Overview: Power Steering Rack ReplacementDifficulty: ***Time: 3 hoursTools: -Jack and jackstands -12, 14, 17mm open ended/box wrenches -17, 18, 19, 21mm sockets -Socket wrench - 3” or longer socket extension -Breaker Bar -Universal Joint separator (Not sure of the name, but they cost about $15) -Fluid Drain pan -A Friend, definitely helpsMaterials: -Steering Rack Assembly including but not limited to: -Inner Tie Rods -Outer Tie Rods -Cotter Pins -Tie Rod dust boots -Hard and soft lines -Steering Rack Bushings -1 or more quarts of Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF, I used less than 1qt, just a precaution) -PB Blast or other rust removal solventProcedure: -Raise and support front of car, Remove wheels using 21mm socket. -Turn steering wheel away from side of vehicle you are working on to access Tie Rod bolts. Remove Cotter pin from Castle nut with needle nose pliers. -Using 18 or 19mm socket (notes oily, sorry), use PB Blast if necessary, and remove castle nuts. -Slide Joint remover onto Spindle / tie rod end connector and turn until it separates. Use the breaker bar and appropriate socket that fits onto the top of the joint tool, it will pop out suddenly so watch your face on those fenders! -Repeat process on opposite side. -Under car, using 12mm socket remove both bolts on the steering column knuckle. Slide knuckle upwards on shaft and disconnect, may take some effort and finagling. -Place drain pan under where the lines connect to the rack. -Remove necessary Fluid lines using open ended wrenches as follows: 1. 17mm 2. 14mm 3. 12mm 4. 12mm *I only removed the lines from the pump, which are 1 & 2. -While Fluid is draining, use 17mm socket and extension to remove steering rack support brackets (x2, 1 driver side & 1 passenger side). The forward bolt is in a small 2” hole in your sub-frame, its opposite the exposed bolt on each bracket. -Remove brackets and remove bushings, the bushings are cut so find the break and pull them out. -Lift, pull, and twist OLD rack from where it sits on your sub-frame. -Twist, pull, and lift NEW rack into position, leave loose for now. -Using 12mm socket, reconnect steering column knuckle, its easier if the rack moves so do it before refastening the support brackets and fluid lines. Be sure your wheels are somewhat straight and have your friend center your steering wheel. *Lining the steering wheel so the car is straight may take a few up and downs on the jack but you only have to remove the 12mm bolts and turn the wheel to adjust (told you a friend would help). -Using appropriate open ended wrenches, reconnect PS Fluid lines to rack. -Install new Bushings, the “O” shaped bushing goes on the passenger side. The odd shaped one goes on the driver side and is tricky to get on, the apex points skyward and there should be no gap around the rack in the bushing. -Using 17mm socket and extender, refasten both rack support brackets over new bushings. -Using Jack, lift tie rod ends into holes in wheel spindles. The jack will help stop the ball joints from spinning as you tighten the castle nuts onto the spindle. -Using 18/19mm socket, retighten tie-rod castle nuts onto spindle. -Replace cotter pins and bend into locked position. -Repeat on opposite side. -Fill Power Steering fluid Reservoir, and bleed system by turning wheels back and forth till no more air bubbles appear in PS Reservoir. -Reattach wheels, fasten lug nuts, lower car. -ENJOY!

good idea that you ditched work

good write up! i've only had to change the steering rack on my hachi, which was a *****. just left it manual steering afterwards. with a bigger, heavier car like a 180 (240), i'd definitely want PS.

hopefully i won't have to change it, but if i do, i'll know where to look:)

you can use atf oil on power steering. i didnt know

BIGTIMER_240 wrote:you can use atf oil on power steering. i didnt know

Pretty much same viscosity

nice write up. gonna replace mine soon due to 240k miles on it and small leak.

Very informative write up.

I just ordered my steering rack, tie rods, and crontrol arms.

this thread will come in useful. THANKS!

nice. i indexed under steering.

zerothread/253879

Thanks for the feedback. After driving a wasted steering rack for too long (see second image), I would recommend this to anyone driving on the original stock steering rack.

nice write up i gotta do mine sooner or later

MastaYu wrote:nice write up i gotta do mine sooner or later

you will not regret the money and time invested mi amigo.

I gotta check some other stuff but I think my rack may be going...great write-up man!

I have a couple questions. I need to replace the rack on my S14, it looks just as leaky as yours does. It's practically soaked, haha.

Where did you buy the rack? FRSport has a rebuilt S13 rack for sale and it looks like the S13 and S14 have the exact same steering rack part number. Would it be advisable to get this one? I'm just trying to find something that will be 100% reliable, not typical cheap aftermarket junk. I want OEM quality.

I have all new parts of the steering rack assembly except for new hard and soft lines. Should I definitely get those too? If so, should I go through Nissan for that?

Just trying to figure out where I need to buy the parts really. Don't want to spend $1000 bucks through Nissan. Thanks!

Jdmstyles wrote:Very informative write up.

I just ordered my steering rack, tie rods, and crontrol arms.

this thread will come in useful. THANKS!

lol, dude i just laughed my a** off at your sig

i couldnt afford these at the time but they seem like the best bang for the $$$ DJ Buttons PS linesi used the hard lines that were on my rack and the soft lines that were on my chasis. i recently had to custom bend a hardline for my clutch, its easy but you have to be careful (get loaner tools from autozone, flaring tool and tube bender). you can buy lengths of the hardline for under $10, just make sure its "M10" or metric fittings, they call it hard brake hose.

