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Steering rack and rods install

JoshuaL

NEVERENDING ADDICTION
Messages
254
Location
Mineral Bluff GA
Hi y'all. Like a lot of y'all know I just blew my steering rack and bent one of my tie rods. Well I just got my new rack and rods in today so wy question is, is it hard to install. It doesn't look that hard but you never know. Any help would be great. If any one knows all the tool needed and any trick it would be much appreciated.

Thanks Joshua
 

bebe

Moderator
Messages
1,375
Location
Dayton, NV
If you don't have a tech Manual now is the time to get one.

It's not difficult or complicated - but there are some tricks you need to know to make sure you get it right the first time. If you don't know the tricks, it can go very wrong very fast.
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,506
Location
Meridian, ID
One part that may make the install a bit tougher is that one of the bolts for the steering rack is being partially blocked by the rancho lift crossmember....

2012-02-11_18-32-16_681.jpg


I have had a few ideas on this for the future like notching the crossmember but reenforcement would be needed so the structural integrity isnt affected.
 

backcountryislife

Well-Known Member
Messages
858
Location
Dumont, CO
When my mech did it, he thought it was really easy, till the power steering wouldn't come back on & a sensor got screwed up in the process...


Wish he had read the procedure BEFORE doing the work... I'd suggest doing that :D
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,506
Location
Meridian, ID
Bump...need new rack installed and PS line. How tough is it? Am I gonna doing this for hours? Any tips and tricks? I haven't seen a how to or directions and by bebes post it doesn't sound like I can just wing it.
 

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
Normally...the rack swap is pretty simple. However, the addition of the Rancho complicates things. I had the same problem and you will have to pull the torsion bars, drop the lower crossmember, and Lower A-arms, to access that bolt you show in the picture. This is a huge oversight from Rancho IMO, and I considered notching my crossmember to make it easier for future swaps. I think you could cut a notch in the crossmember and reinforce it with a short piece of 2" tube, then get the thing re-powder-coated. This mod would allow room for the bolt to pull out with the front suspension in place. During this repair I decided to do the SAS so I never pursued the crossmember mod but, if you plan to keep the Rancho...I would do it.

Its important to park your H3 with the wheels totally straight and the steering wheel centered. DO NOT ROTATE THE STEERING WHEEL during the rack swap. This will cause expensive damage to the turn-signal assembly, and you will have to replace the entire smart switch. GM sells a small tool to lock the column, and I advise getting one. My rack came with tie-rods installed and they were adjusted damn near perfect right out of the box. My advice is to install it as-is, and don't play around with the input shaft...you could get it "off-center". The steering system is very sensitive, and everything needs to be installed "straight-up", and "dead-center". When you get done, and back on the ground...a piece of string works great to set the alignment.

The PS lines are a no-brainer. Filling & purging is another matter, however. The system will scream and chatter at start-up and you need to keep it full until all of the air gets pumped out of it. Cycle the steering back & forth to work out the air, and keep topping off the reservoir. Given all the talk about factory spark-plugs, tranny-fluid, etc...I was afraid to stray from the factory PS fluid. I have no idea if its something special but, rather than take the risk...I used the correct Delco fluid. I have no idea how you could screw up a sensor on the PS system...didn't know there was one.
 

Bigunit

Hammer Down!
Staff member
Messages
6,561
Location
Arizona
Its important to park your H3 with the wheels totally straight and the steering wheel centered. DO NOT ROTATE THE STEERING WHEEL during the rack swap. This will cause expensive damage to the turn-signal assembly, and you will have to replace the entire smart switch. GM sells a small tool to lock the column, and I advise getting one.

Chris, this is the tool 4speedfunk is talking about: http://www.amazon.com/Steering-Colum...pr_product_top

Others have simply used a rope or bungee chord to tie the steering wheel to a seat mount to keep the steering wheel from moving.
 

HIROLA

Well-Known Member
Messages
118
Location
NOVA
I'll be doing this install this weekend. An instructional post will follow (if all goes well).
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,506
Location
Meridian, ID
Son of a bitch this is gonna blow! Ill probably do one last weekend of wheeling on this rack and turn it into a 2 day job. How critical is the reinforcement? Do u think it will be tough to do, I'm sure I'm the first to do this....

If I change the rack I will be modifying it as I don't want to deal with doing all that extra bull**** on the trail
 

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
How critical is the reinforcement?

Not very. I just wanted mine to look "professional" and not like some shadetree idiot (me) got in a hurry and cut a big crescent-shaped hunk of steel off it! Ha.

Thanks for the link Bigunit...that is the tool. $8.95 shipping? Is that decimal in the right place?
 
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06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,506
Location
Meridian, ID
Good idea. Cut pipe in half and weld it in leaving a gap. This will be a PITA but worth it when done. Gonna need a new thread for it :)
 
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