Need to remove steering rack 88 Mondial 3.2 HELP

Hello again,

Joys of owning a 67k miles Mondial.

Driving the the other day and started hearing and feeling a knock in the steering, especially when turning right. Got car on my 4 post lift and by grabbing the right steering tie rod, I can move it up and down. It seems as thought the entire rack is moving up/down in the tube.

Been doing searches and perhaps there is a bushing at the end of the tube that centers the rack. I cant tell cause the boot is in the way. Also I have learned from searching that the rack may have been also in Panteras? My is a TRW. Also could the tie rod come loos from the end of the rack. Not much in the way of diagrams.

To remove I see the 2 u-clamps that holds the rack to the car, also of course need to remove the L/F tie-rod ends, But how does one access where the steering column attaches to the the rack box? Don't see how one can get to the top of the rack box to disconnect. Does one go thru the drivers footwell?

So any help getting this rack out is appreciated.

Thanks
Jeff

 

Sorry the car is a 1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cab with 67k miles USA version with new proper size tires. Thought the title provided that information, "Need to remove steering rack 88 Mondial 3.2 HELP"

Thanks
Jeff

 

Thanks for the info, but it seems there is no diagram showing the bushing. I assume of course the boot has to be slid aside. Where can I get info on the bushing? I am new to this car but not to cars, so would love to fix without removal.

Thanks

Jeff

 

Can you supply the link to the thread?

Thanks
Jeff

 

Well it's the passenger side bushing as plastic pieces are falling out. I have decided to replace some bushings "while I am in there" and maybe the shocks. See my recent post on ground clearance.

So I got the rack out and it is "not fun" but I have done worse on cars. Anyhow being a 88 3.2 the rack is not power steering so it does not have all the hoses etc.

I want to take the rack apart and re grease and of course put new bushings in. Some research said brass bushings from a Pantera might work. Anyhow I would appreciate how to replace the bushings and where to get the brass ones. My rack is a TRW

I will post photos tomorrow of how I got it out in 5 hours including taking off the front tires. Again I have a 4 post lift, can't imagine doing this laying on the ground. I am way too old for that.

In my post on ride height, a suggestion was made to look at SF racing shocks, I contacted them and they can only provide lowering. I want to get back to stock height as my front is way too low. So I am looking for a relatively inexpensive source for stock replacement shocks.

Thanks
Jeff
ownferraribeforedie


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I looked at your link to the thread with your replacement passenger bushing. I will PM you to see about getting one. Thanks
Jeff

 

Ok, here are a few photos as to how I removed the rack on my 1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 USA model. I am not saying this is the proper way, but it worked for me. Of course there is the issue of getting it back in! I looked at other threads info and that's how I was able to get it out.

First, car was centered on my 4 post lift, which I am fortunate to have.
Front wheels remove and car put on jack stands
The L/R tie rod ends were removed frond the steering arms using a fork tool.
The rubber boot was slid back up the steering column rod exposing the 5mm allen head bolt. On the other side is a 10mm nylock nut. Not a lot of room to do this, spray some WD-40 to help and spray some on the pinch bracket
Then the two U clamps that attach the rack to the car were removed. there are two nylock 13mm nuts and washers on each.
Next remove the top bolt from the sway bar link on each side as well as the two u-clamps holding the sway bar bushings. Now the sway bar can be slid forward and be maneuvered as necessary to pull the rack from the steering column pinch bracket.
Then basically can fish it out on the drivers side with tie rods still attached.

Now we have to figure out how to take the rack apart and re-grease and install new bushing. Note you will get many bruises on your arms as getting the two u-clamp bolts off there is little clearance.

Any guidance is appreciated.

Thanks
Jeff


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Yes one of the bellows got torn using the fork tool. Not too bad.
Can you provide the source for the track rods as to where to buy?
Thanks
Jeff

 

Update.

Got the repaired steering rack back in the car as well as new front suspension bushings (see my other thread on ride height).

As reported the right side original plastic bushing was toast. I decided to take the rack apart to replace bushing, re-grease, and look for any other possible issues.

To replace the bushing the right track rod has to be removed. On these TRW racks the track rod is screwed in (see the earlier post for diagram) and staked in place. The track rod was destroyed by me upon removal as the stake must have been done by some huge press!. Anyhow a replacement was sourced, again referenced earlier.

The rack came apart ok and was in good shape. We ordered what looked like the proper replacement plastic bushing but upon arrival the ID was too small, around 21mm whereas the rack shaft is 23mm. The OD of the bushing and the three locking tabs were in the right spot and size. I tried to machine out the ID but did not work.

So we made a brass bushing of proper dimensions, drilled three concentric holes and tapped with an 8-32 thread. Three 8-32 set screws secure the bushing once installed. They were installed with red loctite and screwed in just far enough to make sue not entering the bore. Then some clear RTV dabs were put on the out side of the housing. We do not think these are going to come out.

A search on steering rack refurb recommends using CRC engine assembly lube as the grease which we did. Put it all back together with the new track rod and got it back in the car.

The result is really amazing. With the the front suspension bushings and the rack repair the steering is very precise. Of course we will check the toe setting, but the new track rod was set exactly as the old. Test driving the car it tracks perfectly.

Here are some photos.

Thanks
Jeff
ownferraribefordie


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