Re: 5KT steering rack removal - Part Deux

[QSHIPQ@aol.com]

Got to do four of these in the last month, hope to help here.
rringlie@isd.net writes
< This is a removal procedure for the steering rack on Audi 5000 turbos
> with auto trans. The turbos have a bit more wiring and electrical gizmos
> in the way, i.e. wastegate, aux. cooling pump, etc. You need 13mm
> wrenches for the side mounting bolts and the steering wheel
> adapter(inside car),17 mm for vertical bolt on inner tie-rod bracket,
You don't need to pull that apart.  Pulling the 2 19mm out will allow the
vertical assbly come out as one piece.  You do need to pry the medal flaps
away to get to the 19mm's btw.
> and 19mm for the 2 inner tie-rod bolts.  Rachet-wrenches in these sizes
 >are a big help.
Really a must, save time, for this project a stubby 3/8 and a flexible head
3/8 work wonders

>  Unless you don't mind a lot of scratches, wear a long
> sleeve shirt.  Park car with full access to driver side door and remove
> right wheel. 
Remove right tie rod, life is so much easier 
 > 1.  Remove the hydraulic oil reservoir--if bottom hose won't come off,
> merely tie the tank towards the front of car the best you can.
The tank is most easily removed by the 3 10mm nuts holding the bracket to the
firewall, btw
 > 2.  On turbos, remove nut that holds wastegate solenoid to firewall and
 >tie it and other wiring out of way.
Not really necessary  
>3.  Remove the windshield washer fluid tank from holder. Rest tank over
>op of firewall onto the black heater/AC cover.
or just disconnect it power clip, sensor clip, and hose will allow it to come
out.
 > 4.  Even though it's tight, remove hydraulic hoses from the sector
 >before removing side mounting or tie-rod bolts--everything remains solid
 >while working on these banjo bolts. The high pressure hose from pump
 >comes off first.
I found that the shear bolt removal allows you to move the rack forward about
3in, which makes those banjos easily accessable.
 > 5.  Laying in the most comfortable position possible(there are none),
> remove steering column adapter from sector. Also remove large rubber
> grommet from firewall.
That can stay in the firewall the rack centers itself on install.
>  6.  Remove inner tie-rod bolts and bracket from rack.  
>  7.  Remove mounting bolts from both ends of rack.
2X13mm bolts DS, 13mm bolt and nut PS
 > 8.  Pry right(passenger)side of rack out of bracket while also getting
 >sector shaft out firewall hole. Accelerator cable must be eased around
 >sector area of rack. The elec. cable near right end must be persuaded to
 >slip around rack towards firewall. A 1" flat chisel works to pry cable
 >around end.
BE CAREFUL, THAT'S THE COMPUTER FEED CABLE.  Best bet is to remove the tie
straps above and below the rack.  You can feed enough cable to get around the
right side of rack.  I found that if you cut the tie straps that have the
holddown pins (to body) correctly, you can just feed a standard tie wrap thru
the audi one and everything stays factory.
>  9.  Round up an assistant for final removal. Remove rubber flap from
> opening. If alone, tie a magazine around right end with half of mag
> poking through the opening--this helps to get rack end over lip while
 >you are leaning over fender lifting it through. Jiggle and wiggle the
> best you can.  The sector shaft is the toughest part to finally clear
> the hole. 
Remove the right tie rod, and the rack comes out/in pretty easily.  You will
need to pop the upper pop rivets on the splash boot to get the splines to
clear, tie wrap on install.  On install the rack must be oriented on the
passengers side to get the spline back in the hole.  Orient on pass side then
slide towards drivers side.  Be careful installing the inner tie rods.
 Common mistake is to trap the boot holes against the rack, they should slide
over the shoulders of the inner bracket male ports, a small dull screwdriver
can do this for you.  Put the DS tierod in first, since that side is still on
the ground, then do PS, the other way takes a long time.  The spline shaft is
oriented to fit the sheer pin setup only ONE way.  Don't worry about the
wheel, even if you put it in exactly the same as the old, chances are the
wheel will be out of whack.  Don't forget to make sure there is no fore aft
play in the wheel, if so you prolly didn't get far enough down the spline
(pre 89 cars only).  Post 89 cars are rigid mounted to steering shaft, so
hard to screw up.  A helper pushing in on the wheel makes this easier on the
early cars.  Don't forget to push the 19mm locking tabs back over at the
center inner tierod bracket.

The early cars have washers at the banjos, later (89>) use orings, much
nicer.  Also the later cars (89>) use a different sheer arrangement which
makes aligning the splines mandatory from the outside of the car, not the
inside, and it is solid mounted to the steering shaft, not pinned as in the
older cars.

This is a job that is critical, and not for the timid.  Not comfy, don't do
it.
Scott
'87 5ktqwRS2
'87 5ktq
'86 5ktqw
'84 Urq