Went in to get my alignment checked and the said it need replced as they could move it back and forth. My car would sometimes pull left or right or sometimes will drive straight on the same patch of road.

Is there a write up on how to replace the rack and pinion on an LT1 firebird? I was told that i should also replace the power steering pump. Is this needed or just a good idea? What tools would i need. They quoted me at a little over $600 and i cant see giving them $300 in labor.

 

Installing a steering rack is straight forward. Once the front of the car is up on jackstands and the wheels are removed, you remove the outer tie rod ends from the spindles. The replacement rack I bought from Cardone came with new inner tie rods, but no outer tie rods. I would suggest replacing your olds ones with new ones from Moog. Measure the distances that the old tie rods mount of the rack. These meaurements will allow you to setup the new rack the same as the old, therefore getting your toe in alignment as close as possible; I still recommend you get an alignment when you're done. You need to disconnect the steering couple from the rack's pinion, it's located under a plastic cover. I believe it's an 11mm bolt. The couple can be pulled up away from the pinion. Be sure not to turn the steering wheel very far as you can break your "clock spring" ABS harness that's inside the steering column. You'll need to remove the 2 power steering hoses from the rack; use a line wrench so as not to round off the nuts. You'll need to catch the fluid that's going to druel out of the hoses. The rack is mounted to the K member with 2 bolts with nuts.

Once you have the new rack installed, you need to fill your power steering fluid and bleed the system. Bleeding is done with the engine running and the front wheels in the air. You turn the steering wheel back and forth, full travel, 20 times.

As far as the power steering pump, if it's not making noise or leaking fluid, it doesn't need to be changed.

 

Are there any brands that i should stay away from? The tire center i went to was going through NAPA for the rack and pinion qoute. thanks for the info.

 

I can't speak to any other brands other than the Cardone; it looks and feels like a direct replacement.

 

Speaking of replacing steering assembly, anybody taken out Power Steering pump and stock steering assembly for an aftermarket manual set-up for road racing?

 

I also did this and OBE1 basically covered it. You don't even have to have the car in the air, although I highly recommend it. I did it on my back by myself, and it took nearly 8 hours. The steering line nuts on the rack and pinion are very soft. I rounded one off and had to use a vise grips to get it off. As for brand, I used an old one out of a junkyard donor. Here's a check list (in order).

Tie rod ends - disconnect, take wheels off first obviously
Steering column - disconnect, the joint is under a plastic cover, might need some tapping to get it off
Steering Lines - unscrew both, catch the fluid that comes out, try not to move the steering, it will squirt
Main Bolts - the two main bolts holding the rack and pinion to the K-member

It might take some work jigsawing it off the car. It will come out without removing anything else, though.

Just in case you don't need a new rack and pinion, check the two main bolts first. Some times those come loose just barely enough for the rack and pinion to slide (this can cause a clicking noise in the steering too).

 

8 hours!!? I was under the impression it was a 2-3hr job for a person with average mechanical abilities. Which would probably take me 4-5hrs.

Ill check those bolts out though because they said that they could slide it back and forth. Im not what all they checked, they just said i needed replaced. And would vise grips or channellocks work to take the hoses off?

 

Do you have a link to their website with prices and a description?

 

It's about a 45 minute job for someone with a lift and tools at their disposal. I was on my back, by myself, and using any tool that worked. Plus it was about 5 degrees above zero when I did it .

I was quoted 300 by a shop, 400 if they bought the rack and pinion for me. Decided I didn't have that kind of money and did it myself.

 

Cardone is a major remanufacturer of auto parts, and their brand is carried by many auto parts stores.

 

Ok, thanks. I kinda been searching on the net but havent seen any factory new OEM replacements. they all have been remanufactured. But one place had a 7 year warranty. thanks for the help.

 

Good question, but you need to start your own thread..... not a good idea to try and highjack someone else's.

 

Thanks for posting this. I've been looking and looking. Have any idea what these two pieces attached to the replacement are for?
http://www.taekwondoplus.org/z28/steeringrack01.JPG


http://www.taekwondoplus.org/z28/steeringrack02.JPG

 

Those are new rubber bushings that mount in one of the 2 mounting holes that attach the rack to the K member.

 

THanks. I actually installed it yesterday. It works great and wasn't anything bad to install at all.