Service Manual

Page 7 − 18 Workman MD/MDXChassis
7. Lift up on steering column assembly, slide lower
steering shaft joint from the steering rack assembly in-
put shaft and remove steering column from vehicle.
8. Remove dust cover from the steering shaft. Replace
cover if damaged.
9. Slide steering shaft and bearings out of the steering
column.
A. Check steering shaft universal joints for rough-
ness that would indicate bearing wear or damage.
Replace steering shaft if universal joint bearing dam-
age exists.
B. Check bearings for evidence of wear or damage
and replace bearings if necessary.
10.Disconnect both steering rack tie rods from the spin-
dles at the front wheel hubs (see Front Suspension in
this section).
11.Remove four (4) washer head screws that secure the
steering rack assembly to the front frame. Remove rack
assembly from the vehicle.
NOTE: Refer to Steering Rack Assembly Service in this
chapter for information on repair of the steering rack as-
sembly.
Assembly (Fig. 13)
1. Position steering rack assembly to the front frame
with the input shaft toward the left side of the vehicle.
2. Secure rack assembly to the frame with four (4)
washer head screws. Torque screws from 200 to 230
in−lb (23 to 26 N−m).
3. Insert steering shaft up through the steering column.
4. Position steering column assembly to vehicle frame
and slide lower steering shaft joint onto the steering rack
input shaft. Secure steering column to the mounting
plate on the frame with four (4) carriage bolts and flange
nuts.
5. Secure lower steering shaft joint to the steering rack
input shaft with cap screw and lock washer.
6. Place dust cover onto the steering shaft.
7. Connect both steering rack tie rods to the spindles at
the front wheel hubs (see Front Suspension in this sec-
tion).
8. Make sure that front wheels are centered by the
steering rack before securing the steering wheel.
A. Install steering wheel onto steering shaft. Leave
steering wheel loose on shaft.
B. Rotate the steering wheel until the distance from
the steering rack boot to the tie rod is equal on both
sides of vehicle indicating that the front wheels are
centered.
C. Rotate the steering wheel from lock to lock and
check that the front wheel spindles have equal clear-
ances at end of steering rotation. If one spindle con-
tacts a steering component and the other spindle still
has clearance, a rotation of the steering shaft is
needed to center the wheels.
D. Once wheels are centered, position steering
wheel onto steering shaft so that the steering wheel
spokes are centered when the front wheels are cen-
tered.
9. Secure steering wheel to steering shaft with flat
washer and lock nut. Torque nut from 18 to 22 ft−lb (25
to 29 N−m). Install steering wheel cover to steering
wheel.
10.Carefully position and secure dash to vehicle.
11.Lower and secure front hood.
12.Check front wheel alignment and adjust as neces-
sary (see Adjust Front Wheel Toe−in in the Adjustments
section of this chapter).