Steering Rack install question

#1

Question for my fellow garage mechanics.
I got the old steering rack out of my 87 325 IS, but had to use a ball joint remover to separate the steering rack spline from the steering universal joint.
Now that the new unit is in I can’t get the spline into the steering universal joint. the joint is not open enough to accept the spline.
I have tried to open up the joint on the universal but can’t get it open enough to accept the spline. If I beat it harder I fear it might break.
SOOOO then I figured I would pull the entire universal joint off and I removed the upper bolt. Now I can’t get the upper joint off the steering wheel shaft. I have tried to wedge, pull and beat and no way it is coming off.

OH crap now I am really stuck?!?!

Has any one a clever method of -
A. inserting the steering rack spline into the steering universal joint?
or
B. removing the upper sterring universal joint from the steering shaft?

Thanks

John

#2

John - trying searching the forum for this. We recently had a lengthy discussion of techniques.
Ed

#3

edavidson wrote:

[quote]John - trying searching the forum for this. We recently had a lengthy discussion of techniques.
Ed[/quote]Most involve cursing, voodoo dolls and beer

#4

Seriously, a steering rack, you don’t need one of those, just rent a midget and have him sit there and hold the tie rods while you yell at him to push and pull.
If you get a seasoned one, he can also blow air through the radiator.

#5

I had to replace my steering rack and that was the hardest thing I have done on the car to this date. What I did was sit the rack up on the mounts and then lined up the coupling as close as I could and then just used a lot force and curse words and it started going in. A little help from the rubber hammer helps as well. After finishing the job my alignment was just a tad off so I had to take it to the shop and get the realigned. This whole process took me a few weekends of head scratching and confusion. Good luck!
-Brandon

#6

Here’s the previous discussion -http://spece30.com/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,86/func,view/id,20048/catid,10/

#7

Thanks everyone, I am getting the idea that this job is a major pain in the butt.

Thanks Ed I did look at the previous thread.

I only have a couple of days to ready the car for a March driving event at the Point and so War has been declared on the steering universal.

Tomorrow I am off for more CRC and the largest MF hammer I can carry outta Harbor Freight, AND also another 12 pack of Bass Ale for additional courage and strength for me, the hammer mechanic.

This weekend I try again to open up the f$%^#ng clamp. Stay tuned more to come . . . .

#8

John -one last tip. Instead of a big MF hammer, after you get the top part on (was easier as I recall), I used a amll tack hammer to get bottom u-joint on. It takes a while (tack a little, drink a beer, tack a little, …) but it works. One of my greater accomplishments in life, for sure.
Ed

#9

The bfh is to try and open the joint on the coupler that fits over the steering rack spline. Since I can’t get the upper part removed from shaft at the top, I have only the bottom to work with at this point. I would like to get the entire universal off and be able to work with it on the bench but that is not happening.

Thanks for the help

#10

Ive done this a couple of times and its never fun. The way I have done it in the past (I have an 87 car)is to make sure the nut and bolt are completely removed from the end of the U-joint where it clamps to the rack. (which Im sure you have done already). So you can open it as much as you can, be careful not to damage the splines on the inside of the U Joint while opening it.

Upon installation, I put the mounting bolts in the rack while its in place but leave them loose so the rack can move slightly. It takes some muscle to position the U-joint correctly onto the splines, it barely catches by hand but then from the top of the engine bay I use a long 3/8" extension (about 2 ft. or so) and a hammer to tap it down all the way.

Make sure you have the splines lined up before you pound the U-joint back on to avoid destroying them. Then once its started I lightly tap the extension a few times, alternating from side to side on top of the U - joint until it is seated all the way. Takes a while but its easy once you have it started.

The hard part for me has always been wresting the damn thing into position without removing the oil pan etc.

Good luck, hope this helps!

And as always, this is Beer Tech information so drinking and cursing are required but it sounds like you have that part down!

Brian

#11

Brian, thanks for the tips. Your help was the method that finally got me back on the road. I started early this morning so beer wasn’t the helper but cursing was. I cursed every darn BMW engineer and their mothers and fathers who had any part in the design of that darn rack and u joint. I even came up with words and phrases I have never used before. But finally after hours of tapping, beating, greasing, cussing, I was still dead in the water. Then I decided to use the method you mentioned on beating - I mean tapping the u-joint onto the spline. It took quite a few tries but persistence paid off and I won the battle, at least for now. That method was the clincher to getting the beast together again. And so we are back on the road.

Thanks again all my E30 forum helpers.

John

#12

Good to hear it worked for you!

It seems that every job on do on the car goes something like that. I always have to remind myself why I do this again in the middle of those “good” times.