Today, I stopped by my local UAP-NAPA store and picked up the steering rack
and power steering pressure hose for my 1990 Imperial. I brought all that
home and set to work taking the little Imperial apart. I since I have to
replace the tie rod ends, ball joints, drive axles, brake rotors and linings
anyway, it was easy to just take the whole steering/drive/brake system apart
at once. So far, I've done the following...
removed the tie rod ends from the steering knuckle
unbolted the cross member that the rack is bolted to
removed the ball joints from the steering knuckle
removed the brake calipers and rotors
removed the steering knuckles from the shock tower/struts
removed the drive axles from the steering knuckles
removed the drive axles from the transaxle
Next, I have to...
remove the rack U-joint from the steering column shaft (I can't see in there
to see how it is connected. It looks like a roll pin. is it?)
remove the pressure and return lines from the rack
remove the rack and cross member assy
unbolt the rack from the cross member
flush the PS pump etc. (do I just run the engine and turn the wheel to
squirt out the old fluid and pour in fresh till it works through?)
connect new pressure hose
connect old return hose
remove lower control arms from the cross member so I can take to my mechanic
and have new ball joints put in them (right?)
reinstall lower control arms into cross member
lift cross member and new rack into place and connect steering shaft at
U-joint
bolt in cross member
install new drive axles into transaxle (how do these "click" in? they just
pulled out no problem)
install drive axles into steering knuckle
bolt steering knuckle to ball joint and shock tower/strut
connect tie rod ends to steering knuckle
install new rotors and brake linings
install wheels
And I think that's it. Did I miss anything?
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