steering rack

[brisvr4]

If you don't have rear steer you can use thew GGsr rack.
What I did to get mine out was this.
Remove Transfer case and front pipe.
Undo steering column bolts where it attaches to the rack.
Undo power steering lines where they feed the rack ( use the correct spanner for this! )
Remove the outer time rod ends fro the steering knuckle.
Undo and outer sway bar links.
Undo inner swap bar brackets.
From here you can move the sway bar out of the way and undo the steering rack brackets.

Before I fitted the new rack I lined the old and new rack up to get the outer tie rods as close to the same lengths as possible for the drive to the steering alignment shop.

Not too hard of a job, just messy and annoying!

 

[brettu26]

mine has to come out again!!! its was only done in Sept but its already fuxor'd!:fuuuuu:

gonna let Pedders do their thing this time. I certainly dont have the tools or capability of fixing it

 

[GVR40]

it's not hard to replace, i changed mine with a SE galant unit. just follow BRISVR4's instructions

 

[brisvr4]

And don't forget to insert swear words here and there!!

 

[milkandoj]

Fair enough it doesnt sound too hectic ill prob do it myself.
Whats it like compared to doing a clutch time wise?

The mechanic next to work said his computer listing for a vr4 is two hours labour. I did specify its a vr4 with awd ect. Obviously thats with a hoist and someone who does it every day.

Theres another fluid sprayed and its gearbox fluid. So im guessing the drive shaft yoke form the transfer case is leaking.

Whats the chances of the rebuild of the rack not being done right, if its not strait internally it'll leak correct?
Thats why i was thinking if im paying 400 ect to get it rebuild anyway, if i do it myself and i leaks they can blame the installation.

It could be worth paying 220 labour ontop of the rebuild cost for a workshop to do it all. Then its their problem. The yoke i can do myself.

 

[brisvr4]

Are they including a wheel alignment in the quote? If so, just get them to do it. On a hoist I would think that you could get it all out in about 20-30 minutes tops!

 

[milkandoj]

Are they including a wheel alignment in the quote? If so, just get them to do it. On a hoist I would think that you could get it all out in about 20-30 minutes tops!

He hasnt given a proper quote i walked past on the way to get lunch and though id ask, he said its two hours labour on top of the rebuild cost of the rack and it'll need a wheel allignment. ( i want to change the ride heigh anyway so that on the cars before)
After work he was busy so i said id drop in monday for a chat.

The timing belt on my mates impreza gx was quoted 1400. A box of caronas in the deal for the turned the price into a flat 1000. So ill see what he comes up with.

It might be worth it just so if the rebuild that is done externallys is dodgy, its all done by a workshop so their problem to get it sorted. And cant be blamed on my installation.

The yoke is it a prick of a job? is it worht me doing it after coz im picky and do things like that slowly. or get them to do it while transfer case is out. I know meek sell the new yoke and seal.

 

[brisvr4]

I hated trying to get at my yoke on the ground! Let them do it
There actually isn't that much to our racks, once you have one apart they are a pretty simple setup.

 

[bazeng]

Don't you have to pull off the exhaust / transfercase / wheels to do this?

2 hours won't be enough.. that is one thing stopping me from pulling mine out on the vr4 and amg to rebuild. 20 years is not bad though for a rack to work..

 

[brisvr4]

It's not that hard Barry, I got mine out in less than an hour in my garage!

 

[LWNSLW]

He hasnt given a proper quote i walked past on the way to get lunch and though id ask, he said its two hours labour on top of the rebuild cost of the rack and it'll need a wheel allignment. ( i want to change the ride heigh anyway so that on the cars before)
After work he was busy so i said id drop in monday for a chat.

The timing belt on my mates impreza gx was quoted 1400. A box of caronas in the deal for the turned the price into a flat 1000. So ill see what he comes up with.

It might be worth it just so if the rebuild that is done externallys is dodgy, its all done by a workshop so their problem to get it sorted. And cant be blamed on my installation.

The yoke is it a prick of a job? is it worht me doing it after coz im picky and do things like that slowly. or get them to do it while transfer case is out. I know meek sell the new yoke and seal.

1400 for a timing belt replacement that is a joke, the kit from gates is only about 200 so 1200 labour to do a job that take 45mins.......

 

[evopwr]

Timing belt does not take 45 min, def not for a 2L in a CC!

 

[LWNSLW]

Timing belt does not take 45 min, def not for a 2L in a CC!

ok so the post clearly stated in red that is a subaru not a 2l cc..... 2l dont take that long to do...

 

[bazeng]

I gotta give this a go.
The AMG is leaking badly.

I just lying on the garage floor with jackstands..
pain in the ass..

 

[Entaran]

With a rattlegun and a prybar you can definately get it all out in under an hour.

You will however need proper pipe spanners for the PSteer lines or you'll strip the bolts good and proper. I pulled the rack out of my white one on a hoist at my mechanics in about an hour and a quarter, and I'm much better that mechanical stuff now than I was then.

 

[milkandoj]

Just though id report back. For those thinking of doing it themselves...
The only problem i had was popping the tie rod ends out. I was using a two prong style ball joint separator at first.
Get this sorted and its not hard. just messy with the ps fluid.

Got one side out with two big hits of the sledge hammer. The other side didnt want to play ball.

Craig went throught the same stuff in the past and lent me the tool he found worked best. (wish i could upload pics). Thanks mate!
It slides around the joint on the bottom (like the other tool) but i works by pressing the bolt down on the tie rod end to press it out of the joint, as you tighten it up. Rather than bashing a wegde in to try separate the joint.

Buy one of these and you shouldnt have a problem.
It took me 20 seconds on the second one.

Off to get it rebuilt tomorrow. Im gonna buy myself a nice dump pipe to reward myself :lol:

 

[to4garret]

tie rod seperator, these are the only ones i have found that dont break and also work for lower control arm ball joints.

 

[milkandoj]

Thats it! Get one!

Oh yeah, and i got quoted 2 hours labour form the place next to work. this would be about right with a hoist. took me probably 2-3 hours all up on the floor, cruising along.

Those people getting stupid quotes from mechanics tell them to get f'd!
The only extra work you have to do because the car has 4 wheel steering is to undo the two lines that run to the rear rack.

These were real tight, tigher than the fuel line when i put my walbro in.

The flare spanners i bought were sloppy and i was actually better off using my normal spanners. As they were a much tighter fit. So make sure you spnners or flare spanners are good ones with a tight fit. I have two sets of cheap flare spanners and both are shit.

Also i used some Liqui Moly ceramic rust release, that also has a freezing effect. Think that worked better then the Inox.

 

[milkandoj]

Well the bore on my ps rack is stuffed and the bloke said hes not confidant it will be ok if he rebuilds it :thumbsdown:

so i have to find another vr4 rack and throw it in or find one and get it rebuild before throwing it in.

If i get one that has no signs of leaking shall i get it rebuilt? Its really running the gauntlet either way as it may be warped also but no leaking yet. Then i have two stuffed racks hahah

 

[milkandoj]

Can any one confirm that a steering rack out of another vr4 will fit a pre-face lift vr4 ('87) manual.

For eg. an Aus spec.


Or a 91 model auto.