1990 mustang rack and pinion replacement question.

Here you go....

As you can see, the upper shaft (21) that the intermediate bolts to is hollow and square, and slides over the upper section of itself (19). The anti-rattle spring (20) keeps it from rattling, and also keeps it from easily "un-telescoping" itself.

My guess is that when you removed the old rack, you pried the joint off, accidentally collapsing the upper section and making it appear that there's "no extra length". A good sharp yank should pull it back down to where it needs to be.

And yes, the rag joint clamp (15) has to slide down over both splined areas, so the bolt (14) can go in the groove between the splines, "pinning" it so it can't pull off.

ed a replacement rack for it becasue of a power steering leak. Last night I finished the install but am second guessing something. I have the stock in termediate shaft fromt he steering wheel section to the steering rack. When I went to re install this I noticed something. On the steering rack input shaft there is a top splined section, a non grooved section horizontally ar ound the shaft, then another splined section. The rag joint end of the inte rmediate joint is what goes onto this steering rack input shaft. I can only get this over the first set of splines on the steering input shaft, down t o that non splined area. I am not sure if the intermediate shaft is suppose d to go down over the second set of splines or not. I dont see how it can b ecasue there is no extra length in this shaft and the hole in the shaft mus t line up with the hole in the steering wheel side becasue a bolt goes thro ugh it.