Steering System - Power: Removal & Installation Chevrolet Pickup K3500

Removal

1. Center steering gear. Raise and support vehicle. Place drain pan under steering gear assembly. Disconnect return and feed lines from steering gear. Cap ends of lines and steering gear fittings. Remove flexible coupling-to-intermediate shaft retaining screw. Remove flexible coupling (if equipped). Remove shield from intermediate shaft (if equipped).
2. Mark alignment of lower clamp to steering shaft. Remove lower clamp bolt from steering shaft. Mark relationship of pitman arm-to-pitman shaft. Remove pitman arm nut and spring washer. Remove pitman arm using Puller (J-6632-01) or Remover (J-29107). Remove steering gear mounting bolts and washers. Remove steering gear.

Installation

To install, reverse removal procedure. Ensure lower clamp bolt hole is aligned with groove in worm shaft (if equipped). Ensure pitman arm-to-pitman shaft reference marks are aligned. Tighten bolts and nuts to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS . Fill reservoir (if necessary). Bleed air from system. See HYDRAULIC SYSTEM BLEEDING under LUBRICATION.

1. Place drain pan under steering pump assembly. Disconnect return and feed lines from steering pump. Cap ends of lines and steering pump fittings.
2. Unload power steering pump belt tensioner (if equipped). Remove power steering pump belt. Remove bracket mounting nuts, and remove bracket (if equipped). Using Pulley Remover (J-25034-B), remove pulley from pump shaft. Remove pump mounting bolts and remove pump.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Use Pulley Installer (J-25033-B) to install pulley. Install pulley flush with end of pump shaft plus or minus .010" (.25 mm). Tighten bolts and nuts to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS . Fill reservoir (if necessary). Bleed air from system. See HYDRAULIC SYSTEM BLEEDING under LUBRICATION.

Raise and support vehicle. Remove cotter pins and outer tie rod end nuts. Remove inner tie rod end nuts. Using Wheel Stud and Tie Rod Remover (J-6627-A), remove outer tie rod ball studs from steering knuckle and inner tie rod ball studs from relay rod. On Commercial Van with I-Beam Axle, remove shock absorber from tie rod. On all models, loosen adjuster tube clamp bolts and clamps. Unscrew and remove tie rod ends from adjuster tube.

1. Lubricate tie rod end threads with chassis lubricant before installing. Install inner and outer tie rod ends to adjuster tube. Inner and outer tie rod end threads must be adjusted equally within 3 threads. Install adjuster clamps and clamp bolts. Ensure clamps are positioned between locating dimples on ends of adjuster tube.
2. Tie rod ends must rotate full travel and travel must be maintained during clamp tightening. Slot in adjuster tube and slot in clamp must be properly positioned. (Scheme 8)
3. Install inner tie rod ends to relay rod ensuring seal is on ball stud. Tighten Steering Linkage Installer (J-29193 or J-29194) to 40 ft. lbs. (54 N.m) to seat tapers. Install and tighten inner tie rod end-to-relay rod nuts. Install outer tie rod end to steering knuckle. CAUTION: When installing outer tie rod end nut, tighten nut to align cotter pin hole. DO NOT tighten nut more than an additional 1/6 turn to align cotter pin hole. DO NOT back off nut to insert cotter pin.
4. Install and tighten outer tie rod end nut. Tighten bolts and nuts to specification. See «TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS»(ref-55269-S28555504232001011700000). Adjust toe-in. See «WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES»(ref-55271) article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT section.

Scheme 8

1. Raise and support vehicle. Remove inner tie rod end nuts. Remove inner tie rod ends from relay rod (if equipped). On models without inner tie rods, remove tie rod end-to-steering knuckle nuts. Separate tie rod ends from steering knuckle.
2. On all models, remove steering shock absorber nut from relay rod (if equipped). Using Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-01), remove steering shock absorber from relay rod (if equipped). Remove connecting rod nut and remove connecting rod from relay rod (if equipped).
3. Remove relay rod end nuts from pitman arm and idler arm. Using Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-01), remove pitman arm and idler arm from relay rod. Remove relay rod. see scheme 2-4.

