elgy

My steering rack reseal thread is here...
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...tart-with.html
... now I am stumped on how to remove the pinion seal. The ID of the seal is almost the same diameter as the hole below so it does not look like a blind hole puller will work. The cylinder where the spool valve(?) goes is not wide enough to use a T-shaped seal puller, from what I see.
I am now thinking about drilling into the seal and screwing in small sheet metal screws to grab onto to pull the seal. I am assuming that the sealing surface is around the circumference of the seal so messing up the area behind the seal would not be critical.



Any suggestions appreciated.

Mrmerlin

Grant I would put it back together and order a rebuilt rack you would be driving already if you follow this suggestion.
Since your not a rack rebuilder nor do you have the proper tools,
its a better bet to leave this job to people that do them everyday

M. Requin

See if you can find a pilot bearing puller- should do the job. I had a heck of a time getting this seal out when I did a rebuild, should have just gone out and bought one.

Hilton

Here's what I did.. ground the edges off a large flat washer so it would fit through cocked, but provide good surface area under the seal to pull out.

I'm not a rack rebuilder, and don't have special tools.. but attention, cleanliness, and careful examination of the various seals and plastic parts will get you there. Hasn't leaked in 4 years since rebuilding, and the cause for the rebuild was it leaking out of the end seal into the boot.

elgy

Great minds think alike! I did exactly the same thing to get the seal out of the passenger end of the rack... but there is a bit more wiggle room there in that more of the edge of the seal is available to catch the washer. I will give this a try, but hand grinding a washer to the right diameter is challenging.

elgy

It wasn't elegant... but it is out!
I tried Hilton's method but it wouldn't catch on the edge of the seal and my modified washer just pulled through the center.
So I made a hooked tool from a long screwdriver bit, welded a washer on the other end. I used a teflon wedge to help force the hook in behind the seal. Then I hooked the slide hammer into the washer of my hook tool and tapped away... and out came the seal!

I know, a lot of hours "wasted" when I could have just bought a rebuilt rack... but this kind of challenge it's like travelling by train... getting there is most of the fun! And next week we leave by train for Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver BC. Yay vacation.