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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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 Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 3:02 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
The piston has a Teflon coating for the radial play. I noticed some rebuilders cheat to increase pressure to compensate for the wear but I have never seen the other way around....
Yes a thicker gasket will do! |
Thanks again for the input, Alex.
I went ahead and trimmed up some silicone gasket material I had on the shelf and re-assembled with the shim in place. This seems to be working well. The rack movement is on the heavy side but not notchy and unbearable like it was without the gasket.
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 7300
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:39 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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The piston has a Teflon coating for the radial play. I noticed some rebuilders cheat to increase pressure to compensate for the wear but I have never seen the other way around....
Yes a thicker gasket will do!
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 1:40 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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I took some pressure off of the piston and it immediately loosened up the rack action. I’m torquing this piston spring plate down to the specified 20 Nm but it locks up the rack pretty significantly.
Debating on whether to tighten it up and hope it feels normal under operation or try to figure something else out. Thoughts on removing or changing the adjustment shim? Another idea would be to use a thicker gasket material on the cover plate instead of just Permatex/Loctite paste.
EDIT: Removing the adjustment shim makes a huge difference and the rack feels much more free. Good or bad idea to run without it?
Last edited by R0ckyMtnCamper on Wed Feb 05, 2025 5:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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I’ve got this thing cleaned up and back together.
Everything seemed to go together fine but it is significantly stiffer sitting here on the bench. It moved effortlessly before. Hopefully this is just a consequence of new seals and no fluid yet |
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 3:10 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| DanHoug wrote: |
i love this!! are the tabs just part of the jaw or did you weld on something harder? best use ever for a cheap Chinese crescent. instead of part number BMW3031 it could be 3C3031! |
I just took the raw wrench straight from Harbor Freight and marked the jaws after measuring the ZF nut. Then I used a rotary tool to grind away and leave the two pins. |
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DanHoug
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016
Posts: 5916
Location: Bemidji, MN
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| Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:51 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| R0ckyMtnCamper wrote: |
18” crescent wrench made the ultimate sacrifice.
Not pretty, but it worked! 
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i love this!! are the tabs just part of the jaw or did you weld on something harder? best use ever for a cheap Chinese crescent. instead of part number BMW3031 it could be 3C3031!
_________________
-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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dart330
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2004
Posts: 476
Location: Houston, TX
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| Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:34 am Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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Very helpful! SIR Tools calls it BMW3031 Engine Pin Wrench on their website. If someone can get the measurements in mm from a digital caliper we could easily recreate it to make these available for the community.
_________________
Driving a 90 Carat since 2014
Previous Buses: 59 Westy, 60 Westy, 74 Bus, 82 Westy, 85 Westy, 87 Syncro
Checkout my Syncro Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSWhLS7jLY |
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:00 am Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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[quote="dart330"]
| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
What is the number / name of this tool? |
This is the SIR Tools 3031.
AFAIK, SIR Tools was a family business in Paradise, California before their shop was destroyed in the Camp Fire in 2018. |
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dart330
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2004
Posts: 476
Location: Houston, TX
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| Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 6:05 am Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
This is the proper ZF nut removal tool btw 
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What is the number / name of this tool?
_________________
Driving a 90 Carat since 2014
Previous Buses: 59 Westy, 60 Westy, 74 Bus, 82 Westy, 85 Westy, 87 Syncro
Checkout my Syncro Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JSWhLS7jLY |
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
Brilliant idea!
Did you weld it in place too? |
Thanks!
No need to weld it. Once the pins are in place in the slots it is pretty locked down.
Thanks again for your help, Alex.
Now I have to clean all this up… |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 7300
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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do.dah
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2015
Posts: 860
Location: Washington
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| R0ckyMtnCamper wrote: |
18” crescent wrench made the ultimate sacrifice.
Not pretty, but it worked!
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I think that belongs in the luxury tool thread.
I think "ultimate sacrifice" implies that it's no longer useful?
That thing is now the 1st "multi-tool" cresent.. |
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:22 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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18” crescent wrench made the ultimate sacrifice.
Not pretty, but it worked!
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 7300
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2025 6:45 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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The first one I did , was grinding the punched spot with a Dremel and using a flat punch to loosen the nuts.
Definitely better now with the tool....
I use two 4x4 about 8' long on which I bolt the rack down with lag bolts. That holds the rack on the floor for me so I can use a breaker bar with the tool .
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2025 5:45 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
This is the proper ZF nut removal tool btw
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Using the u-joint to tap out the pinion worked great.
Now I'm struggling to get these ZF nuts to budge without the proper tool that doesn't exist anymore.  |
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2025 11:25 am Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
| Use the steering U-joint coupler to have a grip on it with a sledge hammer, if you have an old coupler, it's better... Sometimes they're hard to pop out, sometimes easy. |
Thanks! I’ll pop the old U-joint on and attempt to tap it out.
I have a new joint I planned on using anyway. |
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 7300
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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R0ckyMtnCamper
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2022
Posts: 169
Location: CO
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| Posted: Thu Jan 30, 2025 11:04 am Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| avernon82 wrote: |
Ok, I’m in the middle of this. I can’t figure out how to remove the steering shaft. What am i missing?
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I'm having the same problem here. Is this steering shaft supposed to just slide out? The bearing seems tight in the body. |
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Nevershouldhavesoldit
Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2018
Posts: 9
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 9:04 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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I just posetd this in a new topic, but thought I'd repost here...............
I have dismantled my PS Rack in my Syncro.
I want to swap out the main bearing
It appears to slide off the splined shaft end, but I reckon I have to knock out a couple of pins.
The one with the blue arrow should press out, but the one with red arrow goes into a blind hole. Its a very tight press fit.
Has anyone removed these before?
Many Thanks
Mark
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ALIKA T3
Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2009
Posts: 7300
Location: Honolulu,Hawaii and France
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| Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2024 10:54 pm Post subject: Re: How-to: rebuilding power steering rack & pinion |
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| bsrad wrote: |
| ALIKA T3 wrote: |
| AndyBees wrote: |
Bus Depot has both the Pump and Rack seal kits (roughly $35 each).
I never saw a reservoir filter.
Thanks for the heads up on Rock Auto. I did two of their Gates Kits in 2017, one on my 84 and one on my 89. Both have done just fine. No leaks. |
Bus Depot rack kit looks like the cheap JP Group junk seal kits...beware...
The best pump seal kit I currently use is from Porsche/Pelican, very good price too. |
Hey Alika you have a link to the kit on pelican parts? Did some searching on their site and couldn’t find the kit.. |
https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/PELRB02.htm...CUQAvD_BwE $20 
Tested by me at the shop many times !
_________________
Silicone Steering Boots and 930 Cv boots for sale in the classifieds.
Syncro transmission upgrade parts in the Classifieds.
Subaru EJ22+UN1 5 speed transmission
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=416343
Syncro http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...num+gadget |
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