Kia Sportage: Steering Gear box

Components and Components Location

 Components

1. Tie rod end
2. Locknut
3. Bellows
4. Bellows band
5. Tie rod
6. Rack bar
7. Dust packing
8. Pinion assembly
9. Dust cap
10. Oil seal
11. Ball bearing
12. Needle bearing
13. Lock nut
14. Yoke plug
15. Yoke spring
16. O-ring
17. Spring
18. Support yoke assembly

Repair procedures

 Replacement

1. Remove the front wheel & tire.

Tightening torque: 88.3 ~ 107.9N.m (9.0 ~ 11.0kgf.m, 65.1 ~ 79.6lb-ft)

CAUTION

Be careful not to damage to the hub bolts when removing the front wheel & tire (A).

2. Disconnect the stabilizer link (B) with the front stint assembly (A) after loosening the nut.

Tightening torque: 98.1 ~ 117.7N.m (10.0 ~ 12.0kgf.m, 72.3 ~ 86.8lb-ft)

3. Remove the split pin and castle nut and then disconnect the tie-rod end (A) from the front knuckle.

Tightening torque: 23.5 ~ 33.3N.m(2.4 ~ 3.4kgf.m, 17.4 ~ 24.6lb-ft)

4. Loosen the bolt & nut and then remove the lower arm (A).

Tightening torque: 98.1 ~ 117.7N.m (10.0 ~ 12.0kgf.m, 72.3 ~ 86.8lb-ft)

5. Remove the dust cover.

6. Loosen the bolt (A) and then disconnect the universal joint assembly from the pinion of the steering gear box.

Tightening torque: 32.4 ~ 37.3N.m (3.3 ~ 3.8kgf.m, 23.9 ~ 27.5lb-ft)

CAUTION

• Keep the neutral-range to prevent the damage of the clock spring inner cable when you handle the steering wheel.
• Do not use the bolt again.

7. Remove the under cover (A).

8. Loosen the bolt (A) & nut (B) and then remove the roll rod stopper.

Tightening torque: 107.9 ~ 127.5N.m (11.0 ~ 13.0kgf.m, 79.6 ~ 94.0lb-ft)

9. Disconnect the muffler rubber hanger (A).

10. Loosen the bolts & nuts and then remove the sub frame.

Tightening torque: 176.5 ~ 196.1N.m (18.0 ~ 20.0kgf.m, 130.2 ~ 144.7lb-ft)

11. Loosen the bolt and then remove the stabilizer (A).

Tightening torque: 44.1 ~ 53.9N.m (4.5 ~ 5.5kgf.m, 32.5 ~ 39.8lb-ft)

12. Loosen the bolt & nut and then remove the protector (A).

13. Loosen the bolt and then remove the steering gear box (A).

Tightening torque: 58.8 ~ 78.5N.m (6.0 ~ 8.0kgf.m, 43.4 ~ 57.9lb-ft)

14. Installation is the reverse of the removal.

Disassembly

1. Remove the dust packing & cap (A) from the pinion housing.

2. Loosen the lock nut and then remove the tie rod end (B) and lock nut (A) from the tie rod.

3. Remove the bellows clip (A) and band (B) and then pull the bellows (C) away from the end of the tie rod.

4. Remove the tie rod (B) from the rack bar (A) by unscrewing the tie rod inner ball joint.

5. Remove the plug (A) from the pinion housing.

6. Remove the oil seal (B) from the plug (A).

7. Remove the yoke plug (A) and spring (B) and then pull out the support yoke (C).

8. Remove the O-ring (B) from the support yoke assembly (A).

9. Pull the pinion assembly (A) out of the pinion housing.

10. Pull the rack bar (A) out of the rack housing.

11. Reassembly is the reverse of the disassembly.

Inspection

1. Rack bar

1. Check the rack gear for damage.
2. Check the rack bar for bend and deformation.

2. Pinion assembly

1. Check the pinion gear for damage
2. Check the oil seal for damage

3. Check the inside of rack housing for damage.

4. Check the bellows for being torn.

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