Difficulty in power steering rack install?

[Mike93]

Need a new rack in my '93 SHO. I plan to do the install at a friends house along with his dad who is a master mechanic in my opinion. The only thing I've touched so far has been the suspension so I'm not too familiar with much else on the car. Anyone replaced their rack that can offer any tips, suggestions, or comments? I'm confident that among the 3 people who will be attending that we have enough mechanical ability to do this, just don't know what it entails as far as specialty tools or anything out of the ordinary. Thanks, Mike

 

[projectSHO89]

I posted some suggestions last year here http://www.shoforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=19;t=000720#000002

After thinking about how much fun it was , the only thing I'd change from what I posted then would be to drop the rear of the sub-frame several inches to give more maneuvering room to get the old rack out and the new one in.

Steve

 

[Nook]

be careful lowering it too much, the DIS likes to hit the right hand side torque limiter mount and break into pieces, I learned this the hard way.

N

 

[projectSHO89]

Yeah, and that exhaust donut doesn't like it very much, either.

Steve

 

[jelloslug]

I would put the car on jack stands, unhook the Y pipe, remove the DIS module completly, unhook the roll dampeners, and then drop the subframe as much as you can. Its possable to do it without dropping the subframe but it's really hard to do.

 

[sdpatt]

I would rather do a full upper and front end 60K than another steering rack. It was a distinctly unpleasurable job. You really need a shop manual to do this job right. A realignment is mandatory after the installation. Here is my story.

 

[Mike93]

Ok, thanks for the replys so far. Are there any special tools to do this? Mike

 

[sdpatt]

I recall the need for an 18mm open end wrench to remove the hose fittings from the rack and a large (22mm?, 7/8"?) deep socket to fit the two nuts that secure the rack to the subframe. I just looked at the procedure in the Chilton's Manual and again strongly recommend the use of a procedure.

<small>[ June 26, 2003, 11:26 PM: Message edited by: sdpatt ]</small>