Bought new rack and pinion, and a used steering column, somethings not right.

[Timm]

This is all (trying to go) on my 95 vert.

 

The rack and pinion is a reman'd A1 Cardone unit, and the steering column I purchased off ebay was listed as Steering Wheel Column Oldsmobile Regal 95-97 Gray .

 

It looked identical besides not having the SWRC's, which I didn't need anyways. Even had the steering wheel position sensor!

 

I put in the rack and pinion, looked great, got the steering column in, and.... it's off.... Mounts up fine, but steering wheel is almost upside down...

 

I take it all apart (the steering column) and everything has a "key" in it so it can only fit one way... With the steering wheel centered and connected, I can turn the wheel only one full turn to the left, and can turn it about 1 and 5/8 of a turn to the right.

 

What's going on here!?!?!?

 

And of course I sent my core rack in when I bought it a long time ago.

 

And sent my old steering column to the scrap yard with the Lumina... :-(

 

Has anyone ran into this before???

 

I'm at a loss!!!

[Galaxie500XL]

The FE3 rack is only 2.25 turns lock-to-lock. Sounds like the rack input shaft needs to be turned 180 degrees counterclockwise, then line up your column. I'd bet you'll find everything pretty much lines up from there...because when you turn the input 180 degrees, and your column 180 degrees in the same direction, they should line up again, and give you a little over 1 full turn left, a little over 1 full turn right.

[Galaxie500XL]

I just reread what I wrote...and now, I'm confused, too...are you sure you don't have one of the tie rods WAY out on it's threads, and the other one way in?

[Timm]

when I first bolted the rack back onto the subframe, I had the tie rod ends both 100% evenly spaced apart (I believe it was like 54.5" from center to center. Looked great, attached tie rods to steering knuckle and thought I was finished.

 

Then I put the steering column in, I saw that everything could only go one way, so I bolted it all together down at the rack, jumped in the car, and saw my steering wheel was wayy off...

 

Here's a response to my questioning of the rack unit (From a1 cardone)

 

The part number #22-142 is correct for the 1995 Cutlass Supreme. I cannot verify the specifications on the steering column. To verify the correct # of turns lock/lock on the steering gear, turn the steering gear all the way to one end and then all the way to the other end. Count the number of turns and come back 1/2 way. That should be the correct center position of the steering gear and everything should mount properly...(i.e. 4 turns from one side to the other should be 2 turns back to center).

 

All of our units are original unit s that are remanufactured based on the original parts and specifications. I do not think that his unit was built incorrectly due to the fact that all parts are load matched and identified to the specific unit and application

 

The following are the specification s for this unit as per OE:

 

 

A-1# 22-142 OE# 26046144

TYPE: SAGINAW

SPECIFICATION:

A): UNIT OVERALL LENGTH: 48 5/8"

: INPUT SHAFT # OF TURNS:2 3/4"

C): INPUT SHAFT ROT.CNTR: 12:00

D): INPUT SHAFT ROT.END: 5:00 BOLT G.

E): MOUNTING CENTER TO CENTER: 12 1/4"

F): NUMBER OF MOUNTS: 2

G): INLET THREAD SIZE: M18X1.5

H): RETURN THREAD SIZE: M16X1.5

I): TIE ROD THREAD LENGTH: 2.50"

J): TIE ROD THREAD SIZE: M14X1.5

 

 

http://www.cardone.com/Products/Product-Detail?productId=22-142

[Timm]

And I do see what you're saying with flipping the input shaft. Is it just a process of removing the big snap ring on top the the input shaft, pull it out, and stick it back?

[alec_b]

The rack could have been built incorrectly... I've seen it. I had a 2005-ish Chrysler 300 come in the shop, he had the steering rack replaced and wanted an alignment because he said the other shop never got it to drive right. When I got it up on the rack I noticed that one of the tie rods was WAY out, and the other one was almost all the way screwed in. Now, being as I was second-hand and repairing this car, I had no idea what the other shop had done. So I went after all the basics: centering the tie rods, lining up the input and output shafts, etc. No matter what I did, the steering column and rack would NOT line up. Like your car, the 300's only line up one way. So for shits and giggles I ordered another rack. Low and behold, with both rack's side-by-side, exactly centered, the input shafts were almost 180 degrees off each other. Purely I manufacturer glitch. After I installed my rack, everything lined up perfectly and I was able to align the car perfect.

[White93z34]

sure the column shaft didnt get turned 180* out in transit or durring install?