Steering gear cuff — removal and installation

If the cuff is torn or porous, moisture and dirt can enter the steering mechanism. A damaged oil seal must be replaced immediately to ensure proper lubrication of the toothed rack. Otherwise, the steering mechanism will be damaged.

Removing

1. Set the wheels to drive in a straight line.

2. Mark the direction of rotation of the wheel with an arrow on the sidewall of the tire and loosen the wheel bolts.

3. Jack up the front of the car, place it on jack stands and, having unscrewed the fastening bolts, remove the wheels.

4. Clean the steering gear and tie rod near the cuff so that dirt does not get inside the mechanism.

5. Remove the tie rod end.

6. Unscrew the jam nut that secures the tip to the tie rod.

7. Mark the position of clamps 1 and 2 with a felt-tip pen (see illustration).



8. Unclench the outer clamp 1 of the cuff fastening using special pliers and move it to the transverse link (see illustration 17.7).

9. Carefully cut the clamp 2 that secures the cuff from the inside and remove the cuff 3 from the steering mechanism (see illustration 17.7).

10. Remove the cuff from the tie rod.

Installation

11. Clean the tie rod and lubricate it with a thin layer.

12. Turn the steering wheel from lock to lock in both directions and lubricate the gear rack of the steering mechanism with grease VWG052 192 A1.

13. Set the steering wheel to neutral.

14. Put on steering draft new collars and a new cuff.

15. Fix the cuff on the steering rod with a clamping collar, making sure that the clamp is seated correctly.

16. Tighten the locknut that secures the tip and tie rod.

17. Fix a finger of a tip of cross-section steering draft on the lever of a rotary fist and screw on a finger a nut which tighten by hand.

18. Slide the cuff onto the gear rack of the steering mechanism and put a new collar on it.

19. Check that the cuff is not twisted.

20. Fasten the clamp to the cuff using pliers 4, e.g. HAZET1847-1 (see illustration 17.7).

21. Tighten the tie rod ball joint pin nut and lock nut to the specified torque, see the appropriate chapter.

22. Establish the removed wheels according to the marks put at removal.

23. Screw in wheel bolts and lower the car on wheels.

24. Tighten the wheel bolts in a cross pattern to 120 Nm.

25. Contact the workshop to check the camber and convergence of the wheels.