Any tips for rack and pinion install/alignment
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 216
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From: Austin, TX
Any tips for rack and pinion install/alignment I have to replace my rack and pinion for the first time and am looking for any tips to make this easier on me. I know about the one bolt that might hit the oil pan so what can i do to get this out easier? Also i did a search and someone said "Lock the steering wheel so that it does not spin while the shaft is disconnected, that while break you SRS slip ring and your airbag won't deploy." What does the last sentence mean?
Also for alignment i have eibach LT1 prokit, bilstein HD's, lg front sway bar, BMR aphr, BMR lca's, bmr relo brackets. Any recomendations for alignment specs? This is my daily driver and i just want good handling for the occasional hard driving on curvy roads.
Also for alignment i have eibach LT1 prokit, bilstein HD's, lg front sway bar, BMR aphr, BMR lca's, bmr relo brackets. Any recomendations for alignment specs? This is my daily driver and i just want good handling for the occasional hard driving on curvy roads.
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 48
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From: Warren, MI
I just did mine on my LT1 car. I am not sure if it is the same but it was pretty simple. Make sure the steering wheel is strait and locked strait when you remove it. There were 2 bolts through the k-member and one bolt at the rag joint/steering shaft. When you get the old one out do not move anything. Line the new on up with it and make sure the lengthis the same and the tie rods are in the same spot. Good luck!
Originally Posted by Jeff@ramchargers
I just did mine on my LT1 car. I am not sure if it is the same but it was pretty simple. Make sure the steering wheel is strait and locked strait when you remove it. There were 2 bolts through the k-member and one bolt at the rag joint/steering shaft. When you get the old one out do not move anything. Line the new on up with it and make sure the lengthis the same and the tie rods are in the same spot. Good luck!
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Warren, MI
I am no sure how different the LS1 is there but I did not have to remove any bolts in the oil pan (LT1 though). Just make sure when you take the old one out that the Steering wheel is strait and lockedin place. There were only the 3 bolts in the LT1 holding it on, the 2 power steering lines and the 2 tie rods.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 216
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From: Austin, TX
Taking off the front wheels will make the job a lot easier. I had to use a sawzall and cut off the damn bolt that hits the oil pan. I jacked up the motor as much as possible to no avail. Let me know if you need any more info.
I heard about that damn bolt hitting the oil pan. I guess I should have a sawzall ready and 1 extra nut and bolt. How hard was it to get the 2 tie rods out? Any special tool I need for that? Any other tips you can give me? 
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Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
Tie rods were easy. The only hard part was messing with that bolt and trying to get the damn wrong part back in the car (damn autozone doesnt realize that 93-95 f-bods have different r&p's than 96-02). When i got the correct part, it went in easy.
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Originally Posted by LS1ruben
Taking off the front wheels will make the job a lot easier. I had to use a sawzall and cut off the damn bolt that hits the oil pan. I jacked up the motor as much as possible to no avail. Let me know if you need any more info.
Or is that the consensus ... the 93-97 have 2 holding the rack and the 98-02 have 3?
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 216
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From: Austin, TX
No, the ls1's also have 2 bolts but the bolt on the drivers side sits right under the corner of the oil pan. The bolt will not come out unless you jack motor, pull oil pan, or cut the biatch off.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 328
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From: Los Angeles, CA
No, the ls1's also have 2 bolts but the bolt on the drivers side sits right under the corner of the oil pan. The bolt will not come out unless you jack motor, pull oil pan, or cut the biatch off.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 216
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From: Austin, TX
i put the new bolt in through the bottom and put a locking nut on the top along with locktite. That way if i ever have to remove it again, the bolt will come out through the bottom with ease.
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2014
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I'm in the process of replacing my rack and pinion, I have the 2 bolts out except the one hitting the dam oil pan. Is it possible just to remove driver side engine mount and jack up that side of the engine? Or do I have too go ahead and remove both? Thanks
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2015
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I see you say the rack and pinion is different from 93-95 than 96-02 I got mine from AutoZone and it doesn't fit my car was is a reck but I noticed this and wondered where you got your rack and pinion?
93-97 LT1's and 98-02 LS1's have different racks, the V6 is the LT1 rack unless it had the performance Y87 (camaro) or W68 (firebird) upgrades, in which case then those v6's got the LS1 rack, but again that was 98+ cars only.
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2015
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Thanks actually went down to O'Reilly auto and compared the rack n pinions the one I had from AutoZone had one of the brackets was on a 20° angle up and wasn't parallel with the other bracket so it wouldn't go in. Going with O'Reilly from now on, or even Napa.
