Nissan PULSAR N13 Series / ASTRA LD Series. Manual - part 36

145

 

STEERING

 

PART 1.    STEERING TROUBLE SHOOTING

 

FAULTS, CAUSES AND REMEDIES

 

EXCESSIVE PLAY OR LOOSENESS IN 
STEERING GEAR

 

(1)  Tie rod end ball joint loose or worn: Tighten 

or renew the worn tie rod end ball joint. 

(2)  Steering   gear   assembly   loose   on   cross- 

member: Inspect for damage and tighten the steering 
gear mounting bolts. 

(3)  Steering gear worn: Overhaul the steering 

gear. 

 

 

(2)  Low fluid level in the power steering reser- 

voir: Check for leakage, repair and/or renew the faulty 
components. Top up the fluid level. 

(3)  Suspension worn or out of alignment: Check 

the front suspension for wear, renew the worn com- 
ponents and realign. 

(4)  Misalignment between the steering gear and 

column mountings: Check and align the steering gear 
and column mountings. 

(5)  Binding in the steering shaft universal coup- 

ling joints: Check the joints and renew if necessary. 

(6)  Ingress of dirt into the steering gear due to a 

defective boot: Clean, check and lubricate the internal 
components  of the  steering gear and  renew  the 
defective boot. 

(7)  Insufficient power steering pump pressure: 

Check the pump drive belt tension and reservoir fluid 
level. If necessary renew the pump assembly. 

NOTE: Ensure that both front tires have 
ample depth of tread and are inflated to the 
correct pressure. Check the front suspension 
components for wear before having the steer- 
ing geometry checked. See the Front Sus- 
pension section for the component checking 
procedures.

 

 

Check the tie rod ends for wear and the rubber boots 

for deterioration. 

(4)  Worn front hub bearings: Check the condi- 

tion and renew the front hub bearings. 

(5)  Worn or damaged front suspension control 

arm bushes: Renew the control arm or bushes. 

NOTE: Looseness in the steering linkage is 
best assessed with the weight of the vehicle 
on the front wheels. Have an assistant turn 
the steering wheel from left to right while the 
inspection for wear is being made. If loose- 
ness is found to be in the steering gear, it 
will be necessary to overhaul the steering 
gear assembly.

 

HEAVY STEERING

 

(1)   Low or uneven tire pressures: Check the 

tires and inflate to the recommended pressures.

 

 

Checking the steering rack boots for splits and deteri- 

oration. 

146

 

Steering — Part 1

 

 

STEERING PULLS TO ONE SIDE

 

(1)  Uneven tire wear or pressures: Check the 

condition of the tires and inflate to the recommended 
pressures. 

(2)  Incorrect front wheel alignment: Check and 

align the front end. 

(3)  Dragging brakes: Check each wheel for drag- 

ging brakes. Overhaul the brakes as necessary. 

(4)  Damaged  suspension or crossmember:  In- 

spect and renew the damaged components. 

(5)  Faulty power steering gear assembly:  Re- 

move the power steering gear for overhaul. 

FRONT WHEEL WOBBLE OR SHIMMY

 

(1)  Uneven tire wear or incorrect tire pressures; 

Check the condition of the tires and inflate to the 
recommended pressures. 

(2)  Tire or wheel imbalance: Check and balance 

as necessary 

(3)  Worn or badly adjusted hub bearings: Check 

the condition and adjust the front hub bearings. 

(4)  Faulty or worn suspension, units: Check and 

overhaul or renew as a pair. 

NOTE: Check the steering linkage as previ- 
ously described. Raise the front of the vehi- 
cle and check the adjustment of the hub 
bearings by moving the road wheel in and 
out at the top and bottom. No movement in 
the bearings should be felt. Check the sus- 
pension units as outlined in the Front Sus- 
pension section.

 

STEERING ERRATIC OR WANDERING

 

(1)  Incorrect or uneven wheel alignment setting: 

Check and adjust the steering geometry. 

