Polyurethane install problems..

Adrians89MR2SC · 10-13-2007, 06:48 PM

got all new steering linkages (ball joints and tie rod end) , ball joints for all 4 wheels .. and a complete poly urethane bushing set (red)

ive spent about 5 hours so far ..dissasembling the passenger front .. and got a couple questions

1) how do you get the steering rack out ( just undo bushing mounts and the steering wheel linkage? .. havent tried anything yet .. waiting for wd40 to soak in .. broke all the sway bar bolts .)

2) the sway bar bushing mount bolts .. is there a good way to remove broken bolts .. and just get new ones .. or do i need to drill and tap different ones in there

3) there has to be an easier way to get old bushings out .. tried 3 jaw puller twice .. then the oxy acetalene torch .. just made a big smell .. then tried the puller a million times more .. and 2 hours later .. i get it one out ...

4) i still can get that front nut off of that rod in the very front of the suspension ..

5) it took me an hour to get one ball joint off ... tried a tuning fork .. didnt work .. tried just hitting it out on a vice a million times .. then the tuning fork with a sledge hammer ..and after it flew out of the vice 10 times it popped out .. is there an easier way to get them out ..

if anybody has done this before .. any advice or tips would be appreciated ..

sliverstorm · 10-15-2007, 05:16 AM

#1: I don't know about disconnecting it but to replace the bushings just undo the 4 bolts holding the bushing mountings and pull them off. The rack will come loose in your hands. It's not free (I don't think) but you can work the new bushings onto it and put it back

2: use more wd40 and try pliers if you can. Might be possible to get at them from the other side too, i.e. where the tip is. No real good way, changes depending on situation. searhc google

3: if jaw puller isn't working you're not doing it right. Also jaw puller still isn't EASY but it's the best way I've ever found. Use washers too they help. What is not working? it wasn't THAT hard when I did it.

4: look in manual for suggestions? or check MKI MR2 Write-Up Page and see if thers' info there

same site has info about ball joints i believe

All I did was bushings. Jaw puller did it for me. Lot of wrench turning and washer destroying but all it really took was time. Wasn't actually difficult. Most difficult part was putting suspension back together and getting the polyurethane grease off my fingers and tools.

Adrians89MR2SC · 10-15-2007, 12:00 PM

yea .. i asked my teacher at college today ( i take collision repair ) ..and he said just bring all the parts down there and we'll heat them up and push them out with the press they got ..

that grease is pretty hard to get off ... found brake cleaner works reall well ..

and im getting some good drills and a tap to redo those sway bar bolts .. they snapped of and there in there .. (all my drills are crap .. they go blunt after 10 seconds of drilling) ..

so hopefully i can get this done by friday ..(just woking after school and work )

and then i should be able to have a driveable car ..

.. been waiting six months for this .. just hope the head gasket dont give up again

raexprt · 10-15-2007, 01:54 PM

Regarding 1/ do not forget to unfasten the coupling from the steering colum to the steering rack ( coupling is hidden under the carpet, inside, behind the clutch pedal) Remove the bolt completely to ensure that the clamp is fully loose.
If you have AC, there will be pipes in the way below the rack. Just remove the holding clamp for these so that you wiggle the rack around better.

sliverstorm · 10-15-2007, 09:08 PM

you have to undo the coupling? why is that? heh, I just undid the four and wiggled the rack around. No deleterious effects so far. why do you suggest doing that, ease of removal/access or..?

Adrians89MR2SC · 10-15-2007, 10:06 PM

yea .. my boots on the rack are allright .. but i was thinking of putting new ones .. so i might keep the rack in ..

what is the best way to get the ends off of the rack that have the tie rod ends .. i got replacements in a kit i bought .. but dont see how you can fit a wrench that big in there ..

raexprt · 10-16-2007, 10:33 AM

If yours did not need the coupling unfastened, you have been fortunate not to loose steering effectivenes due to slippage, why do you think that Toyota put the clamp there in the first place?

raexprt · 10-16-2007, 10:36 AM

Adrians 89,
I have heard that it is possible to change the inner tie rod ends with the rack in situ, but it is very difficult- no room for wrenchs, take out the rack, total time for the job this way approx 3 hours

sliverstorm · 10-16-2007, 12:56 PM

hmm maybe I will have to look at the exploded diagrams. I haven't noticed any loss in steering. I did freak out that maybe I did something to the rack cause of a couple of noises it was making, but it turned out to be a loose metal tab on the sway bar arm bolts clanking away.

