Power Steering Rack?

[Pal318is]

Guys,

What the best/quickest way of changing my power steering rack?? I have a spare one, that I now need to replace, as well as my front ARB which snapped So my plan is to do both at the same time..

Any advice would be greatly appreciated/welcomed.

Thanks

Pal

[zaust]

Drop the front sub frame as it will make all much easier for the rack. and the rool bar, I still struggle with them..
but it is easier to place when load is on the front of the car..

[Pal318is]

i got all the u joint, atill attached to it. Is this easy enough to replace too?

Thanks

Pal

[Brianmoooore]

Rack can be changed OK without dropping subframes! Helps on a six pot if you bend the lower mounting tabs down a bit, but I thought it was easier on a four pot.
Fit the left hand rack bolt first and push the right hand side back into position while guiding on the steering coupling. On the rear coupling the clamp bolt locates into a groove in the column shaft, so, if after fitting this, the right hand side of the rack doesn't line up with the fixing holes, slacken the lower clamp bolt and slide this on the rack splines until it does.

[Pal318is]

I have a 4 pot bud...

Any other peeps with some personal knowledge of this...

Pal

[Jamesb318is]

As Brian says basically. I changed mine a while ago, no need to remove the subframe, comes out easy on a four pot.
Make sure you've got the seals you need, (for the banjo bolts) and fluid to refill.

[Brianmoooore]

and fluid to refill.

Fluid to flush is more important. Have about three litres handy to do the job properly.

[Jamesb318is]

Good point!

[Pal318is]

Thanks guys.

[Pal318is]

Guys I have attempted this today and due to my inability to not know what i'm doing, i'm stuck

I have taken the off the 2 bolts behind the hub's, I have also taken off the 2 bolts that attach the rack to the sub frame, what else do I need to do? The rack is joined onto the u-joint that leads to the steering column, how does this come off? as i'm finding this quite tricky. Do I need to take off the ARB to get to it properly.

Also do I just pop out the tie rods from behind the hub's.

All help welcomed and appreciated.

Pal

[Pal318is]

Anyone

[Martinaston]

Have you dropped the subframe ?

[Pal318is]

Have you dropped the subframe ?

No..In a word.

Everyone's said that it's a piece of piss and that there's no need to drop the sub frame...I have a iS by the way. I taken the pump/reseviour off but got stuck with the rack

Pal

[TheDutch]

If you haven't already, you'll need a ball-joint splitter to part the track rod ends from the hubs (a mallet may do the trick).

Steering coupling should be held in by one bolt, which you hopefully have found and removed. I found it helpful to open up the steering coupling splined joint by firmly whacking a fairly thick flat blade screwdriver in the split, along with a good dose of WD40.

If you haven't already you will want to remove the high pressure hoses and drain the fluid. After that, and with a little persuasion, it should hopefully come free.

Edit: If this is on a 318is I had absolutely no need to remove the subframe.

Double Edit: little persuasion means big hammers

[Pal318is]

If you haven't already, you'll need a ball-joint splitter to part the track rod ends from the hubs (a mallet may do the trick).

Steering coupling should be held in by one bolt, which you hopefully have found and removed. I found it helpful to open up the steering coupling splined joint by firmly whacking a fairly thick flat blade screwdriver in the split, along with a good dose of WD40.

If you haven't already you will want to remove the high pressure hoses and drain the fluid. After that, and with a little persuasion, it should hopefully come free.

Edit: If this is on a 318is I had absolutely no need to remove the subframe.

Double Edit: little persuasion means big hammers

It's the steering coupling joint nut that is a pain to get too..
Unable to remove so far.
I've done all the hoses, from the pump and the resevoiur.

Thanks

Pal

[TheDutch]

It's the steering coupling joint nut that is a pain to get to..

I seem to remember using at least one fairly long extender for this and, quite possibly, an assistant to hold it whilst I fumbled around underneath with a spanner. It can certainly be frustrating, especially in this weather.

[Pal318is]

I hope it's easier to put back

Thanks for the help.

Pal

[Brianmoooore]

I hope it's easier to put back

Unfortunately not! The steering coupling joint can be quite fun to get back on.

[Pal318is]

I hope it's easier to put back

Unfortunately not! The steering coupling joint can be quite fun to get back on.

I knew it

[charlie316]

This is'nt filling me with confidence!! I am planning to changemy steering rack this weekend!!

[Pal318is]

I have just finished doing this mother of a job, maybe it's a mother coz it's the first time i've done it but it was definately a MOTHER..

Has anyone got any ideas on how to flush the system?? Is there a bolt on the bottom of the rack that can be undone, so as to clean what's inside?? Also if it is a 19mm bolt then cool, but if not can someone give me some pointers on how to flush the system please..

Thanks Again.....Just the ARB now

Pal

[cliffybabe]

Pal, ur lucky ur stil with it mate when i done my rack i knocked myself out

[Pal318is]

Pal, ur lucky ur stil with it mate when i done my rack i knocked myself out

Quality....I've got a few cuts and bruises fo my troubles....

You wouldn't know how to drain the rack would you bud??

Pal

[cliffybabe]

You wouldn't know how to drain the rack would you bud??
Pal

I drained mine by syringing out the PAS reservoir, Disconnected one of the main feed pipe's and let it drain out.

[Pal318is]

You wouldn't know how to drain the rack would you bud??
Pal

I drained mine by syringing out the PAS reservoir, Disconnected one of the main feed pipe's and let it drain out.

Cheers Fella

[Brianmoooore]

To flush the system I remove the return hose from the resevoir, block the pipe stub on the resevoir (I actually push on another piece of pipe and double it back so that the end is higher than the resevoir.) and extend the return hose into a bowl.
Pull out fuse 11 to kill the fuel pump, fill the resevoir, and crank the engine over while turning the steering wheel from full lock to full lock. Helps to have someone topping up the resevoir while you do this.
Keep going until clean fluid starts coming out into the bowl.
All together a messy job which is not my favourite!

[Pal318is]

To flush the system I remove the return hose from the resevoir, block the pipe stub on the resevoir (I actually push on another piece of pipe and double it back so that the end is higher than the resevoir.) and extend the return hose into a bowl.
Pull out fuse 11 to kill the fuel pump, fill the resevoir, and crank the engine over while turning the steering wheel from full lock to full lock. Helps to have someone topping up the resevoir while you do this.
Keep going until clean fluid starts coming out into the bowl.
All together a messy job which is not my favourite!

Your a Gem Brian

Thanks Bud.

Pal

[charlie316]

Got round to replacing my steering rack today! Never wanna do that again, the hardest bit is getting the old one out once all the bolts are undone. Ended up bending the brackets right out of the way. Also my steering wheel is now 45 degrees out oops! .

Thank god its done though.

[cliffybabe]

Got round to replacing my steering rack today! Never wanna do that again, the hardest bit is getting the old one out once all the bolts are undone. Ended up bending the brackets right out of the way. Also my steering wheel is now 45 degrees out oops! .

Thank god its done though.

dude i told u it was a complete bitch of a job have u lowered her yet??

[charlie316]

It really was a bitch. No not lowered it yet, thinking i'll get it registered over here and get the insurance sorted then lower it.

[Pal318is]

Not only is the Power Steering rack a bitch to do...i found out that the front ARB is also a bitch too Took me ages to do both. No one after the other, mind you

[charlie316]

Just driven back from uni now and it has started making a consistent knocking noice! Dam this car, you can feel it when you hang off the front right wheel too. Im sure i tightened everything.

Any ideas?