Xantia-Steering Rack Removal

NewcastleFalcon · Post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 07 May 2011, 16:10

Rain stop play

Progress so far-got the car up on stands, disconnected track rod ends, removed rack mounting bolts, freed off heat shield but haven't wiggled it out yet, removed pinch bolt engine side (6mm Allen bolt-trapped nut on the other side), and pinch bolt bottom of steering column in drivers footwell. Eased pinion away from rod.

As per addo and andmicit no need to do any other dismantling of the column inside the car.

Still got to disconnect the power steering pipes. Not sure if I really need to pop off the gear linkages as per Haynes, I managed to bend the rods on the car I dismantled popping these linkages off so I'll have to be a bit more careful this time.

Biggest problem will be pulling it out, but I do have a bit of subframe dropping experience under my belt now.

More to come hopefully when it stops raining...........and the puddles dry up a bit.

Neil

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 07 May 2011, 16:21

You don't need to remove the gear linkages or drop the subframe.

What I found helped though was the offside lower wishbone which
can come off with the drop link in situ but it's easier if it cones off.
Suffice to say, removal through the driver's wheel arch. Have you
scrupilously as there are differing pipe connections between various
racks - don't do what I've once done and fitted the rack only to
realise the pipes won't connect!!

NewcastleFalcon · Post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 07 May 2011, 16:38

By removing the offside wishbone do you just mean just undoing the inner end of it? This involves removing 3 bolts which are quite accessible.
Does this make the hole formed by the subframe and the body big enough to get the rack, the pinion and the ram out?

Thanks Neil

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 07 May 2011, 17:06

Hi Neil, Yes!

I found I needed to remove the wishbone completely to get the space to draw
the rack out. First time I took off the drop link but when it all needed to come
out again I managed (god knows how but I was in a bit of a rage...) to get it
off and back on with the drop link in situ.

Andrew

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 07 May 2011, 17:08

Don't forgety the LHM return which is quite vulnerable and try not to
unclip a rubber feed that plugs onto a rigid metal feed as it's easily
disturbed and chucks a substantial volume of fluid everywhere too,
as it happens when I was undoing the fastening bolts, all over my face!

NewcastleFalcon · Post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 07 May 2011, 20:16

Thanks Andrew I'll give the dropping the wishbone approach a go hopefully Sunday. I can see where the two bolts at the anti-roll bar end do poke up and restrict that space. I will be happy if I dont have to pop off those linkages.

Good tip about the pipe connections and the checking to see if they fit the replacement rack.

So with for the LHM return plastic pipe you would recommend pulling it out of the rubber gaiter on the ram?

Thanks Neil

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 07 May 2011, 21:01

Sorry, what I mean about the return being vulnerable is the fact it's easily
missed both at removal and refitting and quite easily knocked - not so much
as the other one mentioned on the subframe.

NewcastleFalcon · Post by **NewcastleFalcon** » 08 May 2011, 20:45

The steering rack is off. Took off the wishbone, bit of a pain to get the anti roll bar end to pull away from the anti-roll bar and the subframe. Tried to get away intitialy with taking the bolts out of the inner end alone hoping that I could drop this down to get the rack out, but had to free the ball joint and remove the wishbone completely in the end.

The rack did pull out after quite a bit of manoeuvering. The nut on the end of the ram did foul on the gear linkage but eventually a bit of turning through 180 degrees managed to get over that hurdle. One of the fluid feed pipes to the power steering has a nice hook on it which conspires to trap the rack as you attempt to withdraw it in a sods law type of way.

Looking at my wishbone the side nearest the anti-roll bar bush looks solid in the middle but a bit rough at the edges, probably another job before reassembly.

I think I did miss out a stage-when I undid the feed pipe to the ram there was a fair bit of fluid loss. This was probably the turn the steering from side to side a few times to clear the ram, or alternatively a failure to depressurise the hydraulic system properly before I started.

Thanks once again for all the help so far-its not finished yet-have to install the replacement rack. Following on from Andrew's tip, the picture shows the two racks side by side. They appear to have similar diameter fluid unions although they are not exactly the same.

Are any seals specified for these unions?

Thanks again

Neil