99 626 Rack and Pinion Replacement - Mazda Forum

tharry8 · #1 03-25-2011, 12:40 PM

Folks - Need some help. Have a 99 626 automatic. Am replacing the rack and pinion (it has power steering).

I have the rack and pinion disconnected from the power steering fluid lines, steering column, and the brackets. So it moves freely. I cannot slide it out either the drivers or passenger side. The drivers side bracket area cannot be moved right or left since it has some bracket grooves on it that dont allow it to slide out. I can rotate the assembly some, but so far cannot get it out.

Has anyone done this to their car and can provide me some guidance? Would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

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donnamehta · #2 07-21-2011, 11:11 AM

Hi,
I have a 2001 Milennia and we're having a similar problem. Were you able to complete the replacement and did you find any online site that helped?

tharry8 · #3 07-21-2011, 12:06 PM

I was able to do it. I ended up having to drop the subframe to remove the rack and pinion. I supported it with two floor jacks. I basically followed the instructions in the Haynes repair manual, except I did not install an engine support. Wasn't that bad once I realized I had to remove the sub frame, I spent too much time and energy trying to avoid doing that, and it was not really that difficult.

donnamehta · #4 08-07-2011, 04:57 PM

Thank you for your response. The pinion does not want to go into the collar (pardon if my terminology is wrong). Is there a particular trick to getting the pinion to go up into the steering column? We've gotten it up in there about an half inch or so at this point, but it's not all the way in.

tharry8 · #5 08-07-2011, 05:25 PM

I got it in as far as it would go, then bolted up the new rack. After that, I inserted a long extension bar to the top of the coupling and hammered it as far as it would go.