How To Replace a Taurus Rack & Pinion

Your Taurus rack and pinion, aided by the power steering pump, helps you steer the vehicle. This efficient type of steering system has few parts in its linkage. Still, parts wear out over time and fail to properly transmit effective turning action to the wheels. Do not wait for the system to break. Rack and pinion replacement follows the same general procedure for most Taurus models. However, if you need specific part information, consult the vehicle service manual for your particular model.

Things You'll Need

• Wrench
• Ratchet
• Ratchet extension
• Socket set
• Lug wrench
• Floor jack
• 2 jack stands
• 2 chocks
• Utility knife
• Needle nose pliers
• Tie-rod end remover
• Drain pan
• Line wrench
• Torque wrench
• 2 new castle nuts
• 2 new cotter pins
• Bundling strap
• New steering pump fluid
• Kitchen thermometer

Instructions

Removing the Rack and Pinion

1. Park your car in a level surface, disconnect the ground (black) battery cable using a wrench and set it to the side.

2. Unscrew the steering shaft weather boot from the vehicle floor using a ratchet, a ratchet extension and a socket.

3. Disconnect the intermediate shaft from the steering column using a ratchet and socket.

4. Pull the steering shaft weather boot off the intermediate shaft and set it aside.

5. Disconnect the intermediate shaft pinch bolt from the steering gear (rack and pinion) input shaft using a ratchet and socket. Then remove the intermediate shaft and set it aside.

6. Loosen the front wheels' lug nuts using a lug wrench.

7. Shift the transmission to Neutral (N) and jack up the front of your Taurus using a floor jack. Then support it on two jack stands and chock the rear wheels.

8. Finish removing the front wheel assemblies.

9. Detach the steering shaft U-joint/heat shield from under the vehicle if your particular model is equipped with it. Use a ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.

10. Cut the bundling strap that secures the power steering lines to the gear assembly of the rack and pinion using a utility knife.

11. Detach the rack-and-pinion tie rod ends from the spindles. First, use a pair of needle nose pliers to remove the cotter pin that secures the castle nut at each of both tie rod ends. Then unscrew the castle nut using a wrench. Finally disconnect the tie-rod end using a tie-rod end remover.

12. Place a drain pan under the rack and pinion where the two steering pump lines connect to the gear assembly.

13. Unscrew the two steering pump lines using a line wrench to avoid damaging the retaining nuts. Then separate both lines from the steering gear.

14. Unscrew the rack and pinion mounting bolts using a ratchet, ratchet extension and socket. Then carefully work the rack assembly out of the vehicle through the left side of the car.

Installing the New Rack and Pinion

1. Set the new rack and pinion in place through the left side of your Taurus. Make sure the steering pump line fittings have plastic plugs in them to avoid contaminating the system.

2. Screw in the rack and pinion mounting bolts and torque them to 85 to 100 ft.lbs. using a torque wrench.

3. Remove the safety plugs from the line fittings and start the two mounting nuts at the end of the steering pump lines by hand. Then tighten the line nuts using the line wrench.

4. Attach the rack and pinion tie-rod ends to the spindles. Use a new pair of castle nuts and cotter pins. Tighten the nuts using the wrench and secure the pins with the needle nose pliers.

5. Secure the power steering lines to the gear assembly using a new bundling strap.

6. Attach the steering shaft U-joint/heat shield from under the vehicle, if your particular model is equipped with it. Use the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.

7. Install the wheel assemblies and lower the vehicle. Then finish tightening the wheel lugs using the lug wrench.

8. Remove the chocks from the rear wheels and apply the parking brakes.

9. Connect the intermediate shaft to the rack and pinion input shaft with the pinch bolt. Use the ratchet and socket.

10. Install the weather boot on the intermediate shaft and tighten the boot mounting nuts using the ratchet, ratchet extension and socket.

11. Connect the intermediate shaft to the steering column using the ratchet and socket.

12. Connect the ground (black) battery cable using the wrench.

Bleeding the Steering Pump

1. Refill the steering pump reservoir with new steering pump fluid up to the Full Cold mark on the dipstick.

2. Start the engine and let it idle until the steering fluid reaches operating temperature, between 165 and 175 degrees F. Use a suitable kitchen thermometer to check the temperature.

3. Turn the steering wheel all the way to the left and right several times. Be sure not to hold the wheels at the stops.

4. Check the steering fluid level and make sure it is at the Full Hot mark. Add if necessary. Then turn off the vehicle.

References

• "Ford Taurus & Mercury Sable, 1986 thru 1995 (Haynes Automotive Repair Manual)"; Bob Henderson and Ken Freund; 1998