Can't disconnect steering column from steering rack

[variablevalve]

Hi all,

So I previously posted about not being able to remove a power steering line. At the recommendation of one of the replies, I began the process of removing the whole steering rack.

With a lot of heat, a 3 foot cheater bar, one nut-splitter (OMG, I love this tool), and a lot of banging I managed to remove every rusted nut and bolt. But the one piece that alludes me is the connection between the steering column and rack.

I've removed the bolt (in yellow) and yet the rack does not slip down. I've tried driving a chisel in there to spread it apart (it is a pinch-type connection) and a ton of PB Blaster with no luck. I've also banged it all to hell trying to break it loose.

I've also tried loosening the bolts on the rag joint, but those seem to be seized up worse and I cant disconnect those. I can't use heat because that rag joint has a rubber connection.

Am I missing something? Does anyone have any ideas or tricks?

 

[4x4runner2002]

Sounds like you are doing everything right. Sux having rust and corrosion. It's new to me. Back in Cali I did mine and it fell right out. I did one here and I had to soak it in on blaster and bang the hell out of it.

You could take that joint apart and get it out of there and then have more room to work.

 

[kolelt]

Had the same issue when I did my steering rack. I used a heat torch and then hit it with hammer. Went up like nothing. Then got a whole new rag joint from dealer

 

[Sherwood4Runner]

I just did my steering rack last week and had the same issue. I ended up loosening the bolt upstream of the rag joint and was able to at least get the rack out from under the vehicle to try and work on it more easily. It took hitting it with a hammer and chisel. Once it finally separated I cleaned it really good and pried the sleeve open a little more to make reassembly a little easier. It was still challenging getting the joint to mount on the new steering rack.

Note: The upstream shaft only fits on the steering shaft one way. I had to reattach that upstream shaft first before trying to connect it to the steering rack in order to keep the rack centered.

 

[variablevalve]

Ah okay, well I've soaked it in PB Blaster overnight. I'll keep banging on it today. :redbrick:

Maybe I'll attack the upstream bolt and see if that one will come off!!!

 

[TheDurk]

When I did my frame swap, the rag joint was frozen on the bottom half. I loosened the bolt just above the yellow one, and the rag joint came loose from the upper shaft, but only after the weight of the frame was hanging on it.

I wanted to replace the whole rag joint, but I never could get that bottom half loose from the rack, no matter what I did--hammer, heat, spreading the joint, nada. I gave up and just replaced the rest.

 

[the walrus]

You might undo the 12mm bolt at the bottom of the steering shaft near the firewall. This is inside the cab and should not be rusted or corroded. Then you may be able to lower everything else down.

 

[variablevalve]

Thanks everyone for the tips. Just posting an update in case anyone else has this problem in the past. This is what worked for me:

I removed the mud guard from the driver-side wheel well to access the 12mm bolt further up from the rag joint. I was able to loosen the 12mm bolt with a breaker bar and then banged it with a hammer and chisel from above. Dropping the whole steering rack + rag joint.

Once I had it out, I flipped it (so the rag joint was facing down) and banged on it again.

To replace it on to the new steering rack, I had to separate the two pieces. Required a ton of PB Blaster and a lot of force, I can't imagine doing this attached to the steering rack.

Then I hammered each individual side of the rag joint to their respective steering part, and then mated them together with the bolts. This part required a little eyeballing and back and forth to make sure that it kept the steering wheel centered.

Hope this helps someone in the future!

 

[JWaldz]

Note: The upstream shaft only fits on the steering shaft one way. I had to reattach that upstream shaft first before trying to connect it to the steering rack in order to keep the rack centered.

I ran into this on mine as well. Found out after fighting it that the shaft was keyed. The upper portion joint has a notch in it and only fits one way. Fun times lol.