R33 GTST Steering Rack (49001-19U05) Rebuild?

[Gantai]

Hey everyone,

Wanted to pick some brains about this issue I'm having with rebuilding my 33 rack (PN is 49001-19U05). All of the tutorials/videos I've seen online are either R34 or S Chassis racks which seem to be pretty straightforward to disassemble but this process doesnt carry over to my rack.

Few of the key differences that I've noted

The pinion shaft on the other racks bolt on with 3 torx bolts:

Whereas my rack bolts on with 2 allen head bolts:

These changes are pretty inconsequential but the main difference is how you pull the actual rack out of the housing. The other skyline/s chassis racks can be taken out by tapping the rack out of the body with a socket and it just slides right out. I'm unable to do that with my rack because there's a hard stop at the end that doesn't let the seal/shaft be tapped out.

Can also see a difference in the other end of the rack where mine has a notch that looks like you're able to use a big wrench to unthread 2 halves of the rack whereas the other racks are just kinda set in with a punch.

My rack:

Other racks:

TLDR; Wanted to know if anyone has rebuilt this specific model of steering rack for the R33 and if there were any steps to getting it done easier or if I should just give this to a professional to get done.

Sorry if this post is a bit messy, first one I've done.

[Gantai]

Forgot to include this but this is the mid section of my steering rack that looks like it has a thread/can be turned with that notch mentioned in the post:

[GTSBoy]

I've never played with one, but I would expect that you are correct. That slot looks like it is intended to be used to unscrew the end, and the flats on the body would be better than grabbing it around the round bit with a pipe wrench. So, yeah, probably unscrews. You'll probably have to make a tool to drive in that slot.

[Gantai]

I've been doing some looking around and honestly was just considering throwing a new rack at it. I saw that the dmax silvia rack bolts up into the 33 with the silvia bushings but not sure if the high pressure lines will sit in the correct spot. I believe other version of the 33 rack are the same/similar to the racks that can be opened up without as much fuss so I assume the dmax rack would fit but any ideas?

[GTSBoy]

I'd say it's a fair bet that the feed and return fluid lines will be in different enough spots that you would need to come up with a way to cut the originals short and adapt with new hard line adaption or braided teflon hoses or somesuch.

But really, you have the car, you have the photos of the DMAX rack - you should be able to go out there and see for yourself whether they're in the same or different spots.

[Gantai]

Hmm yeah that is a good point. It looks like it'll just bolt in with no real issue besides maybe the bushings being different. My other concern was that 2 pin plug that I assume is used in some way to control the rack solenoid depending on the speed signal from the ecu. The DMAX rack doesn't even have that plug though so, don't think it'll matter. Might just order the rack and see how it goes.

Will update this when I figure something out

[GTSBoy]

I hadn't thought about the variable power steering assist. Presumably, it will always be the same level of assist as you get in an S14.

The R32/3/4 are either helliishly heavy (at low speeds) if the solenoid is not powered at all, or hellishly too light (at high speed) if it is powered all the time. I presume that it is PWM controlled on those cars. I hadn't thought about the S cars not having variable assist. ugh. What crappy plebby cars they must be!

 

[hardsteppa]

Do you have the workshop Manuel? Sorry that's a Spanish waiter...I mean, manual?

Some relevant pages>

[hardsteppa]

Note, the aluminium bit that screws in the end that you have to remove to dismantle the rack is single use as it's punch-marked, it will strip when you unscrew it, and then you have to flatten the notch in the steel rack body, screw in a new aluminium end when rebuilding, then punch-mark it again once assembled. it is also 'somewhat tricky' to refit the rack>steering wheel linkage gear as it needs to be set to the right preloads etc. A rebuild is probably something that's better just given to a steering shop for a couple of hundred, unless you're mad-keen to do it yourself. 

[Gantai]

I had no idea where to find the workshop manuals so no I hadn't seen it until now. Taking a look at it though, the rack in that diagram looks like the one that I don't have so I can't just pop it out with a mallet or something.

I've kinda given up on the rebuilt at this point to be honest, just waiting for the dmax rack to arrive so I can get it to fit and be driving around again. Appreciate the input  Also I ignored all the advice I saw about that punch mark on the nut at the end and absolutely stripped the hell out of that nut lol

[Gantai]

Finally have an update on this  Rack came in this week so I did a test fit. You do need the S chassis bushings since the rack is 5mm thinner than the R33 rack. The main issue I foresaw and ran into was one of the hardlines not lining up properly with there it's meant to on the rack.

After some gentle coercing and bending very slightly, I managed to get it to fit without any kinks and keeping the hardline pretty much in all of the factory mounting positions. I did have to unbolt all of the soft mounts to move the line around so I could snake it out and bend it safely but it looks good to me for now. I'll update when the rack is fully bolted in and functioning.

 

[Duncan]

Great update!