Steering Rack Rebuild Questions

[appleslicer]

Hi,

 

not sure if this is the right place to ask a couple of questions. I am in the middle of "rebuilding" my 1972 240z steering rack.

 

I fully disassembled the rack and ordered up new inner tie rods from Amazon for $62.00 each: LINK HERE

 

Questions as follows.

 

1. There were a total of Four shims as seen in the pic. Two thicker ones, and two thin ones. The thin ones look to have disintegrated on one half from rust. Is there any replacements available, or can I safely throw them away and move on? I have never done this before. Dont laugh please.

 

2. The new inner tie rods, unlike the old ones, dont seem to need the springs and pressure plates, and are instead a one piece unit with their own set preload. Can i toss this hardware? As I fear it will just be loose and rattle around if I put it back inside the rack.

 

3. Lastly, I want to very much remove the bearings inside the rack as seen in the picture, but even using a pick with a 90 degree bend and inserting it, I cannot seem to pull the bearing out. Seems pressed in. Anyone know of a way to pull them out?

 

Edit: ANSWER: Use a "Blind Puller"

 

Thanks

Edited January 4, 2017 by appleslicer

[camerashy]

I did it with a blind puller

 

http://retrorides.proboards.com/post/1958782

[appleslicer]

Thank you so much! Answers that question awesomely. I was fearing. "You got to pull hard. Really hard".

 

Edit:

 

Ordered the puller from amazon. 33.00 bux. Anyone know where to get steering rack parts? The bearings feel a little bit worn...

Edited January 4, 2017 by appleslicer

[camerashy]

Both shaft bearings should be rebuildable if they were anything like mine (granted there are some slight differences between a 240/280 rack). I put the grease seal part number on my build thread, somewhere near the bottom of this page.

 

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/86608/1978-datsun-280z-gearbox-update?page=20

 

As for the shims, I'd suggest keeping everything and waiting until you've rebuilt it, check the preload as per the various guides/service manual, if you need the shims, you can always buy appropriate shim stock of the same thickness and trace/cut out another shim. Acklands Grainger and others suppliers carry it.

[appleslicer]

Thank you kindly.

 

To review where I am at, and what I know to do (to help anyone else, and if anyone has some additional advice for me) :

 

1. Fully disassembled steering Rack

2. Use Blind Inner Internal Bearing Puller Slide Hammer Kit from Amazon.com to remove inner bearings

3. Clean all grease, ect.

4. Paint/powdercoat/ect parts as required

 

Ordered the following:

-Super Lube 21030 Synthetic Grease

-Rare Parts RP26575 Inner Tie Rod End (X2)

-Energy Suspension Rack Bushings (TTT now offers their own variant now)

-Empi 88-1509K Rack and Pinion Bellow Kit (X2)

-Techno Toy Tuning Outer Tie Rods (Right/Right)

-Steering Gear Worm Shaft Seal SKF 6641

 

I searched for the part number in your thread. It lead me to ebay. The description said the seal only fit 75-78 280z's under part number SKF 5810. Decided to search if the seller had a seal for 240z's. Indeed he did. Bought that. Part number SKF 6641.

 

I still cant find confirmation on the bearings. EDIT: I am doing some research. Not much popping up on the interwebs

 

EDIT 2:

 

This must be acceptable as a replacement. Just used my digital caliper to measure the bearing things: 

30202 Single Row Tapered Roller Bearing 15mm x 35mm x 12mm

 

EDIT 3

 

I would prefer to just order the ball bearings themselves.  You can get 80 of them for an entire 2 dollars! Ha! But the seals for the bearings are apparently bad if you remove them, so I would need to find a suitable replacement.

Edited January 4, 2017 by appleslicer

[74_5.0L_Z]

It think that the rack in your car has been replaced with a unit from a later S30 (260Z or 280Z). The factory racks from a 240Z would have an aluminum pinion housing.

[gnosez]

Those inner tie rods from Rare Parts are most likely, I can't remember which, either both left or rights. They fit just fine but you will need to put some notation on one of them that the jam nut doesn't spin off in the opposite direction like the OEM rods do.

[appleslicer]

Just confirmed... I do in fact have a 280z rack... Is the cross member any different between a 240z vs 280z?

[74_5.0L_Z]

The cross member is the same but the rack bushings are different.  The 280Z bushings are wider and the one nearest the pinion is contoured a bit differently.