99BlackPonyGT

ok guys...i was given bad info on here...a reputable member gave me a writeup to switching steering rack bushings because mine were rotting out...well his writeup only covered the front bushing and he said that i would have clearance to do the rear without disconnecting tie rods...well he was wrong...got under my car got it up not even thinkin to look first and i pulled the front bushings out, and they are ruined i cant put them back in...i dont have time or tools to disconnect tie rods so thats out of the question and i have to be somewhere at one

question is, would it be ok to leave the stock rubber bushings in the back and use urethane in the front? the back dont appear to be rotted out, just the driver side front was

99BlackPonyGT

13 views 0 replies? are ya kidding me...someone help me out

99BlackPonyGT

ok well...ill be changing my tie rods in a couple of weeks...and im only going to be driving the car for today...so i guess ill just put the urethane in and make it work today until i am able to pull the rack off and do the back...

not gonna mention who did the writeup, but if you know who you are [>:][>:][>:][>:]

Sxynerd

Yes it's ok. just don't go road racing with it.

99BlackPonyGT

ok well i looked up my old thread where i originally got the advice and there was 3 people who did it without disconnecting tie rods...but i just dont see how...theres about a half inch clearance and the bushings are huge...anyone wanna key me in on something i missed? also couldnt get those tubes out, maybe ill try wd40 and a little more persuasion...picking up my truck tonight so ill put the car on stands and try again tonight i guess

TeamCobra

OK.. When I lowered my '99 I changed the bushings on the rack to those eccentric ones they supply with the kit, and I didn't have to disconnect the tie-rods. I don't remember if there were front and back ones(I guess there were?) But the trick is to disconnect the steering column form the rack.

Jack the car up in front so the front tires are hanging, romove the 2 nuts from the front side of the rack. There is a bolt at the slip joint on the steering column that you remove, then slide the slip joint completely apart. That should give you enough wiggle to pull the rack off the 2 studs in front, and replace the bushings.

****Just make sure that you replace the bolt at the slip joint on the column****
And tighten it good, trust me that's really important!

99BlackPonyGT

i have a torque wrench and im torquing it properly so thats not an issue...as for how youre saying to do this... undo those 2 nuts, pull the bolts out, then pull the rack forward? what about that metal tube the bolt goes through? that has to come out also i would assume...i didnt try moving the rack earlier i didnt even bother because theres sooo little room...im gonna go jack it back up and try again i suppose...thanks

99BlackPonyGT

ok update....i got the car back onto stands and i got the rack to pull forward and i can see now that i was just doing it wrong, i didnt get bad info....one problem though is that metal tube the long bolt goes through...i cant get it to pull out, the writeup says to grip it with vice grips and it should pull right out....well ive been doing that to the point i think i sprained my hand tugging so hard and it wont budge on either side...help?

99BlackPonyGT

bump, still cant get that tube out

TeamCobra

No leave the metal tube in place, with the steering column disconnected, and those front 2 nuts off you should be able to pull the rack foward enough to clear the metal tube/studs. Use a a lever between the rack and the frame (wrapped with a towel) if it dosen't want to cooperate (put some *** into it). The metal hoses are the only thing to be concerned about, don't bend those. I didn't even remove the studs, and had enough play to pull mine foward and up. Take the tires off if there is too much weight on the rack.

Do it, make that rack your bitch!