Steering rack removal help!!

cymeryss · 10-04-2011, 09:49 PM

Alright, I have spent 3 hours by now trying to remove this thing and just can't do it. Removed the clamp at the top and the tightening screw and all of the AC hoses and removed everything else on the bottom except the suspension. From what the manual says, the rack should just pull out, but it does not. Any suggestions, am I missing something here?? Should I also remove the steering column??

RichardM912 · 10-05-2011, 03:20 AM

I recently removed the rack from my 69 912. My experience may or may not be relevant.

Not sure if you mean that the rack won't lower at all - that is, it is tight in the universal joint that you have removed the clamping bolt from - or that you cannot drop the rack down because of interference of brake lines and suspension bits. If the former, suggest you spray it with penetrating oil and then open the U joint a little using a screw driver blade in the split and a hammer. Put a support behind the joint to keep it in place as you hit it. Others may have a gentler technique.

If the latter, you will probably have to lower the rack enough to clear the U joint, then slide off the rubber bush and boot and undo the coupler bolts and lift off the coupler. You should then hopefully have enough room to lower the rack and remove it to the side. May still foul the suspension on the way out to the side. Mine did and I had to lower the offending control arm a little.

If you can't clear the U-joint, you may have to move up the steering column as I did, loosening all of the other U-joints.

D911SC · D911SC's Garage

I experienced something similar. It was the uni joint that was grabbing the shaft. I ended up carefully slotting in a large enough flat blade screw driver to slightly pry the clamp on the uni joint. It just slipped out.

After cleaning both ends of the fitting and using a bit of anti-seize it easily went back together.

D911SC · D911SC's Garage

Some PB Blaster or similar can also help if it's really stuck

JeremyD · JeremyD's Garage

PB Blaster - screwdriver in slot - bang in with a hammer - then turn to unpry that clamp. Mine was stuck pretty good too. I think the technical term is "married"

cymeryss · 10-05-2011, 08:15 AM

Thanks, I actually did put a screwdriver in the slot and the shaft did move out around 5mm but then it looks like there is no more room for the steering rack to move down or for the steering column to move up. I did notice that Bentley states that you should uncouple the two with the two bolt clamp still on....I will have to give that a try as well but just don't see how that could work..the next step would be to disassemble the steering column I guess..

RichardM912 · 10-05-2011, 04:39 PM

As mentioned, I found that the Bentley (and Brookland) manuals are more works of fiction than fact when they say "loosen the nut and pull the U-joint off the steering shaft". There was simply no room to slide the U-joint up and off in my car. I loosened both sides of every U-joint, up to the shaft exiting through the bulkhead. I could then make the separation.

A word of caution. On my car, each splined section of shaft had a single "flat" to locate the lock bolt, with one exception. One splined section had two flats, at about 120 degrees apart. If you use the wrong flat you will find that you have a tight spot in your steering once every turn of the wheel. I did not deduce this by thinking the geometry through from first principles! I suggest that you mark the shaft in relation to each U-joint (both sides of the joint) to assist with reassembly. I presume the two flats are to allow left or right hand drive versions using the same components. Mine is RHD.

D911SC · D911SC's Garage

That's interesting Richard. Mine is RHD and I am sure there was only 1 flat on each end of the shaft. I also removed the intermediate shaft so the only part that remained was the part that comes through the bulkhead.

I'm going to check this as my rack is currently out of the car.

RichardM912 · 10-05-2011, 10:24 PM

From memory, the twin flats were on the upper end of the middle shaft, the one that runs at an angle across the car. Makes sense, as the steering wheel shaft and the shaft onto the rack coupler can be at any orientation. It was just fortunate that I noticed the two flats during assembly. Otherwise, I could have been chasing the source of the tight spot for days.

My conjecture about left and right hand drive interchangeability was just that, conjecture. Have now had a quick look at the parts diagram for a 69 and two intermediate shafts are shown, one with the remark /RL and the other with the remark /LL. The /LL has the additional comment "not for 912 USA". Seems odd if /LL means LHD. My car started its life in the US and was converted to RHD later. Perhaps the extra flat was machined during the conversion.

cymeryss · 10-05-2011, 11:50 PM

Got it...thanks for all the help....the trick was in 'really' separating the clamp of the universal joint. By 'really' I mean a .25" gap, which then allowed the spline shaft to come out...thanks.

cymeryss · 10-10-2011, 10:18 PM

Alright....did not want to start a new thread since I am almost done, but got stuck on this. After installing the new rubber boots for the turbo tie rod conversion I am noticing that the outer retainer springs are very loose (basically falling off). Is this normal or have they really stretched? I assume they suppose to be installed over the rubber rings which are installed on the turbo rods, but are very loose..?? I am ready to order new ones but am wondering if that is the real issue since the inner ones seem fine. It looks like the new outer diameter is smaller and that seems to be the issue....any known resolution to this?

RichardM912 · 10-11-2011, 02:12 AM

The new boots are smaller at the outer end than the old ones. From memory, they fit onto the black "discs" on the rods - the ones with a dished groove around their circumferences. The ends of the boots fit into this groove. As you have found, the old springs are too large but no springs seem to be needed on the outer ends. The old springs are fine for the inner ends.

If you want to be sure, cheap fix would be a cable tie in lieu of an outer spring.

cymeryss · 10-11-2011, 10:39 PM

I see.....I guess no point in getting new springs. Thanks for confirming this, really appreciate it.

rokemester · 02-02-2020, 01:04 PM

I posted on another steering rack thread just now. I’ll give the advice contained here a try and see if I can drop the rack on my 87 Targa. Thanks.

rokemester · 02-03-2020, 03:15 PM

It was a relatively soft landing! I tap tap tapped the screwdriver into the universal joint. Went below and tugged, nada. Went back up top tap tap tap tap jiggled the large rubber grommet...down it came!

Maybe this had something to do with it...

Pretty crusty! Thanks again for the great tips!!