I am doing lots of work to the car and am replacing the steering rack. Upon reassembly, I'm having a devil of a time getting the joint to the column to line up with the splined shaft on the rack. I know there is a scallop for the pinchbolt to go through, is there a trick to getting the splines aligned with the scallop so the bolt will go through? I've had the joint on and off a few times and have got the rack shaft misaligned with the U joint on the column.

I have been looking with my inspection camera and can see that I am getting the joint seated far enough onto the rack shaft, but it's clocked wrong. Of course there is so little space to work I can either see what I'm doing, or get my hands in to do the work, so I'm going strictly by feel.

I worked today until my arms were tired and it still isn't together. Any tips welcome! Car is a 1994 V12 LHD.

 

Jagboi
LHD is tricky, especially if you have cats in the way. I presume you can see the rack spline OK with the UJ disconnected? If you can, then I suggest:

• centering the rack
• then turning the rack so the safety bolt indentation in the splines in in the easiest position for access and viewing
• marking a known point on the splines (either the bolt point or 180° off the bolt point) and
• turning the steering wheel to the same point as the rack now is, marking the same point on the UJ. Correction fluid is good for this purpose
• turning the steering so the UJ aligns to the bolt point using the markers so they align
• then trying, maybe with a helper on the steering who can make slight adjustments.

When I did a friend's car, this is what I did; but I could see Ok as this pic shows. But it was a non-cat 1984 car.

 

Yes, I'm fighting with cats in the way. The car is on a hoist and I can reach the joint from below, but then my arm blocks the only spot I can see the rack and joint, so I have to line it up blind. So far I always seem to do it a few splines out, so the bolt won't go through.

When you did it, did you connect them from above or below? I can't get my hand past the cats and exhaust from above, so I have to do it from below, or remove the exhaust. I looked at the clamp after the second cat and I'm not sure I can get the pipes apart - certainly not without a torch and some brute force.

Did you put the U joint on before bolting the rack in the car, or after? So far I am trying to do the column U joint first, then I'll push the rack up into place and bolt it to the subframe.

 

Just an idea, if you had a helper and had a feeling which way the splines were out, the helper could turn the wheel and then you try again. once aligned the safety bolt goes through quite easily; but it is also (just remembered) important to have the up and down position marked. You have my deepest sympathy... I had something similar with my starter motor change.

 

Did you pull the oil filter? Gives more access as I recall…
What I do is remove the centering plug on the rack and use a good fitting drill bit to lock it centered (you may have to tape it so it doesn’t fall out). Center the steering wheel inside the car, the tape the wheel to the column cover to prevent rotation. Usually gets it correct, if it was correct before. I usually tape the wheel and pin the rack before disassembly.

 

I did remove the oil filter, but so far I have been accessing the joint from the front, between the block and the exhaust. Maybe I'll try from the back. I might also see how badly the pipes are stuck together, as removing the exhaust would make life a lot easier.

 

I did manage to get the pinch bolt in this afternoon. The trick that seemed to work was to put a ratchet strap under the rack to hold it up, then I removed the oil filter and could move the rack and the U joint into position where I could both see it and reach from behind where the oil filter was. Even then, the U joint didn't want to slide down the splines very easily, even though I put anti-seize on them and cleaned them. The rack is still held by the strap , I'll put the high pressure hose on next before I bolt the rack to the subframe.

I looked at the possibility of removing the exhaust, but I didn't think I could get the downpipe nuts back on with the rack in place. I didn't want to trade one problem for another.

 

Good for you.

 

Lets just say there was the occasional outbreak of some select language in the process!