how to remove 95 maxima steering rack.

[NISSAN240SX12]

Im in the process of removing the steering rack off of my 95 maxima. I have the whole rack lose and all hoses remove. all that is left is to slide the rack out. but...... the steering linkage nub is catching on the frame. i cant seem to get it out for the life of me. I've searched for any articles but not finding any instructions on removing the steering rack. i've googled it also. any help would be great. Thanks!

[audtatious]

You should be able to find directions within the FSM

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/maxima/1995/

[NISSAN240SX12]

You should be able to find directions within the FSM

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/maxima/1995/

I found the FSM earlier today and i checked it out. there wasn't very much on removing the steering rack. Thank you though. Is there anyone that has first hand experience on removing the steering rack?

[maxhopper]

Have you removed the cross member and the y-pipe?

[NISSAN240SX12]

Have you removed the cross member and the y-pipe?

I haven't done that. I can try to remove them and see what happens.

[audtatious]

Scott's the man when it comes to that kinda thing.

[Svenfran]

Well, it's obviously way too late to help, but I just completed this job on my 95 Maxima. Nearly all the posts I found said to remove the engine crossmember and the exhaust Y-pipe. Maybe I'm stubborn, but removing the Y-pipe on my Max with 226K miles looked to me like a recipe for trouble, so I managed to R&R the rack without removing either. Full disclosure: I did remove the sway bar and the suspension lower control arms, because I essentially replaced/rebuilt the old loose front suspension components (new lower control arms with integral ball joints and bushings, new sway bar bushings, new struts, plus the steering rack, of course). Parts total about $1,000 (the AC Delco replacement rack was about $250 of that; also replace the two main rack rubber mount bushings; I bought Moog). Be sure to replace any O-rings for hydraulic lines that have them if you remove or dislodge the lines; those came with the rack from AC Delco).

If you're just doing the rack (without all those other suspension pieces at the same time), I think you can still get away with removing only the sway bar. I rotated the sway bar and extracted it from the passenger side, but you have to loosen or remove the exhaust heat shield forward of the rack to get clearance for removing the sway bar). The rack itself came out the driver side. Had to remove 1) the 4 main mount bolts into the firewall (not difficult), 2) the neoprene boot between the rack and the firewall (several 6 mm bolts with 10 mm hex heads), 3) the yoke inside the boot (remove from both the rack input shaft and the steering column lower end--two 8 mm pinch bolts, which have 12 mm hex heads), 4) the outer tie rod ends (of course, bought new ones), 4) the large rubber hydraulic return hose and the steel pressure line next to it on the top of the rack. A couple of tricks: you pretty much have to remove the round plastic evap canister above this area to get to things (or remove the lower hose and cram it up out of the way. To get the rack to rotate counterclockwise (viewed from the driver's side) sufficiently to allow the input shaft to clear the fender well cutout while you're sliding the whole thing out, you HAVE to loosen the steel line and flange nut going into the rack on the far right end (passenger side) of the rack and have someone bend it out of the way while guiding the rack toward the driver side (and vice versa for reinstall of the new rack). And you have to remove the yoke from the input shaft or it won't come out. And whatever you do, follow the advice in the FSM and be sure to center the steering wheel and tie it in place before starting this whole process. Rotating the steering wheel too far either way without the rack attached messes up something with an air bag cable, so I took pains to be sure the wheel was secured before I began any of this and that the new rack itself was centered before installed it. The steering wheel was pretty well centered when I was done, although I will still have an alignment to get the toe-in correct.

This job took me MANY hours, so it's not for the faint of heart, or those without wobble sockets, or those who don't have a couple of weekends to devote to it, but it can be done and now my wife's old Max (she keeps it pristine) is good to go for many more miles and years, plus she's safe now that the front end is no longer loosey goosey.

[Maxbumpo]

Svenfran (and anyone else with experience here);

There seem to be a lot of choices for rebuilt steering racks. How is the AC Delco rack holding up? I see it offered with a lifetime warranty.

I've got to get this job done on my '96 Infiniti I30, probably going to tackle myself. What else should be replaced while I've got the front of the suspension taken apart?

Can I get away with just removing the sway bar and the evap canister, or do I have to pull the y-pipe? My car has 227k miles, and I agree that removing the y-pipe might be a big job, as the rusted parts in hard to reach places seem to be everywhere.

[NutriaforBreakfast]

Please add to the explaining process as you re-installed. I put new tie rods and control arms on at about 215,000 and probably should have done this too but i am not losing power steering fluid.

You still can put on a camber kit so you can get a much better alignment.
Midas will charge $60 labor on this plus the cost of the "kit" (usually 2 bolts)
which is about $15. I have put on kits BEFORE the alignment and its easy.

Not trying to be an overcorrecting snob but sounds like you removed the
inner tie rods (yoke in the boot #3 comment)? I was wondering if you got new inner tie rods WITH your rack and pinion upon purchase?

Do you think it is possible to put new main rack bushings on the
rack and pinion without removing the rack and pinion? Can you remember if
the bushings were the "split" type? Mine are falling apart with oil and electric
tape

I think the spiral cable is what you avoided damaging when you were
working with your steering wheel

[NutriaforBreakfast]

The rack and pinion busings are called "insulators" and are the split bushing
type. I am having a hard time installing them and will work on them next
month.

[NutriaforBreakfast]

Longer bolts did not work for the insulator clamp
This project is one utter failure for me
I recommend professional work on this thing