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the S197 steering rack from hell

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6,363
8,191
So I noticed a leak coming from the rack on my 06, after changing a few O rings and lines, the leak was till happening. It was intermittent so I decided the heck with it, I'll just install a reman rack. I thought that I'd knock it out in the afternoon, all was well until I tried to get the rack unbolted. What a major PITA!! Apparently those racks are torqued to a couple of million Ft. Lbs and Loctited. Add to that is the fact that you can't really get a straight shot from anyplace on the car. For some reason Ford welded the nuts on the bottom, and ran the bolts down, through the rack bracket, into those nuts, instead of the opposite.
So I let the carnage begin..

First off I broke some brand X 3/8 to 1/2 adaptors trying to get an angle on the bolt
h5YwLxPl.jpg

Then I broke a 1970s vintage SK impact socket, which is just about impossible (I know it's not metric, it's an equivalent SAE), although NOT being an 18mm EXACTLY may have contributed to it's demise
nyJtThKl.jpg

An Impact wrench wouldn't touch it, so I applied some heat, and was able to angle a way down from the top and finally break them loose. I used a conglomeration of extensions and a 6 point MAC socket, this gave me enough room to put the mother of all breaker bars on it, , needless to say, after the install, I loaded up on the good drugs and a bottle of wine, because my back was screaming at me.
dwQgtcnl.jpg

Lastly, I ordered one of these from Northern tool, which made things much easier. I ran the torque on the bolts down to 70#s, I marked the rack to make sure it didn't move, and if it did, I could tell. I'm planning to put the rack torque process on my check list for track days instead of Loctiting it forever.
bwIunE1l.jpg

4gEISMyl.jpg
 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,156
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
So I noticed a leak coming from the rack on my 06, after changing a few O rings and lines, the leak was till happening. It was intermittent so I decided the heck with it, I'll just install a reman rack. I thought that I'd knock it out in the afternoon, all was well until I tried to get the rack unbolted. What a major PITA!! Apparently those racks are torqued to a couple of million Ft. Lbs and Loctited. Add tot hat is the fact that you can't really get a straight shot from anyplace on the car. For some reason Ford welded the nuts on the bottom, and ran the bolts down, through the rack bracket, into those nuts, instead of the opposite.
So I let the carnage begin..

First off I broke some brand X 3/8 to 1/2 adaptors trying to get an angle on the bolt
View attachment 60538

Then I broke a 1970s vintage SK impact socket, which is just about impossible (I know it's not metric, it's an equivalent SAE), although NOT being an 18mm EXACTLY may have contributed to it's demise
View attachment 60539

An Impact wrench wouldn't touch it, so I applied some heat, and was able to angle a way down from the top and finally break them loose. I used a conglomeration of extensions and a 6 point MAC socket, this gave me enough room to put the mother of all breaker bars on it, , needless to say, after the install, I loaded up on the good drugs and a bottle of wine, because my back was screaming at me.
View attachment 60540

Lastly, I ordered one of these from Northern tool, which made things much easier. I ran the torque on the bolts down to 70#s, I marked the rack to make sure it didn't move, and if it did, I could tell. I'm planning to put the rack torque process on my check list for track days instead of Loctiting it forever.
View attachment 60541

View attachment 60542
The bolts go "Down" so that if they ever DO come loose they wont fall out. Its a safety feature. As far as getting tight bolts out I have found "Kroil" to be beyond magic. We've developed quite a little reputation around town for being able to get stubborn and broken off bolts out when none of the other shops can. I owe a lot of it to Kroil. (Link below)
Another trick is that sometimes if you go the other way first: If you "tighten" the bolt before you "Loosen" it will sometimes break it free. Think of tapping a hole, you have to go "Backwards" every so often to clear the chips....its sort of like that.

 
6,363
8,191
McMaster Carr is the bomb, is that stuff better than PB Blaster for penetration?

and I understand the idea behind them going down rather than up.. but there was NO way those bolts were ever coming loose.. ever... at all
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,156
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
McMaster Carr is the bomb, is that stuff better than PB Blaster for penetration?

and I understand the idea behind them going down rather than up.. but there was NO way those bolts were ever coming loose.. ever... at all
Its the best I've tried by far.
I quit looking when I got turned on to that about 25 years ago.
You just gotta be patient and let it soak for as long as you can stand to.
 
1,119
1,110
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Lenoir City TN
Ford designs them for assembly line production and doesn't worry about the maintenance issues later. The nuts are welded to the K member when they are manufactured which makes it easier for a line worker to install the bolts for the steering rack before the engine is bolted on top. If they are welded in place the worker can't drop them slowing down production. The design of my 2011 isn't any better. The Ford procedure for replacement includes unbolting the motor mount bolts and raising the motor to reach the bolts. It can be done without lifting the motor but it is painful. The bolts are loctited and really hard to reach. Torching them to burn off the loctite and a good flex head ratchet are a must.
 

TymeSlayer

Tramps like us, Baby we were born to run...
3,787
2,740
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
Brighton, Colorado
That Kroil is the best. Bar none. I've seen more factory floors than I can count and I see that brand everywhere. They use it 'cause it's the best out there.

I did get mine from Amazon a bit cheaper than MMC.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,156
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,156
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca

Dave_W

Cones - not just for ice cream
986
1,278
Exp. Type
Autocross
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Connecticut
I've always heard good things about Kroil, but it's darn expensive. Bang for buck, and just for my own shadtree mechanic purposes, I go with PB Blaster. For rusty/stuck nuts & bolts, I always tap them a few times before squirting, then tap again a few minutes after, and let it sit another 5-10 minutes before trying to remove. Have to give the penetrating oil time to penetrate.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,156
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
I've always heard good things about Kroil, but it's darn expensive. Bang for buck, and just for my own shadtree mechanic purposes, I go with PB Blaster. For rusty/stuck nuts & bolts, I always tap them a few times before squirting, then tap again a few minutes after, and let it sit another 5-10 minutes before trying to remove. Have to give the penetrating oil time to penetrate.
I look at it like:
"How much would you pay to have that broken bolt come out?"
30 bucks is cheap.
 

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