dirtysouthjacket
New member
So I have done 2 sets of steering rack replacements now. Here is what I have learned.
There are a couple of threads I picked up some of these ideas, but I wanted to put them in one place. This is also selfish, because my memory is terrible, so if I ever need to help someone else out. I can easily find my notes. The first time I did this, I didn’t use all of these and it took me over 3 hours. The second time it was around 90 mins including gathering tools and cleaning up.
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I followed this guide. I won’t go into detail on every single step, but these are the key points and tools I found.
ih8mud Bushing Replacement Thread
Tools
1. ½” x 18” Breaker Bar, you need this to break most of the bolts loose as they are high torque. You can fit an 18” bar and socket on all of the bolts, but it is tight, especially on the top bolt.
2. ½” Torque wrench.
3. ½” Ratchet
4. 19mm Ratcheting Flex Head Wrench, this is invaluable for the top bolt. Safes a ton of time verse a standard wrench. You can’t fit tall ½ ratchet and socket up there, but maybe you can if you have a low head ratchet. The Ratcheting wrench is the best I’ve found.
5. Pipe Extension, I had to use this to add on to my 18” bar for a few of the bolts. Its actually the handle off my Harbor Freight Jack.
6. PB Blaster, helps get things started
7. PB Multi Purpose Lube, this is Teflon based which is good for new poly bushings
8. Various Sockets and Extensions, a deep 19mm is also helpful (not shown) for the bottom bolt on the D bushing. A 3” Extension is good for the top right bolt on D bushing. 6 point sockets are recommended due to the torques involved.
9. Rags, its super messy under there as the valve covers leak right onto the rack.
10. Simple Green for same reason as 9.
11. Homemade Top Bushing Puller, detailed in IH8Mud Thread.
12. 6” C Clamp, lets you put the new top bushing in easily
13. Hammer, lets you knock out the left long bolt using a socket extension and knock it back in
14. Box Cutter, lets you cut the lips off the left bushing to easily remove it.
15. Gloves
Tips (to save time)
1. Gather all your tools, gloves, rags and the kit and place under the truck. If you don’t have a lift, you will have to crawl out from under 15 times like I did the first job. Saves a lot of time and wear and tear on your old ass body.
2. You can do this with outer tie rods connected or off. I’ve done it both ways.
3. I jacked up the front of the truck, and put my jack stands as far back as safely as possible. The first time I had them close to the frony wheels and it made working a lot harder as I was constantly fighting around the right jack stand.
4. I did NOT use jackstands to hold the rack up like the guide says. It’s one more thing to get in the way. When unbolted, the left side of the rack is held up by the steering column, the right side I left resting on the bottom bolt.
5. I did not have any problems putting my rack back in. A lot of people have commented it is hard to line up the center bolt holes and using long clamps to try to pull the rack into position. I just bolted the left bolt and two right bolts down, backed off slightly and everything lined up. I then did the center bolt last. Just make sure you have all the bushings and inner collars installed before you start sliding the rack back in.
6. Be really really careful with torqueing and unbolting. It is really easy to swing and hit the hydraulic lines for the steering rack. Especially on the top bolt. I actually slightly kinked one line on the first job I did. Fortunately it never leaked.
7. The Homemade bushing puller is perfect, there isn’t an easier way! The most important tool.
8. The 19mm Ratching Flex wrench is invaluable as a time saver. The second most important tool.
Good luck!
There are a couple of threads I picked up some of these ideas, but I wanted to put them in one place. This is also selfish, because my memory is terrible, so if I ever need to help someone else out. I can easily find my notes. The first time I did this, I didn’t use all of these and it took me over 3 hours. The second time it was around 90 mins including gathering tools and cleaning up.
I followed this guide. I won’t go into detail on every single step, but these are the key points and tools I found.
ih8mud Bushing Replacement Thread
Tools
1. ½” x 18” Breaker Bar, you need this to break most of the bolts loose as they are high torque. You can fit an 18” bar and socket on all of the bolts, but it is tight, especially on the top bolt.
2. ½” Torque wrench.
3. ½” Ratchet
4. 19mm Ratcheting Flex Head Wrench, this is invaluable for the top bolt. Safes a ton of time verse a standard wrench. You can’t fit tall ½ ratchet and socket up there, but maybe you can if you have a low head ratchet. The Ratcheting wrench is the best I’ve found.
5. Pipe Extension, I had to use this to add on to my 18” bar for a few of the bolts. Its actually the handle off my Harbor Freight Jack.
6. PB Blaster, helps get things started
7. PB Multi Purpose Lube, this is Teflon based which is good for new poly bushings
8. Various Sockets and Extensions, a deep 19mm is also helpful (not shown) for the bottom bolt on the D bushing. A 3” Extension is good for the top right bolt on D bushing. 6 point sockets are recommended due to the torques involved.
9. Rags, its super messy under there as the valve covers leak right onto the rack.
10. Simple Green for same reason as 9.
11. Homemade Top Bushing Puller, detailed in IH8Mud Thread.
12. 6” C Clamp, lets you put the new top bushing in easily
13. Hammer, lets you knock out the left long bolt using a socket extension and knock it back in
14. Box Cutter, lets you cut the lips off the left bushing to easily remove it.
15. Gloves
Tips (to save time)
1. Gather all your tools, gloves, rags and the kit and place under the truck. If you don’t have a lift, you will have to crawl out from under 15 times like I did the first job. Saves a lot of time and wear and tear on your old ass body.
2. You can do this with outer tie rods connected or off. I’ve done it both ways.
3. I jacked up the front of the truck, and put my jack stands as far back as safely as possible. The first time I had them close to the frony wheels and it made working a lot harder as I was constantly fighting around the right jack stand.
4. I did NOT use jackstands to hold the rack up like the guide says. It’s one more thing to get in the way. When unbolted, the left side of the rack is held up by the steering column, the right side I left resting on the bottom bolt.
5. I did not have any problems putting my rack back in. A lot of people have commented it is hard to line up the center bolt holes and using long clamps to try to pull the rack into position. I just bolted the left bolt and two right bolts down, backed off slightly and everything lined up. I then did the center bolt last. Just make sure you have all the bushings and inner collars installed before you start sliding the rack back in.
6. Be really really careful with torqueing and unbolting. It is really easy to swing and hit the hydraulic lines for the steering rack. Especially on the top bolt. I actually slightly kinked one line on the first job I did. Fortunately it never leaked.
7. The Homemade bushing puller is perfect, there isn’t an easier way! The most important tool.
8. The 19mm Ratching Flex wrench is invaluable as a time saver. The second most important tool.
Good luck!
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