Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Suspension/Steering => Topic started by: DVP on October 03, 2006, 02:50:18 PM

Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: DVP on October 03, 2006, 02:50:18 PM
the guy i bought my 88 from took the steering rack off the post to get to the oil pan.

HOW DO I GET IT BACK ON!? the motor is sitting off to the pass side i bit and the oil pan is just resting under the motor. when i push it up to put it on the post it wont go up far enough to slip on. the oil isnt getting in the way it will move out of the way .

i dont like it sitting on the ground like that so its on stands now.

i might wait till i pull the motor to try and get it on.

Any tricks
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: Thunder Chicken on October 03, 2006, 06:23:09 PM
I went through this when doing my front suspension. The power steering lines were getting in the way in my case. It was quite frustrating to get that SOB back on those posts...
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: DVP on October 03, 2006, 06:51:43 PM
no tricks? did you have it off the ground when you did it or was it sitting down.

might try to do it will i jack it up to different heights.

bushings are all ripped up is that going to be a problem in the short run?
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: Thunder Chicken on October 03, 2006, 07:27:20 PM
Mine was in the air.

You might want to disconnect the outer tie rod ends as this will be a big help. Having them connected will make it that much harder to manouver into place.

I would recommend replacing the bushings. They're cheap, and as you have found out - once you have that rack on there you're not gonna want to take it off again...
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: slowfoxbird on October 03, 2006, 10:39:55 PM
You need a big prybar, and a two post lift helps.  That is how we do Mustang oil pans at work, disconnect the steering shaft, and pop the rack off the posts, no need to take the outer tierods loose, just wheels off the ground.
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: DVP on October 03, 2006, 10:45:54 PM
post lifts? not sure i know what you are talking about.
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: Thunder Chicken on October 03, 2006, 10:58:50 PM
I think he means a hoist...
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: DVP on October 03, 2006, 11:07:17 PM
like an enigine hoist? i thought he might be talking about farm jacks but i dont think tere is enough room for that.

so if i disconnect the tie rods (the front bar that connects to the spindal, correct?) then i can move it easier, and to replace the bushing all i do is slip the old ones out and slid the new one in. do i put lube/ grease on them?

when i was loading the car i had to turn the wheels and when i was unloading it, could i have messed something up?
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: ipsd on October 03, 2006, 11:37:30 PM
When I installed the bushing kit on my car I had the rack off with the car in the air. I also had the tie rods disconected. I left the lines and the stering linkage attached. I went on easy no pry bar.
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: MasterBlaster on October 04, 2006, 09:17:43 AM
2-post lift: the kind of car hoist that has the lifting posts beside the car and arms that swing under to support it, rather than the old 1-post hoist that came up out of the ground in the middle of the car, and was basically in the way if you wanted to be under the car too.
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: slowfoxbird on October 04, 2006, 05:16:28 PM
MasterBlaster is 100% correct on the 2 post lift identification.
http://www.americasprideonline.com/autolifts/images/two-post-lift.jpg
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: DVP on October 04, 2006, 08:11:08 PM
im doing it in the driveway i dont think that is an option
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: slowfoxbird on October 04, 2006, 08:32:48 PM
Well, I didnt saw it was needed, just that it helps.  You do need to have the frt wheels completely off the ground if you dont already.  That will make a huge difference.
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: DVP on October 08, 2006, 10:34:23 PM
i just got the busings ordered but i need to know if i need to put grease on them.

i was thinking if i take the rims off and put the jack stands on the lowest level and disconnected the tierods and thenuse the jack to push it up and pry it on with a crowbar
Title: Steering rack off post!!!!!!!!
Post by: Thunder Chicken on October 08, 2006, 11:35:36 PM
No, you don't need to grease the rack bushings. The rack won't move on the bushings the way a control arm will. Still, I put a thin coat of lube on mine just to prevent 'em from getting stuck in there by corrosion (and it also made it that much easier to push 'em into the rack and the rack onto the posts)