Adjustment for Pinion Rotating Torque
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2002 Nissan Altima. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Adjust pinion rotating torque as follows:
- Set rack to the neutral position without fluid in the gear.
- Coat the adjusting screw with locking sealant and screw it in.
- Lightly tighten lock nut.
- Tighten adjusting screw to a torque of 4.9 to 5.9 N.m (50 to 60 kg-cm, 43 to 52 in-lb).
- Loosen adjusting screw, then retighten it to 0.2 N.m (2 kg-cm, 1.7 in-lb).
- Move rack over its entire stroke several times.
- Measure pinion rotating torque within the range of 180° from neutral position.
Stop the gear at the point of maximum torque.
- Loosen adjusting screw, then retighten it to 4.9 N.m (50 kg-cm, 43 in-lb).
- Loosen adjusting screw by 50° to 70° degrees.
- Prevent adjusting screw from turning, and tighten lock nut to specified torque.
- Check rack sliding force on vehicle as follows:
- Install steering gear onto vehicle, but do not connect tie-rod to knuckle arm.
- Connect all piping and fill with steering fluid.
- Start engine and bleed air completely.
- Disconnect steering column lower joint from the gear.
- Keep engine at idle and make sure steering fluid has reached normal operating temperature.
- Pull tie-rod slowly to move it from neutral position to +/-11.5 mm (+/-0.453 in) at speed of 3.5 mm (0.138 in)/s. Check that rack sliding force is within specification.
Average rack sliding force : 225 - 285 N (23 - 29 kg-f, 51 - 64 lb-f)
Maximum force deviation : 98 N (10 kg-f, 22 lb-f)
- Check sliding force outside above range at rack speed of 40 mm (1.57 in)/s.
Maximum rack sliding force : 294 N (30 kg-f, 66 lb-f)
Maximum force deviation : 147 N (15 kg-f, 33 lb-f)
- If rack sliding force is not within specification, readjust by repeating adjustment procedure from the beginning.
- If rack sliding force is still out of specification after readjustment, gear assembly needs to be replaced.