Steering rack centre shaft - how do I remove it?

[An Marcach]

I've a spare (leaking) steering rack and I've decided to strip it and see if I can give it a bit of a refurb.

I've got it stripped to the point where all that's left together is the aluminium casting and the steel rod that passes through it but I'm fu(ked if I can figure out how to get the centre rod out of the casting.

I've the ends off, the circlip out (the mechanical end seal is still in place) but I'm stuck ... or rather the centre rod is stuck.

It moves freely end to end but won't come out either end of the casting.

So .... what haven't I done?

[greenracing]

You need to remove the ends of the rack, the big nuts.

[An Marcach]

greenracing said:

You need to remove the ends of the rack, the big nuts.

Already off.

As I said above I've it down to the aluminium casing and the steel shaft but the shaft won't slide fully either direction, won't come out.

[mikesr]

The shaft should slide out via the end opposite to where the pinion is.
If the mahoosive 60mm aluminium end cap is removed you should be able to see the piston assembly inside the casting.
The only other thing left to remove after the rod is out is the inner seal which is behind the piston - just beyond the point the hose goes into the middle of the casting.
Have a look here for some photos

Reading the post again it sounds like the 60mm end cap is still in place.
This needs a few heat and cool cycles to break the thread lock which will have been copiously applied.
I took my rack apart last weekend. I used a blow torch on the casting and end cap to heat it up 3 times allowing it to cool in between.
With the casting clamped in a vice it only needed a couple of taps on a 60mm ring spanner to start the cap moving.

Edited by mikesr on Wednesday 1st July 18:09

[Jonbouy]

Does anyone have a exploded diagram of the steering rack?

[An Marcach]

There's pics of it apart in the link in the post above yours Jonbouy.


Yeah the end car is still on mine.

It's coated in a LOT of black paint and I thought it was actually part of the casting.

Thanks for that.




Now all I've to do is overcome my fear of applying heat from a blowtorch to anything aluminium ....