johne

My buddy and me are rebuilding our power steering racks and we are stuck at this step:
http://www.rennbay.com/sealtutorial4.html

It’s the removal of this ring



We are stuck though, it really does not want to come off. So are we going to have to get the spanner wrench? If so, does anyone know where do get one for cheap? Or does anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks all,
John

Mike S

You can get a spanner wrench but I was able to get mine to move with the hammer/drift method. You'll have to hit it pretty well to get it to budge, but once it starts moving you're home free.

Red1

My experience was the same as Mike's. Maybe a little penetrating oil wouldn't hurt?

Just keep at it with the hammer and drift.

johne

Really? I was pounding on mine pretty dang hard and it wasn't budging. I the metal was starting to deform some so I was figuring I must have been doing something wrong.

Hmmm, well any other ideas. Or is this just a case of more force less thought needed.


John

Red1

Keep the angle real shallow. Mine started to deform a little bit too. If you have a way to really secure the rack that helps a lot. I had a big guy (Geo) hold it while I hit it.

ibkevin

The right tool is half the job. Why not spring for an inexpensive spanner (not a very technical tool) and save yourself the headache and munged parts, especially during reassembly torquing.

Hell, split the cost with your buddy.

Jay W

I have done two racks, the first one started spinning relatively easy and the second one was tougher because there was some oxidation/rust in the threads. Just keep hitting it and it will move. On the one I had that was stuck I deformed that notch pretty good and it still went back together fine. Also did you remove that bit of metal they peened over into one of the two notches? Its on the right side of that picture. That bit of metal is there as a lock to keep the thing from self-unscrewing and you need to remove it for sure or it may jam on it.

PS Just wait until you try to get that seal out of the end of that long tube! I did mine without instructions and spent WAY too much time on that seal.

May the force be with you

johne

Kevin,
That is what we were thinking. Does anyone know where you can get the tool locally? Does NAPA carry spanner wrenches? If not where is the best place to buy them online?

Jay,
Thanks for the heads up. I'm still mulling over that. And yes we noticed that little piece of metal after about 30 minutes of pounding.

Thanks,
John

ibkevin

John,

My rack has been p**sing me off for about a month now and a rebuild is in the very near future.

To find a pin style spanner I would start at Harbor freight. I emphasize "inexpensive" because the distance between the pin hole in the collar and the shaft is very small. You might have to "clearance" that part of the tool and if enough material is removed to weaken the pins, a sufficient tack weld on the back of the pins should keep them in the tool.

Good luck and post your results!

ibkevin

Hell,

Once the peening is out of the way maybe just a big ol' honkn snap ring plier would dothe job!!!

Travis - sflraver

Your not going to find a spanner for that size. Just secure the rack and smack it a few times. Like Brian said, keep the angle real shallow. Once it moves a bit you can unscrew it by hand.