Hello all, first I want to thank everyone here for all the information and tips they give, it is a tremendous help in saving time and money!

I have a 96 2WD 3.0l shorty that just passed 200,000 miles. We’ve had it for just over a year and a half and been doing the little maintenance on it (replaced purge flow sensor, vapor canister purge solenoid, an O2 sensor) but the rack & pinion has been leaking slowly over the past couple months and I’ve finally have the time and funds to replace it. I’ve picked up a rebuilt R&P, a rebuilt power steering pump, a new serpentine belt, several quarts of Mercon V, and an inline mag filter based on a thread I read recommendation.

Now I’m not a natural mechanic but I learn quickly and take direction well, I have my neighbor who used to be a mechanic back in the 80s and is retired now to guide me but I still need some advice before I start this.

First should I replace any pulleys while I’m in there?

Is there any tools I really should buy/rent beyond basic ones? I know I’ll need a puller/installer for the PS pulley but anything else?

I’m also going to replace my sway bar links while the wheels are off. I do have new spark plugs, wires, and a cap waiting to be installed but I was saving that for another day.
Any advice is appreciated and TIA!

 

Don't forget to change out the tie rod ends. You will need a ball joint spreader. to get the ends off the spindles. The bolts going though the front of the rack go all the way though the crass member with nuts on the back side.

 

put a soup can over the PS pump fill cap spout.
keeps the water out from the louver drain above.

lots of these Aeros PS pumps eat up by water contamination.

put in a large plate fin auto tranny AFT cooler in front of the radiator

then use the old ATF cooler in front for the PS cooler.
the OEM PS cooler is much too small, pump and cyl overhead, seals crack, PS fluid leaks out, pump runs dry, DEAD pump and cyl
especially critical in slow urban/suburban summer heat driving

 

Bertha66 is actually referring to a tie-rod separator, which is smaller than a ball joint separator. I got a pretty cheap one from Harbor Freight several years ago, but I think my AWD front tie rods go in from the opposite direction of your 2wd.

If you do the cooler conversions, make sure you flush out the old ATF cooler first before using it as the PS cooler. It can have remnants of worn transmission parts in it, which can quickly damage your new PS pump.

Also, the place where you bought the rebuilt PS pump should be able to replace the pulley for you. But I thought most rebuilt pumps would come with the pulley installed already?

 

Good call!

Read that thread, already have a can set aside for it.

I'll look into that conversion but it might have to wait for another day.

Thanks for the tips!

My neighbor might have one else I'll grab one at HF or rent one, thank you.

Guess I should open up that box and take a look then to see if it had one, I just assumed they would be too cheap to include it and make you buy it in addition to the pump.

 

The last pump I put on my Areo; it did not come with a pulley. And yes I did use my ball joint spreader, aka pickle fork on the tie rod ends. Did the same for the SHO Taurus that I'm changing out the rack on this weekend.

 

I found pickle forks to be too rough on parts. That's why I prefer to use the screw-type separators, but they have to be able to fit into place. If not, then maybe the pickle fork is the only way. If you have to use the fork, you can minimize damage by angling the direction of impact so that the parts are properly supported.

 

I have never ever gotten a new pump with a pulley. I have never had any luck at all with anything other than a Motorcraft pump. Everything else whined and squealed from day 1. You will need a proper puller. Don't get a generic pulley puller, get one made for Power Steering pumps, they work better and are less likely to damage the pulley.

The stock PS cooler is more than adequate, while Ford PS steering systems generate more heat than other types, the stock cooler is more than adequate, it is debris in the system, not heat, that kills these pumps. If it is convenient to use your factory ATF cooler to cool the PS system, do so, but some models didn't come with one at all. If thats the case, just use the stock one and get a proper cooler for the trans.

Make sure you replace your transmission fluid religiously. Some people will recommend bypassing the stock radiator trans cooler. I recommend against this. The argument is that the hot coolant can heat the trans fluid placing extra load on the trans cooling system. This is false, the efficiency of thermal transfer from one liquid to another is far more efficient than the transfer from a liquid to air. The coolant on the cold side of the radiator should be only around 140 - 170 degrees. If its hotter than that, either the engine is overheating, or the radiator is not getting enough airflow, or the radiator is plugged. The trans likes to have its fluid around 130-170 degrees. Hotter than that and it won't last as long as it should, colder and it gets thicker which causes more strain on the pump and does not flow as quickly through the valve body. So long as the trans fluid stays less than 220 degrees it will still be ok, though keeping it in the ideal range is best. The in-radiator cooler does about 90% of the cooling when the vehicle is not moving. So long story short, don't bypass it, it functions both to effectively cool the fluid, and moderate its temperature so it neither gets too hot or too cold.

 

Read and saw a few videos on getting the tie rods out with a hammer, looked easy enough and quick.

Thanks Khan, Ive read most of your posts on your P/S and R&P setup, I know you said not to but I did get a non Motorcraft PS pump, I can live with a little noise, though I am going with all Mercon V per your recommendation. Not sure if I have a cooler or not but either way I'm gonna hold off on swapping or adding one till a later date, gonna have to research one and figure out how to install it.

I haven't touched the trans yet, I have a new filter coming in and I also got another inline mag filter for that system. I was planning in 2 weeks to drop the pan, change the filter, install the inline filter and try to gentle flush as much as I can then repeat again in a month as to get the rest of the fluid that was in the case swapped out.

I've never worked this much on autos before so it's all new to me.

I did replace the U joints last Nov., a few vacuum lines, and did the rotors, pads, and bearings a couple weeks ago. All I need is a little guidance and I learn it quick, I just get a little lost at first.

Thanks for your advice all!

 

I've loosened tie rod ends with a hammer before. In those cases where you have room to swing a hammer squarely onto the top of the stud, AND you have good support for the spindle so that all the shock of the hammer goes to dislodging the stud.

I have a couple of pictures of my auxiliary ATF cooler in my Aerostar album:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1155523...49511/Aerostar

I installed a plate cooler as recommended by many to replace the stock air cooler. The stock PS cooler is a loop that runs almost the full width of the radiator. If you wanted to add an aftermarket plate cooler for the ATF in front of the radiator, you would have to remove the stock PS cooler to make room. So in this case, you sort of have to use the stock ATF cooler for the new PS cooler. Otherwise, you would have to find a different place to install the auxiliary ATF cooler.

 

FWIW..tie rod removal from the knuckle with a hammer shouldn't be too hard, and it shouldn't require direct impact to the threaded stud, either.
Just give the knuckle a few sharp whacks on either side of the stud with a light ball-peen hammer after loosening the nut, the stud should pop free.
It's a tapered fit, it doesn't WANT to stay together..shocking the metal surrounding the stud almost always pops a tie rod free w/o risk of damage to the joint.