Power steering replacement
 

I'm in the middle of pulling the steering rack using vadis. My problem is the vadis instructions talk about parts I can't find, and as far as I can tell misses some major steps.

I have the engine supported, the front of the car on jack stands, four nuts and one bolt holding the rack to the subframe removed, and the rear of the subframe dropped.

I can't find most of the connectors it talks about, heated o2 backet, and while I can find the rear engine bolt, and the where the power steering lines connect to the rack, I can't access either. I can get to the rear engine bolt if I remove the sway bar, but that would be a major step that is NOT in the Vadis instructions.

And I can't see or feel where the steering knuckle is.

Here is the Vadis directions, and I have notated them where ever I have had any problems. If some one could let me know how accurate these instructions are, or if one of the steps could cause the stall in work I am experiencing.




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I guess I'm going to pull the sway bar and see what happens. For this to be as big a problem for these cars as it is there isn't much documentation on it.

I removed the 4 bolts holding the sway bar in place and got to the rear engine bolt with no problem. I had a hard time undoing the oil pipes, I ended up undoing them 1/4 turn at a time with a crowsfoot socket adapter but then only after lowering the front of the subframe 1/2"-1".

Here is where I am stuck now and need help soon. I removed the bolt for the universal joint/steering knuckle but I cannot separate the rack from the knuckle. There appears to be a relief cut on the knuckle to allow it to be separated from the knuckle, but prying on the cut has not relieved any pressure on the joint. Please let me know what I need to do to release the joint, I would like to have this pulled and wrapped up today.

2 hours later and zero progress. Actually if you take into account the rack bolts have slipped back into the subframe and the rack cannot move any farther away from the steering knuckle with zero movement out of the knuckle, it would be safe to say I have lost ground in the past two hours.

I need some way to push the knuckle up into the column, and away from the rack. I need to go back to Mercedes. I pulled a head and then engine, in less time than this rack has taken.

I finally got it by ordering a tool and making a slight modification. The tool is a x-type caliper spreader part number w80112 made by performance tool. I bought mine for about $5-6 online and there was another $5-6 dollars in shipping. I then replaced the hand screw with a 3/8"-16 bolt about 2 1/2" long.

Here is a picture of the tool I used.

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I used this tool and a ratchet to put pressure on one side on the knuckle joint, then I would put it on the other side and put pressure. I repeated this pattern until it came apart. Once that was apart I had the ability to move the rack around enough to find and unplug all the sensor wires in the way. Finally with the help of my nephew I was able to lift and twist the rack out.

Thanks to all those with suggestions on making this operation move more smoothly.