98 txt steering pops and no turning

[Bowslayer]

Put down the rubber hammer and get a ball pein hammer. Might take several blows but has never failed for me. I just screw the castle nut off until its even with the end and hit it. Try to hit it squarely so you don't mess up your nut but it should pop out after a few hits.

[10ecman]

If you remove the tie rod ends from the wheels fold the up and remove the steering housing then you could remove the idler arm with the hammer and tie rod remover.Other than that you could heat up the idler arm a little and use the tie rod fork and it should come right off.

[camaroluvz28]

Take a hammer and instead of hitting the castle nut of tie rod end hit the corner of the metal frame the tie rods are going through with a good whack...it always jars them loose for me...

[brian45011]

Thanks for the suggestions. It's in there tightly and I can't seem to break it loose. I've trid both a ball peen and 8" sledge hammer and have given it some fairly stout licks. I've also hit hard in various places the idler arm the ball joint goes throuigh. I've even tried using a large C-clamp my father-in-law had in his welding equipment, with one end of the C immediately above the ball joint on the steel bracket the steering assembly housing is attached to and the other end on threaded end of the ball joing but it looked like the steel was starting to bend. I've also tried removing the idler arm but there is not enough clearance to get the threaded part through the steering assembly.

I haven't tried heating as I'm not sure where to apply the heat and don't understand why that wouldn't just make the metal expand and hence removal more difficult. (The only thing I have for heating is a small butane torch for brazing.) Any more details about this suggestion would be appreciated.

I hate to remove the whole steering assembly housing since, as I read the repair manual, that means removing the steering wheel and shaft as well.

If I ever get the rack out, do I also have to replace the pinion? or does that just depend on if the pinion is damaged. What parts are included with the steering rack repair kit and how much is it?

Thanks

[brian45011]

Never mind. It came out. I guess I just wasn't hitting it hard enough.

[10ecman]

Yes you have to remove the shaft and steering wheel but I would recommend replacing the pinion gear any way since its hard to tell how much wear it has on it.What I didlast week was remove the ball joints from the steering frame both wheels turn the wheel all the way to the right and used my ball joint separater with my 16oz hammer and i t came off with three hits.Make sure to turn the passenger side tire is folded in toward the drivers seat.The first timme I heated the idler arm since it had more surface area and it did expand to allow the ball joint to come out pretty easily.

[brian45011]

The hose clamp that holds the rack bellows to the steering housing is turned up behind the housing so I can't get to the slotted end on the screw that loosens the clamp. I've taken the rubber flooring out but can't figure out how to the rivet like fasteners that hold the steel floor to the frame. They have triangular "nuts" that look a little like a golf shoe soft spike but they just seem to spin when I turn them.

Looks like I may have to remove the steering shaft and drop the whole assembly which I've been trying to avoid.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[10ecman]

Sounds like you need new worm clamps any way just cut them with tin snips and remove the rack.You have removed the 9/16 blts and the spring which holds the rack in position right?It is on the steering housing right beneath the grease fitting.Without removing the spring it will be hard to remove the bellows and the rack

[yurtle]

Just remove it. It will make fixing it so much easier. I have a 1998 TXT and replaced as many parts as were easy, but it still had too much slop when free-wheeling down hill, so I ended up replacing the entire assembly.

http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...-steering.html

[brian45011]

You're right. The clamps are in good shape, just mis-positioned. I was trying to save the bellows but I guess I'll just hack through the band on the worm clamp. It's too tight and no clearance to snip it, but I have a Ryobi rotary tool that should get through the band eventually.

I tried removing the steering wheel but could not get it to budge. It's slightly different from the one in the manual I have since both the clip board and the hub are screwed into the steering wheel rather than press fitting.

Yes, the first thing the manual told be to do was loosen the 9/16 ths bolts to relieve the tensioner.

How easy was it for you to get the steering wheel off? The manual says loosen the nut and put a plastic hammer on it and hit the plastic hammer with a ball peen hammer while applying upward pressure. My wife was pushing up on the steering wheel while I whacked the rubber mallet with the small sledge hammer but it did not release.

Does this site have a price list for EZ GO parts?