Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 11:10:14 -0500
Reply-To: Sam Walters <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Sam Walters <sam.cooks@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: converting an 83.5 to power steering ?
In-Reply-To: <200503221029.AA70648272@mail.interslice.com>
Content-type: multipart/mixed;
Paul,
Have you checked the archives? This has been discussed quite a few
times before. Checking the archive will give you lots of information.
Not all of those who posted before are on the list now and some will not
want to rewrite a detailed post that was sent in previously.
Attached are two somewhat related posts I had saved on my computer, but
I am sure that there is more. I haven't ever really thought about doing
this job so wouldn't have save posts about it.
Sam
--
Sam Walters
Baltimore, MD
89 Syncro GL
85 Westy Weekender
All incoming and outgoing email scanned by
automatically updated copy of Norton AntiVirus.
Just (TODAY!) finished-up replacing the rack on my wife's 87 GL (I say
finished, but still need tires and alignment). Not a difficult job at all.
The driver's side seal was leaking BADLY.
I bought a rebuilt rack from Jeff at vanagonparts.com for about $180 ($100
core deposit), 6 month guarantee. He also sold me a wheel cover and a dash
light, took paypal and it all arrived on a Saturday after being sent the
preceeding Tuesday. I do not know who rebuilt the rack. The rack came with
new bushings installed.
The Bentley calls for replacement of any self-locking nuts removed (I
removed, discarded and replaced a total of six 8-mm x 1.25 pitch
slef-locking nuts), and replacement of the boots. I replaced the tie-rod
ends, too.
Got the nuts from the local guy. Got the OEM boots, tie-rod ends, and a
tube of molybdinum disulfide grease (CV joint grease) from Mark at Adirondak
Auto Parts (see germanautoparts.com) at very good prices (all for about $40
inc shipping!).
1) Got wheels straight, applied the parking brake, chocked the rear
wheels front and back, lifted each front side onto jackstands and removed
roadwheels. Found the center indicator on the rack which calmed my fears
about the whole centering thing.
2) Plugged the breather hole on the top-center of the resevoir cap with
chewing gum (dentyne).
3) Removed two bolts at the steering coupling way forward (under the
driver's left foot position?), loosened the collar that mates the shaft and
its U-joints to the rack, and then separated the shaft from the rack (you
could/should mark all these for reassembly). The front coupling is easier
to reach if the spare tire holder is open--it provides a nice inclined back
rest as a bonus. 13 mm all. I did have to turn the system some to decouple
the plates up front, and lowering the winshield washer fluid resevoir helped
me get my left hand in a good spot.
4) Removed the tie-rod end nuts (both were pinned-castle nuts) and used a
generic puller to push the ends up thru the ears (offered very little
resistance, could have gently tapped them out). castle nuts were 17 mm.
5) Removed the lower two and loosened the upper two fasteners holding the
rack to the frame. 13 mm all. Discarded old nuts.
6) Removed the feed and return lines from the pump (17 mm flarenut wrench
for the first/smaller one, adjustable wrench for the larger/second one),
caught what fluid drained out (in an empty plastic container), and then
wrapped/capped the lines with aluminum foil.
7) Removed the final two loosened fasteners and snaked-out the rack and
rods. Discarded old nuts.
8) Cut off the old boots and removed the tierods (label them) from the
old rack.
9) Replaced the tierod ends, put the new boots on the rods, fastened the
tierods to the appropriate ends of the new rack. Greased the rack-to-rod
ball/socket joints and the rack teeth. Pulled the rack end of the boots on.
10) Mounted the new rack, attached the lines, connected the tie-rod ends
to ears, connected shaft/Ujoint collar to knurled pinion shaft on rack,
connected forward coupling plate, (w/all new self lock nuts) and put the
wheels back on...all in reverse order of removal. The Bently calls for
torqueing the coupler plate, rack mount and tierod nuts to 20, 25, and 30
respectively.
11) Refilled the PS fluid resevoir, started the van and finished
refilling. Removed the chewing gum from cap.
12) I did then remove and reposition the steering wheel as it was not
"straight" before this.
A one-day job if you have all the tools and parts you need.
Glad to give something back to this awesome list,
Mark Zaranski, Porter, Indiana
87 GL weekender
86.5 qsw parts car
85 4-cyl 5spd quantum wagon
82 turbodiesel quantum wagon
It's very common. You're going to need to replace it. I drove with mine
like that for over a year, carefully checking the fluid level, but I
can tell you it doesn't get any better.
I got a quote for about $825 from my mechanic, and kept putting it off.
I finally bought a rebuilt rack from Jeff at busdepot.com and found the
most excellent instructions in the list archives. Did it myself in two
easy sessions on a weekend, total maybe four hours, maybe six over two
days, I can't remember.
You'll know you have the right instructions if it starts out telling
you to put a glob of dentine gum over the hole in the fluid container.
Be sure to have a 22mm open end wrench on hand, you'll need it three
places.
The only thing I can add to the directions is to take a set of
draftsman's dividers (or something similar, I used a sliding dial
indicator) to accurately measure and record the distance between the
center of your old ball joints and the last thread on the steering arm
so you won't have to pay for a re-alignment if you keep track of left
and right rods. Also, don't toss your old boots until you retrieve the
rubber disk from it, the new boots don't come with them unless you ask.
This disk has a hole in it and fits over the steering arm.
Jim
