I was just wiping off the lightly oiled and dirty steering rack and while wiping around the ring pictured I saw it move. About an 8th of a turn made it finger tight. Looks like I need special spanner to tighten this properly. Doesn't seem like the kind of thing that can be torqued to a spec. I'm in the middle of a MM & OPG job and would like to tightening where it's hanging. Ring at other end is snug. I was mostly surprised nothing is leaking around the loose ring. Perhaps it's more of a dust cover. Please advise.

MM & OPG thread: http://goo.gl/LnX5ob

 

Ain't no expert - and never worked on a rack either yet - but if it's not leaking, it might be a dust cover like you mentionned.

Also, it looks like there is a small notch to help tightning it.

My two cents.

 

It's not a dust cover, it is a threaded collar that secures the rack end-casting to the tube. It is sealed by an o-ring between the tube and casting so it won't leak unless it gets very loose.

The notches are for tightening and loosening. A special spanner is required to engage the notches and tighten it, but most rebuilders just use a hammer and punch and beat the crap out of it. As long as it is snug, you are fine.

Here's what it looks like with the casting removed (passenger side). Note the o-ring, and the steel ring that the collar tightens against.



Here's the inside of the pass-side casting where the tube seats, note the threads for the collar and the smooth machined surface that the o-ring seals against. The black thing in the center is the rod seal which can leak when the bushing gets worn.



Here's more detail of the end of the tube and the rack rod, showing the bushing.

 

Like we say, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Thanks for the clarifications Jim.
Learn something new again today.

 

Tighten it. It holds the end cap.

I had exactly that problem a few months ago. PS system bled to death on my driveway.

Main question is why?

I had very wonky (tech term) steering rack bushes. I think all the slop allowed the rack to be 'twisted' under certain conditions, causinging one end to loosen, ergo the ring loosened as well. So check the rack bushes for up/down movement.

HTH

Upfixen

 

Jim -
Thanks for the explanation and fantastic photos.

Upfixen -
I don't think my rack is wobbling due to the bushes being loose...but I don't know if mine show signs of needing to be replaced or not. I do know that I pinched each from top and bottom after dropping the rack and could not make any of them move at all.

 

A brass punch won't damage the collar. You don't have to beat on it hard to get it to tighten up nicely.

 

WJ-
Thanks. I planned on tightening it up just before reinstalling the protector plate. First attach the steering rack without the protector plate (perhaps with some wide washers) then tighten as you describe.