This is a DIY for a Rack & Pinion for a Corolla 98 - 02 as well as other suspension parts .
In this DIY I have my front bumper off for another job I was doing but you dont have to take it off . But in the end it was more movability under the car with it off . But make sure you jack your car up as high as you can so you have plenty of room underneath it . Straighten out the steering wheel and lock it into place removing the key . Very important to keep it locked .
First thing I did was remove the outer tie rod and the sway bar link .
The second thing I did was remove the cover that covers the knuckle on the steering colum , With the steering wheel locked you can remove the lower bolt . Then I went to the rack & pinion lines and removed them . Then I went behind the exhaust manifold and removed the heat plate that covers some hoses and brackets that later you need to remove .
Then I placed a jack to support the lower engine , which I really didn't need only to raise the engine a little to remove the lower engine mount , Now the easiest way and the only way to remove the rack & pinion is you have to remove the sub frame completly , because the lower engine mount blocks the one lower bolt on the rack . Start by removing the ball joint bolts first then work your way to the sway bar and complete sub frame . Always remember where the bolts come out of .
Once the sub frame is removed then you remove the lower motor mount and the lower rack & pinion shield then the bracket that hold the lines to the rack frame .
Before pulling out the rack from the drivers side you need to remove the passenger outer tie rod then pull and tilt the passenger side up past the exhaust so that the rack box slides out the hole . This is the same way you put back in the rack . Before removing the left outer tie rod make sure you mark or count the threads so when you put them on the new one you are close . DO NOT REMOVE the nuts on the rack & pinion cause it is pressrized and you dont want to remove it until the rack is completly on this is the last thing you put back on is the hoses . If you release the pressure then you will not be aligned . The rack is on a blind alignment from the manufacture .
Make sure when you put this lower motor mount back on you put the rubber heat shield facing towards the exhaust or else your motor mount will melt .
Now in this situation this car has 350,000 miles on it so I replaced the lower motor mount , sway bar links , rack & pinion bushing , sway bar bushing . I removed all the oil and grease from the sub frame and shield . In my situation I used anti sieze on certian bolts and lock tight medium on the sub frame cause I noticed they had some when I removed them .
Make sure you put your outer tie rods on like they were when you took them off .
This knuckle slides on make sure it goes on flush then tighten .
Need More help go to : www.CorollaCarClub.proboards.com
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