[seventh]

I'm going to change the steering rack in a 1990 Dodge Dynasty. I am looking for details about disconnecting the steering column.

 

[valiant67]

I found it far easier to just drop the rack out (the end will slide off the steering column) than to mess with the roll pin in the car. Then once it was out, I punched out the roll pin and put it on the new rack and installed it that way. Yeah, it takes a helper inside the car to make it work but it was far easier for me that way.

 

[ImperialCrown]

A service manual will help with both procedures and pictures. Public library or online?
Support the vehicle safely with jackstands on a hard level surface and chock the rear wheels.
Dropping the crossmember allows more room for access to the bolts and P/S line nuts.
The steering wheel should be locked in a straight-ahead position during the service and not allowed to rotate. This will center the airbag clockspring and prevent the clockspring from over-winding and tearing in one direction.

 

[seventh]

We have a car hoist and can stand under the car, I looked it over a couple of times. I have a diagram of the column and rack. I just was wondering if it will come out the way the previous poster said "just drop the rack out (the end will slide off the steering column)"

 

[KOG]

I usually loosen the front crossmember bolts and remove the rear ones. That allows the rack to drop low enough to remove with little trouble without having to support the crossmember or line it back up to install bolts. But that's for minivans and I didn't ever have to replace the rack on the Dynasty we had. I have replaced racks on K cars using the same procedure and those are virtually identical to the Dynasty.

 

[seventh]

Well we got everything loose except the roll pin on the column. It won't budge. Any suggestions? My son hamnered on it for a long time, it hasn't moved.

 

[KOG]

You are using a roll pin punch?

 

[seventh]

We asked an auto shop, they said there was no special punch

 

[seventh]

I see now, special tool 6831a, Steering Shaft Roll Pin Remover/ Installer

 

[seventh]

I see what valiant67 and KOG were saying now, after loosening the cross member last night, this morning the column practically fell out then we could work on getting it apart on the bench. The new one is in now but waiting for a low pressure line which broke getting it out. It will be here Monday. Thanks for your helpful replies.

 

[seventh]

Got in on July 16th and it's been working great. Only bad thing is returning a core for a part bought online. It's $30.98 to ship it UPS and I'd get $30 for the core. It was only $94 anyway.