I recently got my 1990 Dakota's rack and pinion power steering gear reattached to the frame crossover after it pulled away when the frame cracked around the nuts.

Now I notice, more than ever, there is excessive play in the steering. I don't know why I didn't think of checking the inner tie rods while I had the steering gear sitting in my basement, but now that it is firmly back on the pickup, I am wondering if anyone has ever replaced the inner tie rods while the steering gear is in-place.

I hate to try removing it again because that means loosening those two 150 ft-lb torqued bolts and disconnecting the hydraulic fluid hoses again and having fluid leaking all over the driveway.

 

You can replace the ends with the rack in place, it's a b---h to do it, but it can be done. Haynes manual lays it out pretty good, so with that, common sense, and a little patience it can be done.

 

codydakota, I pulled my Haynes Manual ("Dodge Dakota Pick-ups 1987 thru 1993 2WD and 4WD") but it has no description of the inner tie rods or of the power steering gear. My manual has procedures for removing and replacing the outer tie rod and the steering gear only (

 

you can do it right on the truck , i did mine in 1 hrs , all you should do it match up the new and old , so the alinement stays the same , all you need to do is pull off the boot and you will see the nut on the shaft you need to take off ,no oil will come out

 

Thanks for the replies, Starpuss and codydakota. I'll probably roll under the pickup and pull a boot back and have a look. From what I've read on the Internet on other vehicles, I'm wondering if there is a roll pin or rivet or other locking piece to keep the inner tie rod from turning on the steering gear rack.

 

I rolled under the pickup again and see that there is a metal tube that runs from the left boot to the right boot of the steering gear. The tube connects the boots and there seems to be a rubber outrider on each boot with a pinch clamp holding it to the tube.

Is this tube some kind of "equalizer" for hydraulic fluid that may leak into the boot?

 

I pulled the boot off the driver's side and all was good and there was no looseness.

Then I checked the steering wheel shaft, which has two u-joints, one right next to the steering gear input. That is where the looseness is.

The steering gear has a splined stub shaft leading out of it that mates with the lower u-joint of the steering wheel shaft which is splined to match. The stub shaft and the u-joint are held together by a "waist" on the stub shaft which mates with a roll-pin that is run through a passage in the u-joint.

I think the waist may have worn-down a little, and allows some slack in the u-joint which accounts for the steering wheel slack.

I'll be going to a scrap yard to see if I can find a replacement for that lower u-joint.

 

I started thinking of searching in the local scrap yard for a Dakota and pulling the lower u-joint. I remembered my last trip there, when I had to practically tunnel under the only Dakota of the right vintage to get my part and decided I didn't want to do that.

Then I thought about cementing (with thread lock) a piece of shim stock in that "waist" on the stub shaft, but couldn't find any stock at the two local car parts dealers I usually consult.

At the second dealer, the counterman suggested I try one of the items they have on their chemicals rack. It is Permatex "Bearing Mount". Here are two claims on the 1/5th fluid ounce package that seemed to fit my case:

"Repair worn metal parts including shafts... ."

"Restores fit between parts... ."

So I got the package, and following directions, squeezed a little of it out onto the stub shaft waist where the roll pin was supposed to fit, reassembled the u-joint onto the stub shaft, and drove the roll pin home with a hammer. The instructions said to let it cure for 1 to 2 hours. I gave it 3 hours in the sun.

When I went back to the unit, the looseness seemed to be gone. I reinstalled the steering gear on the pickup, attached the hydraulic hoses and the tie rod ends and took her out for a test drive.

The steering is back as it should be, I'd say. At first I was a little nervous because I could now feel the road and any slight vibration from the tires. But it was only what I hadn't been feeling before because of all the looseness in the straight-ahead setting of the steering wheel.

Keeping my fingers crossed, I think maybe this is going to work.