Vauxhall Workshop Service and Repair Manuals

Steering Gear, Overhaul

Remove steering gear (see operation in this group).

Disassemble

Remove both rubber bearing rings with left and right retaining brackets and dash panel rubber seal from steering gear housing.

Remove both wire clamps from each bellows.

Remove outer and inner bellows with housing tube from steering gear housing.

Remove slide and guide piece from rack.

Loosen steel plate hex nut for adjustment screw using KM-472.

Remove adjustment screw and then remove pressure spring through adjustment screw opening.

Remove steel retaining ring in front of pinion fastening bolt and unscrew bolt from housing.

Replace bolt rubber seal ring.

Pull pinion and rack out of steering gear housing.

The pinion is only to be replaced as an assembly together with the ball bearing.

Lever guide segment out of adjustment screw opening.

Because of its rubber seal, the guide segment is seated under suction pressure in the housing opening.

Replace rubber seal ring.

Drive steel cap out of steering gear housing.

Important:

Further disassembly of the steering gear housing such as removing the two rack bearing bushings or the pinion needle bearing, is not permitted.

Clean all parts. Check for wear and damage and replace if necessary.

If the rack bearing bushings or the pinion needle bearing are damaged, always replace the entire steering housing assembly.

Reassemble

Thoroughly lubricate pinion and rack with Steering Grease 19 48 588 (90 018 813).

In addition, the inner space of the steering gear housing between the bearings of the rack is to be filled uniformly with approx. 50 grammes/ 2 oz. of steering grease.

Drive in new steel retaining ring using KM-473.

Adjust steering gear.

To do this, the slide and guide piece is to be fastened to the rack with the two tie rod fastening bolts, used in conjunction with two spacer sleeves (A).

Spacer sleeve = 30 mm/1.18 in. high, diameter 25/12.5 mm (0.98/0.49 in.), for workshop manufacture.

Insert guide segment and pressure spring in adjustment screw opening and screw adjustment screw into steering gear housing until resistance can be felt - guideline = 5 Nm/3.7 lbf. ft. (steering gear in straight ahead position).

Then turn adjustment screw backwards 20° to 40° and check whether the rack can be moved freely over the entire range where the pinion meshes with the rack.

Then tighten lock nut using KM-472 - observe prescribed torque.

Counterhold adjustment screw.

After the steering gear has been reinstalled in the vehicle, a test drive (with curves) should be made to determine whether the steering returns independently to the straight ahead position.

Drive new steel cap into short end of steering gear housing.

Push housing tube and both bellows on to steering gear housing.

Beforehand, unscrew two tie rod end fastening bolts from rack.

Fasten inner and outer bellows with wire clamps.

With steering gear in installation position, both wire ends point upwards.

The bellows must not be twisted when seated.

Push both rubber bearing rings with left and right retaining brackets and dash panel rubber seal on to steering gear housing.

The marking slot of the rubber seal must seat in the catch on the steering gear housing

The internal rounding of each bracket flange points downwards.

Install steering gear (see operation in this group).

After installation, check straight ahead position of steering (see operation "Steering, Position Straight Ahead" in this group).