I'm doing my first rack & pinion on my 95 Toyota Camry 6 cyl.

I've removed the bolt from the pinch joint at the steering knuckle and

don't quite know how to separate ( properly ) the splined shaft from

the pinch joint. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank You.

 

Are you talking about the tie rod end that connects to the steering rod knuckle. If so there are a couple of methods.

Toyota should have an official tool. This tool is a puller where claws to engage the knuckle, puller screw forces the bolt out of the hole. The bolt connection has a taper joint, not splined thus when the nut it tightened it pulls the tapered bolt shank into the tapered hole.

You can also use a after market jaw puller tool. I strongly suggest you remove the factory nut and replace it with a thicker metric nut that is long enough to protect the exposed bolt threads. Back off the nut to allow about 1/8 of inch of gap between the bottom of nut and the knuckle. Place a thick washer on top of the nut.

Install the puller with its screw on top of the washer (which is on top of the nut) and with the jaws clamping the other side of the knuckle. Then holding everything in place turn the screw.

The washer and nut protect the tie rod end threads. The tie rod end bolt does not need to be fully pushed out only forced out to the point where it no longer has an interference fit with the hole.

Typically this requires a good deal of torque at the wrench, then the bolt breaks free. Sometimes after loading the puller screw up (applying a lot of torque), you can have someone hit the top of the puller screw with a soft face hammer to jar the tie rod end bolt free.

The alternative is to hammer on the tie rod end bolt but this can damage the threads. If you go this route install a protective nut on the thread first, then hit the nut. The threads are a standard metric available at hardware stores.

There is also something called a pickle fork but don't recommend this as it can damage the tie rod end boot.

 

Not to step on your toes toyomoho.

If you don't feel the need for a tool you are going to use once maybe a handfull of times at best, all you need is a jack and a hammer.

Once you have the cotter pin removed and the castle nut loosened and threaded all the way so that it is flush with the end of the stud. Run the jack up so that it has a good amount of pressure pushing up on just the tie-rod stud(at least enough to start raising the control arm, but not enough to lift the vehicle). You can now give one or two quick hits down aginst the steering arm knuckle(you'l be surprised at how little it takes once you have a solid force behind it). You'll be swinging a hammer up against the stud all day because at least half the force is going to be absorbed by the spring/shock when the whole control arm is trying to move up at the same time. This method also works well for dislocating ball-joints as well(once again shock/strut and control arm bushing deflection absorbing hammer forces). You just need remember which way the forces are being applied and what needs to remain stationary.

 

Thanks to both of you for your replies.

The coupling I was referring to was the steering gear at the end of
the steering shaft. It has a u channeled heavy guage steel joint
that the upper shaft of the rack & pinion steering slides into then is
clamped down with one nut and bolt running through it.

I removed the bolt easily but could not separate the shafts.

I wound up using a wedge tool about 2 ft long and tapping it until the
sleeve opened up just enough to slide the two apart.

Basically, the hardest part of this job ( besides the removal of the unit
itself ) was separating the joint and believe it or not, removing the
bolts to the stabalizer bushings which were incredibly difficult with
wrenches. ( sockets would not fit ). I'm sure there was some kind of
swivel tool for this. Also the removal of the two main mounting bolts
for the rack. There is just no room for tools like a breaker bar or
a 1/2 ratchet.

Needless to say, the job is done. All for $ 175.00 for the replacement
rack & a few bucks for bushings. ATF fluid for the power steering,
and some Tide to wash the clothes I wore for this job. The area
in the rack & pinion is now clean as a whistle. Boy it would have been
easy to change that oxygen sensor while I was there but why ?

Thanks again guys for your support. I tried to use the terminology
that was given to me from my Haynes manual. But I may have left
out critical information when trying to explain this.

All in all.... I really would need my head checked to want to do this
again.

Take Car

 

I would have called it a Universal Joint. But now that I know what you were talking about I suppose it could be described exactly as you did. I've never changed one out, so I didn't even assume they were very hard to get apart.

 

Let me express my opinion.
Use of hammer causes hidden damage that shows up later (saw that on the ball joints)
Most Toyota suspension parts are tough but not hard on the surface, so the hammer blows can leave dents and deform the parts; I see that quite often on the wrecking Yards where sledge is used as a "suspension separation tool". I would rather use puller for jobs like that.