GM 26044821 Steering Gear Kit (Partial) (Remanufacture)

Begin by prying back the plastic cover over the intermediate shaft to expose the U-joint which can be replaced. After that, loosen the locking bolt and nut that hold the joint to the steering shaft. Afterward, jack up the front of the car and support it on jackstands, and take off both front wheels. If it is a power steering unit, disconnect the tie rods from the steering knuckles; if not, disconnect only the pressure pipe and return hose from rack and pinion housing. Insert a screwdriver into a rubber boot covering a U-joint so as to hold it aside. Take out of position nuts from mounting studs of rack and pinion after removing intermediate shaft bolt secure it on a pinion shaft. Remove cross-bracket's upper mounting nuts and U-brackets at once then get rid of both cross-bracket and U-brackets from mounting studs by pulling them off with your hands one by one. You should also carefully remove rack and pinion along with tie rods from left side of car without causing damage to emergency brake cable, fuel inlet line or mounting stud threads. Remove rear support brackets from mounting studs. Among other repair options are buying a new rack and pinion assembly or having it rebuilt in shop or finding one in junkyard or rebuilding by yourself if you want. Put right rear support bracket over mounting studs first then push rack and pinion into its cavity locate it over top side slightly towards rear of emergency brake cable as shown in following image 3-63. Afterwards install left rear support bracket on its mounting studs then align pinion shaft with intermediate shaft U-joint. Put pinion into this U-joint, loosely install bolt there afterwards install lower mounting nuts loosing U-brackets together with cross-bracket followed by upper mounting nuts respectively finally tighten all these fasteners evenly to specified torque values as indicated below: Tighten (first) all four mountings (nuts) evenly and recheck torque in a cross-diagonal sequence, retighten if necessary. Check that the O-ring is in place on the pressure pipe for power steering units, install it to the adapter and connect return hose to its fitting; for non-power steering systems, slide pressure pipe into the socket on the column adapter. Moreover, torque U-joint bolt then remove screwdriver from intermediate shaft so that rubber boot again covers U-joint and fix tie rods into steering knuckles. Finally, place a wheel/tire assembly on each side lower vehicle down onto ground until tires begin contacting fl exible ramps lower vehicle onto ground by turning handle counterclockwise raise lift arms enough install wheels so they are nearly touching of surface release jack's hydraulic pressure . If required, bleed power steering system and perform an alignment if outer tie rods were taken off.