts...then turn it COUNTER clockwise (try...it will do it..you just have to be patient) to slide the "steerng box" through the little section of wheel well. the rest will slide right out. 19. Take a breather, go get something to drink...the hard part is DONE! 20. Take the time to look at the new rack, make sure everything is there. 21. Two (2) people are needed for this as well. slide in the new Rack from the DRIVERS side..pretty much how you pulled it out. only this time when you slide it in..pay attention..so that it wont get caught on the tranny dipstick. 22. Slide the 2 bolts back in that hold the rack to the cradle, then the rest is opposite of removal. 23. When you have everything back on, do NOT lower the car down. instead remove the Power steering resivoir cap, and turn the wheels lock to lock fifteen (15) times. this will get some air out of the system. top off the resivoir with new fluid. reinstall the cap. get in, and start the car up. turn the wheels lock to lock fifteen (15) times. turn the car off. check the fluid. it should be really foamy. this is ok, it is just air coming out fo the system. repeat this process until power steering whine dies down....and fluid level is perfect on the cap. 24. After you have this done, go get a beer, and order a pizza. CONGRATS! you just saved yourself over 400 dollars!!!!!! |
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