Reverse removal procedure. Ensure seals are on ball studs. Using Steering Linkage Installer (J-29193 or J-29194), seat all tapers to 40 ft. lbs. (54 N.m). Tighten retaining nuts to specification. Refer to the TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table. Adjust toe-in. See appropriate WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

IDLER ARM R & I

Note. Replace idler arm assembly if an up and down force of 25 ft. lbs. (110 N.m), applied at relay rod end of idler arm, produces a lash of more than 1/8" (3 mm) for a total of 1/4" (6 mm) in straight-ahead position. (Scheme 9)

Raise and support vehicle. Remove idler arm-to-frame nut and bolt. Remove idler arm nut and spring washer from relay rod. Using Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-01), remove idler arm from relay rod. Remove idler arm. see scheme 2-4.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Ensure seal is on ball stud. Using Steering Linkage Installer (J-29193 or J-29194), seat tapers to 40 ft. lbs. (54 N.m). Tighten retaining nuts to specification. See the TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table. Adjust toe-in. See WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in the WHEEL ALIGNMENT Section.

Scheme 9

1. Raise and support vehicle. Remove pitman arm nut from relay rod (if equipped). Using Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-01), remove pitman arm from relay rod (if equipped). Remove pitman arm nut from connecting rod (if equipped). Using Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-01), remove pitman arm from connecting rod (if equipped).
2. Mark relationship of pitman arm-to-pitman shaft position. Remove pitman arm nut and spring washer from pitman shaft. Using Remover (J-6632-01) or Puller (J-29107), remove pitman arm from pitman shaft. see scheme 2-4.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Ensure pitman arm-to-pitman shaft reference marks are aligned. Ensure seal is on ball stud. Using Steering Linkage Installer (J-29193 or J-29194), seat tapers to 40 ft. lbs. (54 N.m). Tighten nuts to specification. Refer to the TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.

Removal (Models With I-Beam Axle)

Raise and support vehicle. Remove connecting rod nuts from pitman arm and steering arm. Using Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-01), remove connecting rod from pitman arm and steering arm. Mark position of adjuster tube and direction of bolt installation. Loosen adjuster tube clamp bolts and clamps. Unscrew and remove connecting rod ends from adjuster tube.

1. Lubricate connecting rod end threads with chassis lubricant before installing. Install connecting rod ends to adjuster tube. Connecting rod end threads must be adjusted equally within 3 threads. Install adjuster clamps and clamp bolts. Slot in adjuster tube and slot in clamp must be properly positioned. (Scheme 8)
2. Connecting rod ends must rotate through full travel and travel must be maintained during clamp tightening. (Scheme 8) Install connecting rod end to pitman arm, ensuring seal is on ball stud. Tighten Steering Linkage Installer (J-29193 or J-29194) to 40 ft. lbs. (54 N.m) to seat tapers. Install and tighten connecting rod-to-pitman arm nut.
3. Install connecting rod end to steering arm. Install and tighten connecting rod-to-steering arm nut. Tighten bolts and nuts to specification. See the «TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS»(ref-55269-S28555504232001011700000) table. Adjust toe-in. See «WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES»(ref-55271) article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

Removal (Except Models With I-Beam Axle)

Raise and support vehicle. Remove connecting rod nuts from pitman arm and relay rod. Using Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-01), remove connecting rod from pitman arm and relay rod.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Ensure seal is on ball stud. Using Steering Linkage Installer (J-29193 or J-29194), seat tapers to 40 ft. lbs. (54 N.m). Tighten nuts to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS .

Remove steering shock absorber nut from relay rod. Using Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-01), remove steering shock absorber from relay rod. Remove steering shock absorber-to-frame nut and bolt. Remove steering shock absorber.

Reverse removal procedure. Ensure seal is on ball stud. Using Steering Linkage Installer (J-29193 or J-29194), seat tapers to 40 ft. lbs. (54 N.m). Tighten retaining nuts to specification. Refer to the TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.