Steering gear - removal, refitting and adjustment

Suspension and steering / Steering gear - removal, refitting and adjustment

Removal
1 Disconnect the battery negative lead.

2 Remove the air duct and air cleaner as described in Chapter 4.

3 Lift out the windscreen washer bottle and place it to one side.

4 Inside the car, remove the screws and withdraw the lower facia panel shelf from around the steering column.

5 Disconnect the clutch cable from the transmission with reference to Chapter 6, and disengage it from the steering gear (see illustration).

17.5 Clutch cable hole (arrowed) in the steering gear housing

6 Set the front wheels in the straight-ahead position then unscrew the clamp bolt securing the inner column to the steering gear pinion.

Where applicable, remove the trim panel for access to the clamp bolt.

7 Prise the inner column up from the pinion as far as it will go. Do not bend the clamp open.

8 Unscrew and remove the tie-rod centre bolts and move the tie-rods to one side.

Where applicable unscrew the bolt and disconnect the steering damper.

9 Jack up the front of the car and support on axle stands (see “Jacking and vehicle support"). Apply the handbrake and remove the front wheels.

10 Unscrew the nuts and remove the mounting clamps (see illustrations).

17.10a Steering gear location (engine removed from car)

17.10b Right-hand side mounting clamp on the steering gear

11 Withdraw the steering gear upwards.

Refitting and adjustment 12 Refitting is a reversal of removal, but do not fully tighten the mounting clamp nuts until the steering gear is correctly aligned.

13 With the front of the car supported on axle stands turn the steering from lock to lock and check that there are no tight spots or excessive play. If necessary turn in the selflocking adjusting screw on the bottom of the steering gear to reduce play or turn out to reduce tight spots. Turn the screw in 20° stages and initially make the adjustment with the front wheels in the straight ahead position.

14 Finally check and if necessary adjust the clutch with reference to Chapter 6.