tried for several hours today to connect the shaft of the rack and pinion to steering wheel shaft, no success. Called my local shop will have the car taken over their tomarrow. will have to put new tie rods on and wheels for rollback to deliver it. How frustrating can not get splines in,(am working on this on jack stands) they should have no problem. Then off for an alignment. Sometimes you have to accept that you have limitations in doing things. Found mine. Thanks for watching. 2003 S-type 4.2l.

 

Hey Norm, what a bummer. I don't recall having issues with the couple steering racks that I dropped when I replaced oil pan gaskets. Maybe you did not get the splines lined up exactly correct.


Good luck at the mechanics.

 

Sometimes the difficulty in aligning things is that the item, in this case the rack, is too heavy to manage fine adustments. It helps if the item is partially supported so you can wiggle it without worrying about supporting all the weight. I would be thinking of light rope around each end of the steering rack extending up and over the engine for support. No chance it could roll off a supporting platform then.

Of course, it is late in the day and you might be too tired to fight with this anymore.

 

yes i think it is just the splines aren't lining up, fighting with it. Pulled out my calipers and shafts on one i took out and new one is identical. Still compared to a new rack and pinion the cost of the refurbished, tow and labor will still be 1/3rd the cost.

 

Don't forget the Lincoln LS also got the ZF rack and pinion upgrade so you can get that part much cheaper and easier then the Jaguar rack.
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went and got alignment done at Firestone great job, drive superb. checked the car out told me water pump leaking, couldn't find anything else

 

I hope they are aware of the specs:
Brutal's revised alignment specs


I would double check with their paperwork!

 

called around and they said they had the numbers for my 03 s-type. sure felt smooth on the freeway no pulling no vibration up to 90. no tickets pls,,,lol