Steering Rack Question / Mystery Part
 

I am removing my steering rack and have been using @mbtim guide for this. The lines behind the steering rack below the rag joint have pretty rusted flare fittings. I bought the same flexi box end wrench Timmy has, but seems the flare nuts have been rounded a bit and the rust isn’t allowing them to budge. I put a lot of WD40 on them throughout the day and will be letting them soak for about a week. I don’t want to use a torch to heat them up and not sure how well vice grips would work. It also looks like the metal line that is closest to me is short, going into a rubber hose, so I am guessing once the rack is out, I could easily replace the metal part? The other line looks like it is permanently part of the whole assembly despite being part of a rubber hose based on how it looks like there is no gap in the hose or hose clamps. Any opinions on this?

The mystery part is on the passenger side fender well / frame. In replacing all of my suspension, the bracket holding a connector / electrical line just crumbled. Not sure what that is, but want to replace the bracket. Not interested in just zip tying it to the line above it.

Low pressure return line for the rack?

And, front passenger abs sensor connector?

Not related directly to post, but an oil/grease based anti-rust on that truck will extend its life like five-fold. Seems like in good shape for a truck that didn't receive any anti-rust, good thing you live in california.

You would not have to re-new it every year, even only once would help a lot. Would also get much less stuck bolts.

Yes, both lines have rusted square nut fittings. I need to figure out a way to get them unscrewed from the steering rack / replaced.

Perfect, thank you. I will see if I can find the bracket online and if not, will have to run to the junkyard.

Thanks. Previous owners didn’t really take care of the truck like I do, so rust won’t be an issue in the future. I do have cans of Fluid Film I can use for things like this and agree with you in using it. I have already removed all the rust you see in the picture and am continuing this removal as I am replacing all my front end suspension with new parts / paint. It is garage kept, in CA and not daily driven. Appreciate the feedback!

I used vice-grips for these on my totally nuts. Do you have the proper flare nut wrenches??? These could get it undone if not too rusty. Forget it if you are using standard wrenches. Search for flare nut wrenches.

Also, I don't even remember how it'S made back there and it's pretty late this sunday evening to go look at it... but for a stuck brake flare nut, I just cut the line and use a socket, then replace this part of the line. So if you are replacing the steering rack, that could be an option.

Yep, used the flare nut wrench that Timmy the Toolman recommended, hence why I was saying even with that, still didn’t work and seemed rounded a bit.

Yea, maybe if a pair of vise grips don’t work, I will just cut them like you mentioned and then replace those sections or entire line, depending.

I'm thinking those are really your only two options. You could TRY hitting it with a heat gun, but it may not get it hot enough. Still might be better than nothing. It sounds like the PO took a spanner to it previously at some point

When I replaced my steering rack, we initially tried to remove that fitting on the car and failed. Even using a flare nut wrench, it rounded over. We disconnected the soft line and pulled the rack with that fitting still on. With the old rack on the ground with more room to work, we clamped a set of vice grips on the nut, heated around the outside of the fitting with a small propane torch, and then hit the vice grips with a 4 pound sledge and eventually broke it free. Once that was done, one of my friends reshaped the nut and we put it on the new rack and installed it. The bottom line is that even if the rack and fittings are original, that fitting is a pain to remove, and if I ever need to do a rack again I plan on buying a new fitting rather than dealing with removing it again.

I will probably try the vise grips and / or cutting the line and then replacing it.

Yea, probably because I certainly didn’t. I didn’t spend almost $30 for a single 17MM flex box end wrench to try a regular wrench :)

Wow that sounds just as involved as mine will become. Thanks for the info and will see what happens!

OK, update on the two feed lines that run into the back of the steering rack. Despite two weeks of WD40 daily soaking, box end wrenches and vice grips, no such luck on removing them. SO, I had to cut the metal lines with a dremel.

Once I removed the rack, I used a 1/2” socket with a breaker bar AND an even longer metal pipe over the breaker bar and wow, got the box end fittings loose, but yea, no way those would have come off while still attached and in that tight space.

Anyway, now that those are off, trying to get the just as rusty rag joint off and I am sure it is not going to come off because of how bad it is rusted. I would rather just replace the component stamped 35031, but after some searching, it would make sense it is only part of the entire rack assembly.

Can anyone confirm this and / or have a part number if it can be purchased separately?

@HiLife wow, thanks so much!

That’s crazy. That piece is half the cost of an entire new rack. Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

If it makes a difference to you a new rack comes with both inner tie rod ends as well. Separately those are about $50 each. Just something to consider.