Rack & pinion maintenance

914GT · 08-05-2003, 08:32 PM

I've got the whole front suspension off the car, all left to do is disconnect the coupling to drop the steering. I'd think now's a good time to do some p.m. on it, like clean out the old grease and repack it. Seems to work ok and the bellows are good, so what should I do on it? Easy to take apart or don't f**k with it if it ain't broke? While it's out I'm putting in a 19mm master cylinder, can't be a better time to do that with nothing in the way.

Tidybuoy · 08-06-2003, 10:27 PM

Bump!

Hopefully, someone will answer your question. I want the answer too.

Scooter311 · 08-07-2003, 04:31 AM

Hey, me three - I've got a 911 setup I wanna go through, I think.....
Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?

914GT · 08-07-2003, 07:26 AM

It has been very quiet on this one, and no tech article either. I may be venturing into uncharted territory, perhaps others have been there and have never returned to write about it! A scary thought but it has my adrenaline pumping already. I will document my expedition with photos, perhaps I will post again on this subject...

Scooter311 · 08-07-2003, 07:57 AM

In a Sean Connery voice -
"You musht exshershise caushion when hahndling your shteeeering rack my friend, beware the conshequenshes........"

You should then unroll all the tools from a dusty brown leather pack.

............will we hear from 914GT again?

I've had too much coffee, someone please stop me............

"Shuddenly, I remembered my Charlemagne - let my ahmeesh be the rocksh, the treeesh, and the birdsh in the air"

914GT · 08-07-2003, 08:36 AM

perhaps I should keep my eyes closed when I take it apart ...

914GT · 08-07-2003, 08:13 PM

I have survived the journey into the depths of the rack and pinion, with no loss of sanity or body appendages. It was actually quite boring but it did result in an improvement so I'm glad I yanked it out. Here's what I started with:

A dirty little sucker with paint overspray over the grease. I removed the billows and unbolted the cover that holds a spring and rack tensioner in place. Here a pic of that:

Then removed the steering shaft and coupling

then the lock nut and the lower piece. There's a grease seal and a bearing under it. The seal was in tight, so I left it alone as I had no replacement. Everything was real dry and not much grease. Turning the shaft by hand it just felt there was no lube in it. There's a bolt on the top of the pinion, so I took it out and pumped a few shots of grease into the hole. Turning it by hand worked this grease into the bearing and also onto the rack. It felt smooth and quiet. After making sure I had worked lube into it real well I cleaned it and reassembled it.

I also greased the bearings in the top of the sealing bellows on the steering shaft. Hopefully this will make a difference in the steering feel and it will last a long long time. While I have it out everything in the space under the tank will get undercoated too.

Scooter311 · 08-08-2003, 05:00 AM

The intrepid 914GT has returned!
Way to go, pictures an' everything. It looks pretty simple, I'm gonna grab my spare and go to town on it this weekend and see what happens.
You should make that into a tech article somehow, it would be appreciated by many, I'm sure.

Thanks, you have paved the way for many..........