OEM 2006 Ford Crown Victoria Rack And Pinion

2006 Ford Crown Victoria Rack And Pinion Parts Q&A

• Q: How to Ensure Safety When Working on the Rack and Pinion in a 2006 Ford Crown Victoria?

  A: All rack and pinion maintenance work should start with powering off the air suspension electrical system to stop unpredictable pressure changes in the air springs because they may make the vehicle move unexpectedly during service. The service switch for air suspension should be set to the off position while deactivating the fire suppression system if it applies to the vehicle. Maintain vehicular neutral while hoisting the vehicle as you apply a proper holding device to secure the straight-ahead steering wheel position. Allowing rotation of the intermediate shaft without rack and pinion connection could damage the clock spring, so inspection and re-alignment of the clock spring will be necessary in case of shaft rotation. Detach the intermediate shaft from the rack and pinion by removing the bolt inside the engine compartment, then re-tighten the bolt to 30 Nm when reinstalling. Installation requires tightness of 80 Nm (59 ft. lbs.) when securing the tie rods to their respective wheel knuckles. The procedure for disconnecting rack and pinion lines requires fresh O-ring seals since removal of the clamp plate bolt allows access to disconnect the lines; discard existing seals before tightening new ones properly to 18 Nm (13 ft. lbs). A disconnect of the variable assist electrical connector must be performed on the rack and pinion followed by removal of rack and pinion-to-crossmember nuts which need to be tightened to 103 Nm (76 ft. lbs.) during installation. Install the rack and pinion along with its studs by securing them with a torque of 20 Nm (15 ft. lbs.) when complete. Perform the reinstallation steps while checking for leaks within the system after completion. When the vehicle contains fire suppression, the system needs repowering, then the air suspension service switch can be activated if present.