Ford 8F9Z-3B676-A
Shaft Assembly, Lower

Begin the steering column shaft intermediate servicing procedure by placing the vehicle in NEUTRAL with the help of a hoist. Use either Hunter(R) 28-75-1 steering wheel holding device or an equivalent to maintain the steering wheel positioned straight ahead. The steering column opening trim panel should be removed first then the steering column shaft-to-steering column bolt needs tightening to 25 Nm (18 lb-ft) before installation finishes. The installation of the three steering column shaft boot nuts requires tightening them to 9 Nm (80 lb-in) torque. The steering column shaft-to-steering gear bolt will be tightened to 25 Nm (18 lb-ft) during reinstallation. The final step includes removing the steering column shaft before applying the reverse installation process. Steering column shaft rotation must be prevented when the intermediate shaft is disconnected because damage can occur to the Clock Spring. This requires removing and realigning the Clock Spring during such events.

The first step to work on the steering column shaft intermediate begins with placing the vehicle in NEUTRAL position on a hoist. Align the steering wheel to its center position before taking out the ignition key from the vehicle. Move on by taking off the steering column cover as well as the intermediate shaft-to-steering column bolt which needs to get tightened to 25 Nm (18 lb-ft) torque setting when reinstalling. It is necessary to keep the intermediate shaft boot bearing clamp open during boot assembly removal and installation to protect overall components. A suitable tool should open the clamp for removal from the boot while retaining it in its open state. After removing the intermediate shaft-to-steering gear bolt tighten it to 23 Nm (17 lb-ft). Put the intermediate shaft boot bearing clamp in an open position before installation to prevent boot damage from contact with its end tabs. Validate that the intermediate shaft boot bearing remains properly inside its retention groove without exposing the outer bearing race. To finish the installation reverse the previous steps of removal.