I don't have enough time left in my life to type all those instructions. This is a pretty big job and not one to attempt without at the very least, having a manufacturer's service manual to read through. That will have pages of instructions for this procedure along with line drawings. It will also list torque specs and any specialty tools that will be needed. EBay is a good place to find used service manuals. You can also click on "Repair and Service" at the top of this page, then "Manuals" to buy a subscription to an online service manual.
This job is hard enough with the car on a hoist. If you'll be doing this on the ground, it's going to take much longer. On some vehicles like a Dodge Dakota, the steering gear can be replaced in less than a half hour. On others, like a Pontiac Grand Am, you'll need the better part of a day, depending on how you take things apart.
Regardless, the car will require an alignment once the new steering gear is installed. You'll have the wheels off too, and reinstalling them and some other bolts requires the use of a click-type torque wrench. Failing to torque lug nuts to specs is one of the biggest mistakes do-it-yourselfers make that result in a lot of other problems later.
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Friday, March 6th, 2015 AT 5:00 PM
