Bad problem replacing steering rack.....

Re: 88 Camry Station wagon: After much sweat and 3-4 hrs labor, I got the bad rack replaced. One of the last things to do: reconnect hydraulic lines to the rack. The larger (top) one went in fine. Try to start smaller/lower one into rack....will not go in. The hole (Don't know if inlet or return) appears to be the same size as on the old rack, but after trying for abt an hour to get the flared fitting nut started, I gave up. The nut seems to be lying flat/aligned but doesn't start. It does not even START to thread in, as if the hole in rack is slightly smaller. Took the flared conn. (and few inches of hard line with it) loose from the flex line going to pump to make it easier to manipulate...no joy. For sure I didn't have it cocked then! I looked at the conn. nut....its perfect, no bur at all. The holes were protected by plastic plugs.... "should" have been OK! So I am really hosed now. I am going to take the flared connector to auto parts store and try to size the connector nut. Then get a tap set and see what the size of the hole is. I have to be very careful I am not threading the hole, as any bits of metal would be a disaster! IN fact, there seems to be no way I can rework the hole threads without risking disaster, so I just hope that the rack is OK, and I can get a different connector that WILL go in. All that hard work, and the rack might have to come out again. @()#(#*&!!! What are the chances of a mechanic shop having the *right* flared fitting for this rack?

Geronimo

Reply to
geronimo
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Man are you having a lot of problems working on that car. Maybe SAE/ Metric difference? Dunno. But the 87-88 needed the lower cross-member to come off and brackets place certain way?

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Probably best to fit a threads to your lines and then match them to the rack you're getting. BTW, I'm curious, which racks (makes/part numbers) did you get?

Reply to
johngdole

Get a micrometer and using the inside prongs on the m/meter, measure the size of the hole in the roack. This will give you the dimension of the root to root thread diameter. Then measure the flare-nut's thread roots (put the outside-prongs in the threads at their bottoms.) The nut's thread root diameter should be roughly (guessing) 10 >25 thou smaller than the rack thread. Next trick, if you can get hold of a set,..is to measure the thread pitch in each place. These thread measuring tools are not expensive. In other words take the guess-work out of it :-)

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

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