Hi, helping a friend try and remove a power steering ram from the drag link. What tool can be used to separate the ram from the drag link. He originally just wacked the drag link and it fell out. He rebuilt the ram and reinstalled. He thinks he did something wrong as the steering now shimmys. He has tried to remove the ram and it will not release from the drag link. A pickle fork will not fit between the drag link and the ram. Factory shop manual says to just hit drag ling at taper and the ram will come out. Suggestions??
Back the knuckle with a 2 lb. ball pein hammer, strike the opposite side of knuckle, contracting the taper. It will be necessary to remove the nut first, obviously.
I've used a tool like this in the past to remove tie rods and P/S control valve studs. If there is room it may work for you as well. The hammer method as Atwater Mike described should work as well.
I like a ground down blunt air chisel bit on the tie rod/link. Short rap and it should fall out. NOT ON THE STUD
O.K. Thanks. I got more info on this. He said at 45MPH and hits rough road or over railroad tracks she starts the death wobble until about 25 MPH then it settles down to normal. Now everything was rebuilt in the front end as we discussed all the components. This is not making sense so he thinks he goofed up the ram rebuild and wants to pull it back off and recheck everything. I asked if he did anything to the steering box (excessive play) and have not heard back yet. He is not a mechanic and had a shop rebuild the motor and front end components. I may have to go over to the car and recheck everything. Thanks. Will post when I get more info.
Usually when you "goof up" with the ram rebuild your rig wants to make turns one way or the other on it's own but it doesn't hurt to check. Been there done that on one of those wants to turn on it's own after I rebuilt it deals.
Hmm...this is timely information since I need to rebuild a couple of these soon. One of them already tries to make turns one way when I rev the engine.
Some are adjustable, pull the end cap and there should be a nut with a spring behind it, you can tighten just a quarter turn or unscrew a quarter turn and see how it affects the steering. I don't remember if turning it in makes it favor left or right or vise versa. Been awhile since I've played with them, used to rebuild quite a few back in the day. .
The nut you are talking about is on the control valve not the steering ram. By the description in the OP I'm pretty sure he's wanting to get the ram free from the centerlink rather than removing the control valve.
Hi, yes he wants to get the ram free of the center link and said something about adjusting a rod? I am questioning his issue with the wobble at 45MPH. So trying to double check all the work done on the car. The same shop dropped the car somehow and put a big dent in the oil pan on this car also. Took me a few months to find him a pan but just got one. Who knows what the front end rebuild was done correctly or slip shod.
Two hammers [preferably one that is heavy] Place one against the drag link and hit it from the other side with the other hammer [hard if needed] The taper of the ball-joint will spit it out.
GM ram assist PS 49? to 83. Corvettes used ram til 83 so there are excellent, detailed online video's of dissassembly and rebuilding, with vette owners fondling every nut and bolt.
O.K. Thank you. I relayed the 2 hammer trick to him and will report back if he gets lucky. I still have an issue with his wheel wobble at 45MPH. I will be seeing him next week to jack up his car and verify all things are tight. Then I guess we will pull ram apart.
Hi, My friend contacted me tonight and he said he has about 30 degrees of travel in the steering wheel free play. This is an issue. He said before the rebuilding he never had this issue as far as wobble but always had the large free play in the wheel. I will get to him next week to really access what is tight or not otherwise chasing my tail just asking him questions by text. Think either an adjustment on steering box preload or probably a rebuild on the box in order. Thanks.
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