Trying to disconnect the steering shaft - '04 XC70

[BlackBart]

I'm replacing the motor mounts on my car, as well as the 4 subframe bushings and a new sway bar. I have the engine lifted, and the subframe lowered way down.

The rear motor mount is tough to get to, but I got it unbolted and removed. The new one is in place, with the engine-side top nut on but still loose.

The bottom of the mount sits in a bit of an aluminum cradle at the top of the steering rack, which is in turn bolted down to the subframe. I dropped the subframe quite a ways to use a bearing press to get the bushings in straight. In doing that, I saw that the left / (driver US) side of the rack won't drop down enough to clear the motor mount. Right now they're bound tight together, but an inch or more off the bolt center. I suppose I could use more jack stands to move the jack and wood blocks to jack the engine even higher (?) I have two floor jacks and a forest of jack stands under there.

Now I see why - It's hanging off the steering shaft from the floor of the car. I followed some advice to undo the joint inside the car, behind the pedals. The nut is off but the bolt is under tension and isn't sliding out of the bracket. I've tried tapping it out (tight quarters to get a swing), prying it out, pulling it out. Don't want to resort to excessive force and ruin the threads. There's a steel collar loose at the carpet / floor opening, which looks to have roller bearings inside it. That obviously got knocked loose with moving the subframe up and down.

So I went back underneath again and loosened the 12mm bolt on the pinch clamp above the steering rack shaft. I pounded screwdrivers in the gap to open the clamp. Nothing is happening. There's some surface corrosion on the shaft itself, nothing bad, so I assume there's some corrosion and binding inside the clamp. Gave it a good dose of PB Blaster and called it a night.

I need to get one or both of those shaft connections loose, drop the rack down to clear the motor mount, get it in place with a loose bolt, bring the subframe back up, and get all the various bolts and holes lined up to get it back together before heading to the front SF bushings and the front motor mount.

Can I just bash on the clamp from the bottom with a chisel or big punch? I don't want to break anything.

[Vova585]

Steering shaft bolt usually not supposed to give you much problems. You mentioned that it is under pressure(subframe weight/pull?). Any chance to lift the subrame up a little so the tension will be released? If that was of no help-rust issues are likely your main problem. On diagram #12 should be able to move out decently freely(not the case) if you have good wise grip try to rotate it back and forth(it is not a round bolt), maybe it will give. That bolt is somewhat of a "shear pin" so make sure in the future to find correct torque spec. In terms of shaft itself and floor rubber- better get new steering shaft by PPS(looks like oem, made in Sweden and I had 2 of them and could not find difference so went with pps when changed the steering rack) and get new oem boot($55?) No matter how you clean and polish those needle bearings will be giving you a headache either from noise or hard steering rotation. Good luck
P.S. any chance you have a small 2 jaw puller to try there? I think there is some room to try that(of course some spacer on the bolt end and nut over the threads, but you knew that already)

[dikidera]

The loose collar bearing btw make sure to put back where it was. Otherwise you will hear excessive noise from the exhaust pipe. I just did put it back yesterday after hearing the exhaust sounds from there.

[BlackBart]

OhhKayy…….

Guess what, when you’re tired and hot and frustrated……you make mistakes. Really?

The small bolt in the lower shaft is not a clamp bolt, it’s a through-bolt, it has to come all the way out. Then the shaft pops out with one tap, the rack drops down to the subframe, and the clamp bolt inside the car falls onto the carpet. Duh.

[BlackBart]

Removed, cleaned, collar greased.

[abscate]

OhhKayy…….

Guess what, when you’re tired and hot and frustrated……you make mistakes. Really?

The small bolt in the lower shaft is not a clamp bolt, it’s a through-bolt, it has to come all the way out. Then the shaft pops out with one tap, the rack drops down to the subframe, and the clamp bolt inside the car falls onto the carpet. Duh.

On p80 it picks up a divit In the shaft to ensure position. I bet p2 is the same.

Sorry I missed that earlier

[dikidera]

Another thing I forgot to mention about the collar sleeve, lube it well on inside and outside, because it is wrapped around by the grommet, which is rubber, when you start turning the wheel it will make weird sounds, you will initially think they are coming from the steering wheel itself, but no, its from the grommet. And if it's not pressed snugly inside the grommet, as I said, you will hear whooshing sounds or exhaust sounds that change based on how much you press the accelerator.

[BlackBart]

OhhKayy…….

Guess what, when you’re tired and hot and frustrated……you make mistakes. Really?

The small bolt in the lower shaft is not a clamp bolt, it’s a through-bolt, it has to come all the way out. Then the shaft pops out with one tap, the rack drops down to the subframe, and the clamp bolt inside the car falls onto the carpet. Duh.

On p80 it picks up a divit In the shaft to ensure position. I bet p2 is the same.

Sorry I missed that earlier

Yep - shaft has a half circle carved out of it, which the pinch bolt passes through. Doesn’t matter how loose or tight it is. Has to come all the way out. I was blind.

Dikidera - cleaned and greased the collar. Not sure how much I put on the outside however, hmm…

[scot850]

Glad to hear you got it figured out!

Neil.

[BlackBart]

Now to get it reconnected! It’s always some tiny thing that takes forever to fit your hands into and solved. It was 95 in the garage, I had to stop.