I've got the steering rack out of the car to replace the bushings with poly that I got from Andrew. What exactly am I pressing out of the three old bushings? Is it the outer thinnish ring from the aluminum steering rack housing? So that all that's left is the aluminum holes?

 

Right, you're goal is naked aluminum holes

Cheers
DD

 

Exactly what I thought. Many thanks, Doug.

Bill

 

Should I apply heat to help extract them?

 

no heat!! press them out.

 

Okay, no heat.

 

This was a pretty easy job! Only took a few hours, with just me doing it, to RR the steering rack. The car was already up on jack stands because I just got through doing the rear transmission mount. I used Andrew's poly bushings and they fit perfect. Driving out the old bushings was easy enough. I was all ready to go to the hardware store to purchase a threaded rod and nuts, but then decided - what the heck - why don't I just take a few whacks with the hammer. I used a 13/16" socket (perfect fit for the ID of the bare aluminum housing bushing hole). I put a 10" extension on the socket, braced it up against a block of wood on the garage side and got out some aggression. Didn't take but a few hard drives on the old bushing and out they came - easy peasy. Cleaned and painted the steering rack and back in it went. Used a floor jack to raise it up, followed by a bottle jack once it was almost in place so I could line the splines up with the steering knuckle. Bolted everything in place - and another job done! New tie rod ends that I purchased off Ebay didn't fit, but maybe it was because there was a sticker on the steering rack that said "Remanufactured". Maybe the tie rods were changed. They are a little bit larger in diameter than the new Meyle tie rod ends. Will try and return them, then go to the local car parts store with the old ones and try and match up. So much for trying to save a few bucks.