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2000 pathfinder center steering wheel after replacing rack and pinion


jam1200
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I just replaced rack and pinion on my 2000 pathfinder but my steering wheel is 108 degree off how can i adjusted without removing the whole rack and pinion? I took it for alignment and they won't do it until i centered it.

 

thanks

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When you replaced the rack did you lock the steering wheel? 108 degrees off is a lot. You are at risk of breaking the clock spring. It is not possible to center the steering wheel with tie rod alignment adjustments only.

 

What you will need to do is re-index the splines from the steering link to the rack.

 

First, steer so the wheels are straight. Remove the key and lock the steering wheel. Loosen and unmesh the splined shaft on the rack from the steering linkage.


Next, insert key and unlock the steering wheel and center it. Remove the key and lock the wheel again.

 

Now remesh the splines on the steering linkage and tighten everything back up 

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Thank you for the reply,

I did lock the steering wheel and counted the numbers of turn on the tie rod ends, but I don't know why it's so off. I will do what you suggested and get back to you.

 

Thank you

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I'm sorry I don't understand when you said "Loosen and unmesh the splined shaft on the rack from the steering linkage" is that the bolt that goes from the pinion to the steering so this way I can can centered the wheel? another word I don't have to remove the rack and pinion and the tie rod end. Please bear with me.

 

Thank you

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When you installed the rack, there was a short splined shaft sticking out the top of it. Onto this short shaft you attached the linkage from the steering box. It is this linkage that needs to be reindexed. It’s probably off by two splines. Once you have reindexed the linkage you can adjust the toe at the tie rods ends to center the steering wheel. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

thanks for the reply I've been busy cleaning the garage and house so my daughter can move back in. I was hopping to fix it soon so i can go to the river. since everything has been install back to the car, can I just loosen the nut where the steering connected to the rack and pinion without taking everything apart? sorry I'm not lazy but want to find a quickest way to adjust this. because if I have my car apart to long the city will give me another ticket even though its parked in my driveway.

 

thanks

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I am not 100% certain that it's as simple as you described, but it could be. The worst case scenario would be that you might have to loosen the bolts holding the steering rack brackets to the subframe in order to get enough clearance to reindex the splines. You shouldn't need to undo the tie rod ends, although it's certain you'll need an alignment afterwards.

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21 hours ago, jam1200 said:

thanks for the reply I've been busy cleaning the garage and house so my daughter can move back in. I was hopping to fix it soon so i can go to the river. since everything has been install back to the car, can I just loosen the nut where the steering connected to the rack and pinion without taking everything apart? sorry I'm not lazy but want to find a quickest way to adjust this. because if I have my car apart to long the city will give me another ticket even though its parked in my driveway.

 

thanks

 

XPLORx4's original instructions are the easiest and quickest solution, and this is correctable in a few minutes.  Follow his instructions above, except please also disconnect the battery since you're potentially dealing with the airbag due to the clock spring.  You are looking for this steering linkage:

 

IMG-3452.jpg

 

Loosen the bolt in green and completely remove the lower bolt as shown.  Then you can collapse the link to disconnect it from steering rack (if you need the link to collapse more, remove the bolt in green).  Go back inside the truck, gently rotate the steering wheel back into the correct position, and wrap the seatbelt through it to keep it from spinning.  Back under the truck, avoid rotating the link any more than necessary (the seatbelt will allow some movement), align the lower part of the link and extend it back onto the steering spline.  Reinstall and tighten the bolts.

 

Hopefully the direction you correct the steering wheel is in the correct damage as to not damage the clock spring, as mentioned previously.  Rotate it slowly and gently.  Stop at any hesitation.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thank You very much for your help, it works without having to remove the rack and pinion. but when I centered the steering wheel then remove the jack the steering wheel is off again, is this because that my tires are worn out?

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How far off is the steering wheel after you perform this procedure?If it's off by more than 12 degrees, you can adjust the link indexing by one spline. If it's off by less than 12 degrees, you'll need to adjust the tie rod ends to center the steering wheel.

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