(2)  Smooth front tires: Check and renew the 

tires as necessary. 

 

Checking the steering gear mounting bolts for security. 

(3)  Steering gear assembly loose on the cross- 

member: Inspect for damage and tighten the steering 
gear mounting bolts. 

(4)  Wear in the tie rod ball housing: Renew the 

worn tie rod and ball housing. 

(5)  Wear in the rack and pinion: Remove the 

steering gear assembly for overhaul. 

(6)  Loose or incorrectly adjusted hub bearings: 

Check and adjust the front hub bearings. 

FAILURE OF POWER ASSISTANCE

 

(1)  Loose or broken pump drive belt: Renew or 

adjust the pump drive belt. 

(2)  Low fluid level in the power steering reser- 

voir: Check for leakage, repair or renew the faulty 
components. Top up the fluid level. 

(3)  Insufficient power steering pump pressure: 

Check the delivery pressure,  renew the pump if 
defective. 

(4)  Faulty power steering gear assembly: Re- 

move the power steering gear assembly for overhaul. 

147

 

PART 2.    MANUAL STEERING

 

SPECIFICATIONS

 

Steering gear type ............................ Rack and pinion

 

Steering column type ...................... Energy absorbing

 

collapsible and tilt adjustable 

Steering wheel free play

 

(maximum) ...................................................... 35 mm

 

Linkage...........................Direct from rack ends to tie

 

rods and steering knuckles

 

Turns lock to lock ................................................. 3.6

 

Steering column length ..................  534.7-537.3 mm

 

Steering gear lubricant.............. Castrol EPL 1 grease

 

TORQUE WRENCH SETTINGS

 

Steering wheel retaining nut ............................ 39 Nm

 

Steering gear to bulkhead

 

mounting bolts..............................................  108 Nm

 

Tie rod to steering knuckle nut ...................... 98 Nm

 

Tie rod to tie rod end locknut ....................... 98 Nm

 

Tie rod ball housing to rack............................ 88 Nm

 

Steering column to mounting

 

bracket bolt ...................................................... 14 Nm

 

Steering column universal

 

coupling joint pinch bolts ............................... 29 Nm

 

2.    STEERING WHEEL

 

Special Equipment Required:

 

To Remove Steering Wheel - Steering wheel 
puller

 

TO REMOVE AND INSTAL

 

(1)  Disconnect the negative battery terminal. 
(2)  Using a small screwdriver, carefully prise the 

centre ornament from the steering wheel. 

 

View of the steering wheel removed from the vehicle. 

Steering wheels may vary between models. 

 

1.    DESCRIPTION

 

The steering gear is a rack and p i n i o n  type 

which is mounted on the lower section of the engine 
compartment bulkhead by rubber mountings and 
brackets.

 

The design of this assembly requires a range of 

special tools to dismantle and assemble the steering 
gear. If the steering gear is found to have a fault which 
requires overhaul of the rack and pinion, it is recom- 
mended that this be performed by an authorized work- 
shop or steering specialist.

 

However, the procedures for the removal and 

installation of the steering gear and the renewal of the 
tie rods, the tie rod ends and the rubber boots are fully 
covered in this section.

 

The rack and pinion assembly requires no lubri- 

cation during service.

 

The steering column is of the energy absorbing 

type designed to compress in the event of a severe 
front end collision. The energy absorbing units are the 
outer steering column, the tilt bracket and the steering 
shaft. All these units should be handled with extreme 
care if service operations are performed on the 
steering column assembly.

 

 

(3)  Remove the steering wheel retaining nut and 

mark the steering shaft and steering wheel hub in 
relation to each other as an aid to assembly. 

(4)  Remove the steering wheel from the steering 

shaft. 

