Steering Gear Assembly
FIGURE 17:
1. There is a small piece of mylar film included in the rebuild seal kit. This should be used to install the oil seals onto the rack. Form the film into a ring and slide it into the center of the small rack oil seal (Figure 17). Make sure the mylar overlaps itself.
FIGURE 18:
2. Carefully slide the film and seal onto the rack, while keeping the oil seal at the middle of the film and the spring-side of the seal toward the rack piston (Figure 18). After the seal and film have passed over the rack teeth, slide the seal off the film. Coat the outside of the oil seal with ATF.
FIGURE 19:
3. Place Oil Seal Drift J34624 on the rack between the rack piston and the oil seal. Slide the Oil Seal Drift Spacer between the rack piston and the Oil Seal Drift (Figure 19).
4. Insert the backup collar into the inner tube with the rounded shoulder of the collar fully seated inside the inner tube. Slide the inner tube and old end cover assembly onto the rack.
FIGURE 19:
FIGURE 20:
5. Install the oil seal into the inner tube using one of the following methods:
- support the end cover in a vise and strike the end of the rack with a soft-faced hammer (Figure 19)
- support the end cover in a press and press on the end of the rack (Figure 20)
IMPORTANT:
Oil Seal Drift J34264 and Oil Seal Drift Spacer MUST be used to install the seal without damage. Be careful not to scratch the rack surface while pressing the oil seal into the inner tube.
6. Remove the rack and inner tube assembly from the vise or press. Remove the old end cover assembly, Drift, and Spacer from the rack.
FIGURE 21:
7. Coat the rack piston with ATF and slide the rack and inner tube through the large end of the cylinder assembly. Install the large washer, snap ring, plastic inner tube collar and new O-ring onto the inner tube assembly (Figure 21).
8. Install the pinion housing in Power Steering Stand J28817 as described in step 3. Install the new O-ring on the cylinder assembly. Coat it and the O-ring on the inner tube with ATF, coat rack teeth with grease, and slide the cylinder assembly, rack, and inner tube into the pinion housing. Be careful that the inner tube does not slide on the rack and move the oil seal onto the teeth.
FIGURE 22:
9. Line up the match marks, tighten the lock nut and torque to 78-108 N-m (58-80 ft.lbs.) using Cylinder Lock Nut Wrench J35995 (Figure 22).
FIGURE 23:
10. Use the mylar film to install the large rack seal onto the rack with the spring-side of the seal toward the rack piston. After the seal and film have passed over the end of the rack, slide the seal off the film.
11. Install the new backup washer on the rack next to the rack seal. Coat the new rack seal with ATF and tap into place in the cylinder assembly with a deep socket. Drive the washer and seal about 1 inch into the cylinder assembly (Figure 23).
FIGURE 24:
12. Temporarily clamp the flats on the end of the cylinder assembly in a vise with soft jaws. Leave the Power Steering Stand attached to the steering gear. Install the new end cover assembly and tighten with End Cover Wrench J28822 (Figure 24). Torque to 93-108 N-m (69-80 ft.lbs.).
FIGURE 25:
13. Fasten the new end cover to the cylinder assembly by staking (Figure 25). Make the stake mark at a different position than the original one. Apply sealant to the drilled hole to prevent water from entering. Reinstall the Power Steering Stand in the vise.
FIGURE 26:
14. Coat the new rear housing cover oil seal with ATF and press into the rear cover with a suitable tool (Figure 26). Install the seal with the spring side toward the cone-shaped side covers. Install the new O-ring on the rear cover.
FIGURE 27:
15. Use the mylar film to slide the rear cover over the splines on the pinion assembly. Be careful not to nick or cut the seal.
16. Coat the new pinion oil seal with ATF and press in place with Pinion Seal Installer J28527 (Figure 27). Install seal with the spring side up.
FIGURE 28:
17. Coat the pinion gear teeth and lower oil seal surface with grease. Coat the pinion bearings with grease and install in the pinion housing. Coat the sealing rings and rear cover O-ring with ATF.
18. Carefully slide the pinion assembly into the pinion housing. Gently tap the rear cover into place using a deep socket (Figure 28). The cone-shaped side of the cover fits against the pinion.
FIGURE 29:
9. Install a new snap ring to secure the rear cover (Figure 29).
FIGURE 30:
20. If so equipped, install one rack spacer on each end of the rack. Install new lock plates on each inner tie rod end and apply thread locking agent to the tie rod inner socket threads (Figure 30).
FIGURE 31:
21. Assemble the inner tie rod ends and lock plates to the rack. Be sure the tabs on the lock plate engage with the slots on the end of the rack. Torque the tie rod inner sockets to 78-98 N-m (58-72 ft.lbs.) and bend the lock plates over onto the flats on the tie rod inner sockets (Figure 31).
FIGURE 32:
22. Install the new self-lock nut on the end of the pinion assembly, and tighten with the tie rod inner socket bottomed against the pinion housing (Figure 32). Torque the self-lock nut to 19-25 N-m (14-19 ft.lbs.).
FIGURE 33:
23. Coat the threads of the new housing plug with sealer, install the plug, and torque to 49-69 N-m (36-51 ft.lbs.). Stake the housing plug in 3 places (Figure 33).
FIGURE 34:
24. Apply grease to the contact surfaces as shown (Figure 34). Install the retainer, spring, spring seat, new retainer cover gasket, retainer cover, and two bolts. Torque the bolts to 16-21 N-m (12-15 ft.lbs.).
FIGURE 35:
FIGURE 36:
25. Measure pinion rotating torque with an in.lbs. torque wrench (should be less than 16 in.lbs.). Measure rack sliding force with Spring Scale J35999 (should be less than 55 lb at center of rack) (Figures 35 and 36).
FIGURE 37:
26. If necessary, adjust the retainer. Completely remove locknut, apply sealer to locknut and adjusting screw threads, install locknut and torque to 10-15 N-m (7-11 ft.lbs.) (Figure 37).
FIGURE 38:
Perform Step 27 ONLY if new boots are installed.
27. If new boots are installed, slide the boots onto the tie rod inner sockets and install the small boot clamps (O-rings). Install the tie rod outer sockets. Set distance "L" (Figure 38) as listed below, then torque lock nut to 37-46 N-m (27-34 ft.lbs.).
Driver Passenger
side side
Maxima 178.4 mm 178.4 mm
Stanza 178.4 mm 179.0 mm
Stanza Wagon 174.7 mm 174.7 mm
1987 200SX 42.9 mm 42.9 mm
FIGURE 39:
28. Center the rack in the housing. Set distance "L(1)," and "L(2)" (Figure 39) as listed below:
Driver side Passenger side
Maxima, Stanza, 200SX 57.0 mm 70.0 mm
Stanza Wagon 47.4 mm 60.4 mm
29. Install the rear housing cover cap with the pointer facing toward the driver side of the vehicle, and mark the pointer position on the rear housing.
30. Install the long cylinder tube and breather hose. Slide boots into place and install the boot clamps, but do not tighten at this time. The longer boot clamp fits on the pinion housing. Connect the breather hose to the boots.