Steering Rack 97 Lesabre

[enslow]

A year ago I asked a question regarding the steering rack:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...=steering+rack

I have now removed the rack. Does anyone have any special hints for threading the bolts that mount the new rack to the subframe? The one that's causing me the most grief is the horizontal bolt that goes through the crossmember on the passenger side.

Otherwise, all's going well considering the type of job I'm doing. I've opted to change the pump and hoses as well. I figure the pump can't be in very good shape with all that contaminated fluid running through the system.

I certainly wouldn't recommend this job to anyone new to car repairs. It involves lowering the subframe which can be a very dangerous procedure if you don't know what you are doing.

I also wouldn't recommend this job to anyone who's the least bit impatient!

[gmtech1]

The bolt you are refering to can be a tough one, mainly because the reman/aftermarket racks have mount brackets that are bent a little. You can try starting that one first, then moving to the others. Or try getting a long punch through the frame and bolt hole to bend the bracket where it needs to be.

[enslow]

Originally Posted by gmtech1

The bolt you are refering to can be a tough one, mainly because the reman/aftermarket racks have mount brackets that are bent a little. You can try starting that one first, then moving to the others. Or try getting a long punch through the frame and bolt hole to bend the bracket where it needs to be.

Thanks. It helps to know that it is a tough one. I had hoped to get an ACDelco reman, but there are non available around here as far as I know. I had to settle for a Cardone. I don't know how well it will last. I don't think it's the worst out there, but I don't know if it's the best either.

I did get the bolt finally. I had to rig up a carriage bolt/u-bolt system to pull that rack nut flange down, use a hose clamp around the rack (avoiding the hydraulic lines). It took me at least 4 hours to get that bolt.

[enslow]

I got everything back together tonight. I'll take it in for an alignment tomorrow.

Done:
lower ball joints
tie rod ends
rack
PS pump
high pressure hose
stabilizer end links

If anyone ever does this job, don't even bother to count threads to set your alignment. I tried that trick, and the alignment was out a good 15 threads on each side! Of course, once I secured the tie rod ends, I couldn't remove them so I had to turn the inner tie rod 15 whole turns on both sides. Ugh. Next time (if I have to do it on my 99 Lesabre), I'll screw the tierod on until the knuckle appears straight. I'll be a LOT closer and will have to turn the inner tierod a few turns instead of 15.

[Tech II]

If you counted the threads correctly, there is no way you would be off 15 threads on each side......UNLESS.....

You failed to measure, end to end, the ends of the inner tie rods and compare both....should be the same.....however, have found some remans are not, and can make the alignment way off......

[enslow]

Originally Posted by Tech II

If you counted the threads correctly, there is no way you would be off 15 threads on each side......UNLESS.....

You failed to measure, end to end, the ends of the inner tie rods and compare both....should be the same.....however, have found some remans are not, and can make the alignment way off......

This must have been the case. The only choices for racks around here are Cardone or Autoline, or a really cheap one. I might have been able to get something from the dealer, and maybe I should have.

I eyeballed the toe last night using a straight-edge along the side of the fender (I know, this is not by any stretch of the imagination a proper way to do toe) to get it close enough to drive it to the shop.

Here's a summary of my front end alignment:

LF Toe before: 1.40°; after 0.00° (spec range = -0.10-0.10°)
RF Toe before: 0.50°; after 0.00°

LF Caster before: 3.6°; after 3.0° (spec range = 2.5-3.5°)
RF Caster before: 3.7°; after 3.0°

LF Camber before: -0.1°; after 0.3° (spec range = -0.3°-0.7°)
RF Camber before: 0.6°; after 0.3°

I suppose I could have checked the new rack end to end, then placed my tie rods accordingly. Would a more accurate check of the rack would have been to measure the old inner tie rods from rack to nut, then set the new rack inner tie rods from nut to rack?