FRsport (good vendor) most likely sells a rebuilt OEM rack, it may be new im not sure. call a dealership and ask for a new rack to get an idea of what you are buying, and FRsport customer service should be able to answer that question.i found my rack in the classifieds w/tein tie rods and already rebuilt for $200.. they are pretty pricey otherwise from all sources. ***if you can get a core from a junkyard and get it rebuilt locally, its prolly the cheapest w/o alot of un-drivable days. and support your local economy.

i hope that helped! have fun.

I removed the tie rods and I think it made it easier. I have done it before from the top with the motor out and it was a nightmare. I did it from the bottom with the tie rods removed this time; while still a 3 hour process, getting the racks out without knocking the hard lines to the pinion all wonky. I will be scrubbing Lucas power steering stop leak out of my hair for a week...

Thanks for the thread, btw. It made grabbing tools all at once much easier!

Hey there, I'm trying to put a s15 rack into a s13, the hard lines on the rack are different. Any suggestions? s15 ones get in the way of a mounting bolt, s13 ones dont seem to line up into the pinion part right, can i just bend em?

I had to replace mine not to long ago due to rack making noise, and was leaking really bad, and steering at high speeds was really bad.

Their easy to replace just tedious work. The only hardest thing to remove is the u-joint for steering shaft. Everything else is cake work.

I see you didnt remove the engine to trans gussets. For people that dont know what I'm talking about. Its the 2 metal plates that bolt on engine and trans lower/bottom. With them removed its way more room and easier to maneuver the rack. At least I had to remove them on my RB20 when I did my rack.

Use line wrench to undo the hardlines. Get an alignment after it's done.

Great write up, Ill be doing this very soon

Liq wrote:Hey there, I'm trying to put a s15 rack into a s13, the hard lines on the rack are different. Any suggestions? s15 ones get in the way of a mounting bolt, s13 ones dont seem to line up into the pinion part right, can i just bend em?

you can buy lengths of the hardline at your auto parts stores, you need to know the thread size and pitch of both sides tho so be careful because you have to be exact or else you will have leaks. and you will need to bend it your self, which is always fun. you could try one of the hardlines i mentioned earlier but im not sure about fitting it to the S15 rack. post you results!

placham wrote:Their easy to replace just tedious work. The only hardest thing to remove is the u-joint for steering shaft. Everything else is cake work.

I see you didnt remove the engine to trans gussets. For people that dont know what I'm talking about. Its the 2 metal plates that bolt on engine and trans lower/bottom. With them removed its way more room and easier to maneuver the rack. At least I had to remove them on my RB20 when I did my rack.

i will agree with you, that u joint was a huge b**** to get on and off without messing up the center point of ur steering wheel. if you can, mark the u-joint and gear it connects to with matching lines before disassembly -it will make finding the center a lot easier. trying to find the center without this is a PITA.

94_240sx wrote:Use line wrench to undo the hardlines. Get an alignment after it's done.

i really wished i found these before my hydrolic line work, i didnt mess up my brake line but i totally stripped off my clutch line... YAY!

nice to see this is getting some use....

94_240sx wrote:Use line wrench to undo the hardlines. Get an alignment after it's done.

They are also referred to as 'flare nut wrenches' at NAPA for $20.

+5 invaluable when working on hydraulic systems, so that you do not round off the corners.

Linkhttp://www.napaonline.com/NOLP...5292#

Good write-up!

hey bro this is an amazing tread!!! tnx im about to change my steering rack bushings! i see u had those replaced on ur pics, did u have to drop the whole rack?

thanks! you dont have to drop your whole rack to get the bushings changed but you may want to disconnect the tie rod end where it connects to the steering knuckle as well as the brackets where the bushings go. leave the PS pump lines connected to avoid having to reconnect thm &bleed ur system. i believe there is a writeup in the tech pages (see top nav) that is specific to changing just the bushings so check that out -iirc you only remove the bushing brackets and replace the bushings.

I did my bushings with the ends attatched. Just undo both of the brackets at the same time and you have plently of space to wiggle the rack.

rico05 wrote:I did my bushings with the ends attatched. Just undo both of the brackets at the same time and you have plently of space to wiggle the rack.

thank you for clearing that up. i wasnt sure cuz i pulled the whole damn thing... heres the bushing only write-up...steering rack bushing replacement

sweet! tnx for the response i will work on it this weekend see whats up tnx for the link to the thread

Hi, that was a great write-up and very informative. I am having my steering rack replaced right now (decided not to do it myself) and have a question for anyone here who may know... i came across these aluminum steering shaft bushings (like this one http://www.frsport.com/FRS-Alu....html )... do you know if it requires less work to replace this if done at the same time as the steering rack? I really couldn't figure it out and i'd appreciate anyone's input who may know. Thanks.

wadiad wrote:Hi, that was a great write-up and very informative. I am having my steering rack replaced right now (decided not to do it myself) and have a question for anyone here who may know... i came across these aluminum steering shaft bushings (like this one http://www.frsport.com/FRS-Alu....html )... do you know if it requires less work to replace this if done at the same time as the steering rack? I really couldn't figure it out and i'd appreciate anyone's input who may know. Thanks.

i think you have to pull the steering shaft out which is more work on top of the rack replacement. separate job iirc.

ok thanks, then i will leave it for another time