Disassembly Procedure
- Remove the steering gear from the vehicle. Refer to Steering Gear Replacement .
- Remove the outer tie rod from the inner tie rod.
- Remove the inner tie rod nut from the inner tie rod.
- Remove the outboard boot clamp.
- Remove the inboard boot clamp.
Discard the inboard boot clamp.
- Remove the steering gear boot.
- Inspect the inner tie rod for evidence of corrosion or contamination. If no corrosion or contamination is evident on the inner tie rod, continue with the repair.
- Place the steering gear in a vise.
- Slide the shock dampener (4) from the inner tie rod housing (6) to the rack (5).
- Place a soft jaw pipe wrench or soft jaw pliers on the rack next to the inner tie rod housing.
- Place a wrench on the flats of the inner tie rod housing.
- Rotate the inner tie rod housing counterclockwise, while holding the rack stationary, until the inner tie rod separates from the rack.
- If the steering gear has a female rack (1) and a male inner tie rod (3), remove the old thread locking adhesive from the threads (2) on the inner tie rod and from the threads on the rack.
Count the number of complete rotations necessary in order to remove the steering linkage outer tie rod (2) from the steering linkage inner tie rod (1).
If corrosion or contamination is evident on the inner tie rod, replace the steering gear.
Do not change the steering gear preload adjustment before moving the inner tie rod from the steering gear. Changing the steering gear preload adjustment before moving the inner tie rod could result in damage to the pinion and the steering gear.
The pipe wrench must be placed at the valve end of the steering gear and positioned up against the inner tie rod housing. Placing the pipe wrench in any other location will cause damage to the steering gear.
If the steering gear has a male rack (5) and a female inner tie rod (4), thread locking adhesive will not be present.