NOTE: If the steering wheel will not sepa- 
rate from the steering shaft, loosen the horn 
pad retaining screws at the rear of the 
steering wheel and withdraw the horn pad 
after disconnecting the wire. A puller can 
now be used to pull the steering wheel from 
the steering shaft. Do not strike the end of 
the steering shaft as sharp blows can cause 
irreparable damage to the collapsible steer- 
ing shaft.

 

(5)  If necessary the steering wheel can be dis- 

mantled as shown in the illustration.

 

Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure 

with attention to the following points:

 

(1)  Apply a light coat of multipurpose grease to 

the horn slip ring and the turn signal canceling pins. 

(2)  Ensure that the marks on the steering wheel 

and steering shaft are aligned. 

(3)  Tighten the steering wheel retaining nut to 

the specified torque. 

148

 

Steering — Part 2

 

 

3.    STEERING COLUMN

 

Special Equipment Required:

 

To Remove Steering Wheel — Steering wheel 
puller

 

TO REMOVE AND INSTAL

 

(1)  Disconnect the negative battery terminal. 
(2)  Working in the engine compartment, mark 

the relationship between the steering shaft universal 
coupling joint and the steering gear pinion shaft. 

(3)  Remove the pinch bolts from the universal 

joint. 

(4)  Working inside the vehicle, remove the steer- 

ing wheel as previously described. 

(5)  Remove the steering column shroud screws, 

unclip the lower and upper covers and remove them 
from the steering column. 

(6)  Disconnect all the steering column wiring 

connectors. 

(7)  Remove the lower trim from underneath the 

steering column. 

(8)  Fold back the insulator and remove the nuts 

from the steering column floor bracket. 

(9)  Remove the nuts from the lower steering 

column bracket. 

(10)  Remove  the  bolts  from   the  tilt   bracket 

assembly. 

(11)  Maneuver the steering column from the 

vehicle. 

Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure 

with attention to the following points:

 

(1)  Measure the dimension between the lower 

bracket pin and the upper edge of the steering shaft as 
shown in the illustration.

 

If  the  dimension is not as specified, the steering 

shaft has collapsed and the steering column should be 
renewed.

 

(2)  Rotate the steering shaft in the column and 

check the shaft bearing for roughness and damage. 
Renew as necessary. 

(3)  Inspect the steering shaft universal coupling 

joints for wear and damage and renew as necessary. 

(4)  Position the steering column assembly under 

 

the dashboard ensuring that the floor bracket is 
located correctly and that the steering shaft universal 
joint is aligned with the steering gear pinion shaft 
marks.

 

(5)  Install all the steering bracket nuts and bolts 

finger tight. 

(6)  Install the universal coupling joint pinch bolts 

and tighten securely. 

(7)  Tighten all the steering column nuts and 

bolts securely. 

(8)  Test the operation of all the steering column 

controls when installation is complete. 

TO DISMANTLE

 

(1)  Remove the steering column assembly from 

the vehicle as previously described. 

(2)  Suitably mark the position of the universal 

coupling joint and remove it from the steering shaft. 

(3)  Mark the position of the rubber boot in 

relation to the floor bracket and steering column. 
Loosen the retaining bands and remove the boot and 
floor bracket from the steering column. 

(4)  Using snap ring pliers, remove the snap ring, 

plain washer and wave washer from the upper end of 
the steering shaft. 

(5)  Loosen   the  combination   switch   retaining 

screw, push the combination switch in, turn the switch 
and remove it from the steering column. 

(6)  Turn the ignition switch to the On position 

and slide the steering shaft from the column assembly. 

(7)  If necessary dismantle the tilt bracket com- 

ponents after removing the through bolts. Note the 
position of the components to aid assembly. 

(8)  To remove and install the steering lock pro- 

ceed as follows: 

(a) Remove the ignition switch retaining screw 

and carefully withdraw the switch from the steering 
lock bracket.

 

View of the steering column assembly removed from

the vehicle. Steering column length is shown as dimen-

sion A. A  -  534.7-537.3 mm. 

Dismantled view  of the  steering   lock  and   ignition 

switch assembly.