In a message dated 11/15/01 11:05:06 AM Pacific Standard Time,
smorewhisky@YAHOO.COM writes:

<< getting ready to replace my steering rack, says if you
 do not flush the power steering hydraulic system that
 the warranty would be void, since i am going to do it
 myself i would have no way to prove i had flushed the
 system anyway, so i guess my question is, is this a
 neccesary step? if so how would i go about doing it?if
 not neccesary, how do i do it anyway...has anyone
 replaced there rack themselves, and if so what kind of
 mess am i getting myself into... >>

Scott,

I replaced my rack myself. However, I installed a used rack so no warranty
hassles other than the seller telling me I can bring it back if it leaks.
Rebuilt recently by ZF so haven't had any problems since I put it in last
year (maybe two). If your system is leaking like mine was, there was need to
flush the system since everything had leaked out at this point. I would tink
that just removing the hose off the rack and pointing it into a suitable
contianere in front will drain most of the fluid out. The reservoir will be
another story. I would use a small drill powered pump to do that or take the
hose out of the bottom and point that into a suitable container. Things will
look pretty obvious once you're down there. When you refill the system, make
sure yu turn the wheels from lock to lock to get the air out of the system.
Although a proper wheel alignment is in order, you can get away with just
reorienting the steering wheel to the proper position if the gear on the rack
isn't centered after your install. Well, if I'm not making any sense, pmail
me and I will try to explain better.

BenT
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