10-13-2007, 06:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Adrians89MR2SC Build,Drive,Sell,Repeat Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: McDonough, Ga Posts: 887 Thanks: 9 Thanked 25 Times in 24 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	Polyurethane install problems.. got all new steering linkages (ball joints and tie rod end) , ball joints for all 4 wheels .. and a complete poly urethane bushing set (red) ive spent about 5 hours so far ..dissasembling the passenger front .. and got a couple questions 1) how do you get the steering rack out ( just undo bushing mounts and the steering wheel linkage? .. havent tried anything yet .. waiting for wd40 to soak in .. broke all the sway bar bolts .) 2) the sway bar bushing mount bolts .. is there a good way to remove broken bolts .. and just get new ones .. or do i need to drill and tap different ones in there 3) there has to be an easier way to get old bushings out .. tried 3 jaw puller twice .. then the oxy acetalene torch .. just made a big smell .. then tried the puller a million times more .. and 2 hours later .. i get it one out ... 4) i still can get that front nut off of that rod in the very front of the suspension .. 5) it took me an hour to get one ball joint off ... tried a tuning fork .. didnt work .. tried just hitting it out on a vice a million times .. then the tuning fork with a sledge hammer ..and after it flew out of the vice 10 times it popped out .. is there an easier way to get them out .. if anybody has done this before .. any advice or tips would be appreciated ..

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10-15-2007, 05:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
sliverstorm Tinkerer extrordanaire Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: California Posts: 87 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	#1: I don't know about disconnecting it but to replace the bushings just undo the 4 bolts holding the bushing mountings and pull them off. The rack will come loose in your hands. It's not free (I don't think) but you can work the new bushings onto it and put it back 2: use more wd40 and try pliers if you can. Might be possible to get at them from the other side too, i.e. where the tip is. No real good way, changes depending on situation. searhc google 3: if jaw puller isn't working you're not doing it right. Also jaw puller still isn't EASY but it's the best way I've ever found. Use washers too they help. What is not working? it wasn't THAT hard when I did it. 4: look in manual for suggestions? or check MKI MR2 Write-Up Page and see if thers' info there same site has info about ball joints i believe All I did was bushings. Jaw puller did it for me. Lot of wrench turning and washer destroying but all it really took was time. Wasn't actually difficult. Most difficult part was putting suspension back together and getting the polyurethane grease off my fingers and tools.

10-15-2007, 12:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Adrians89MR2SC Build,Drive,Sell,Repeat Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: McDonough, Ga Posts: 887 Thanks: 9 Thanked 25 Times in 24 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	yea .. i asked my teacher at college today ( i take collision repair ) ..and he said just bring all the parts down there and we'll heat them up and push them out with the press they got .. that grease is pretty hard to get off ... found brake cleaner works reall well .. and im getting some good drills and a tap to redo those sway bar bolts .. they snapped of and there in there .. (all my drills are crap .. they go blunt after 10 seconds of drilling) .. so hopefully i can get this done by friday ..(just woking after school and work ) and then i should be able to have a driveable car .. .. been waiting six months for this .. just hope the head gasket dont give up again

10-15-2007, 01:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
raexprt No Skills Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: South East USA Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Regarding 1/ do not forget to unfasten the coupling from the steering colum to the steering rack ( coupling is hidden under the carpet, inside, behind the clutch pedal) Remove the bolt completely to ensure that the clamp is fully loose. If you have AC, there will be pipes in the way below the rack. Just remove the holding clamp for these so that you wiggle the rack around better.

10-15-2007, 09:08 PM	#5 (permalink)
sliverstorm Tinkerer extrordanaire Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: California Posts: 87 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	you have to undo the coupling? why is that? heh, I just undid the four and wiggled the rack around. No deleterious effects so far. why do you suggest doing that, ease of removal/access or..?

10-15-2007, 10:06 PM	#6 (permalink)
Adrians89MR2SC Build,Drive,Sell,Repeat Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: McDonough, Ga Posts: 887 Thanks: 9 Thanked 25 Times in 24 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (1/100% )	yea .. my boots on the rack are allright .. but i was thinking of putting new ones .. so i might keep the rack in .. what is the best way to get the ends off of the rack that have the tie rod ends .. i got replacements in a kit i bought .. but dont see how you can fit a wrench that big in there ..

10-16-2007, 10:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
raexprt No Skills Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: South East USA Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	If yours did not need the coupling unfastened, you have been fortunate not to loose steering effectivenes due to slippage, why do you think that Toyota put the clamp there in the first place?

10-16-2007, 10:36 AM	#8 (permalink)
raexprt No Skills Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: South East USA Posts: 10 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts My Google Map iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	Adrians 89, I have heard that it is possible to change the inner tie rod ends with the rack in situ, but it is very difficult- no room for wrenchs, take out the rack, total time for the job this way approx 3 hours

10-16-2007, 12:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
sliverstorm Tinkerer extrordanaire Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: California Posts: 87 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts iTrader Rating: (0/0% )	hmm maybe I will have to look at the exploded diagrams. I haven't noticed any loss in steering. I did freak out that maybe I did something to the rack cause of a couple of noises it was making, but it turned out to be a loose metal tab on the sway bar arm bolts clanking away.