Steering Shaft: Service and Repair

Lower Assembly Removal and Installation

CAUTION: Never turn steering wheel while steering shaft lower assembly is removed. Should it have been turned and contact coil (on combination switch), have got out of its centered position, it needs to be centered again. Also, turning steering wheel more than about two and a half turns will break contact coil.

Removal
1. Turn steering wheel so that vehicle's front tires are at straight-ahead position.
2. Turn ignition switch to "LOCK" position and remove key.





3. After removing bolt (4) on column (1) side of shaft joint (2) and loosening bolt (5) on its shaft lower assembly (3) side, move shaft joint (2) to shaft lower assembly (3) side (in arrow direction in figure).





4. Remove shaft lower assembly lower joint bolt (2) and then remove shaft lower assembly (1).
5. Remove shaft joint bolt (shaft lower assembly side) from shaft joint (3) and then remove shaft joint (3) from shaft lower assembly (1).

Installation
1. Be sure that front wheels and steering wheel are in straight-ahead state.





2. Align flat part "A" of shaft lower assembly (2) with bolt hole "B" of shaft joint (1) as shown. Then insert shaft joint (1) into shaft lower assembly (2).
3. Install shaft joint bolt (shaft lower assembly side) to shaft joint. Then tighten it by hand.





4. Insert pinion shaft into shaft lower assembly lower joint (2) with slit (1) of lower joint, marks (4) on pinion shaft (5) and gear case (6) aligned. And then install shaft lower assembly lower joint bolt (3) to shaft lower assembly lower joint (2). Tighten it to specified torque.
Tightening torque
Shaft lower assembly lower joint bolt (a): 25 Nm (2.5 kg-m, 18.0 ft. lbs.)





5. Install steering shaft joint (2) to steering shaft (1).

NOTE: Be sure that front wheels and steering wheel are in straight-ahead state.





6. Install shaft joint bolt (column side) (2) to shaft joint (1). Tighten shaft joint bolt (column side) (2) to specified torque first and then shaft joint bolt (shaft lower assembly side) (3) to specified torque.
Tightening torque
Shaft joint bolt (b): 25 Nm (2.5 kg-m, 18.0 ft. lbs.)