Meatguy87

I'm working on restoring my 87 300zx
my steering colum is fine and my rack and pinion bar seems to be in good shape, but the wheels will not turn or even budge when i turn the wheel. Even with the streering colum unlatched from the steering box, i still can't turn the tires by hand.
I am assuming that there's a problem with the box.
Does anyone know how to remove this part so i can look at it, or replace it; or if you know of a solution for the problem, can you help me out?

mike88se

Not to insult your intelligence but did you turn the key to unlock the steering column?
You say you can't turn the wheels by hand. Are the tires in contact with the ground?
I'm not sure what you mean by steering box. The rack is pretty much all one unit. You can get a rebuild kit but it's best to just buy a new rack. Have you checked the steering knuckles and tie rod ends? I've been driving z31's for almost 10 years and earlier z models before that and I've never seen this. In the pic below, is the part just below the u-joint what you mean by steering box?

Meatguy87

its lifted off the ground on my jack stands
steering column in unlocked

my apologies...the steering box is - like you said - one unit, the rack and pinion, i know that

i need to replace the passenger side tie rod anyway - would it be best and easiest to just buy a new rack and pinion with two tie rod ends and replace its all?

mike88se

No apology necessary, I just wasn't sure what you were talking about with the box. Usually a rack comes with inner tie rods and you buy the outer rods separately. Loosen the motor mounts and jack the engine up and it shouldn't be too bad. Flush all the old fluid and replace w/ ATF.
This might come in handy.
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Meatguy87

wow, thanks, that'll help out a ton

i'll save this and look it over tonight, i finally got it up on jack stands last night, so this weekend i'll look it over and see what i can come up with
im pretty sure i just need to replace the whole rack and pinion bar AND tie rod ends

when i got it the passenger side tie rod end was broke in the middle - so i had a buddy get a two piece pipe around it and welded it together just to hold it so i can tow it till i replace that
i haven't driven on it, and won't drive on it, till i atleast get that tie rod end replaced

mike88se

Post up when you find out something. Like I said I've never seen a problem like this and I'm curious about it. And that broken tie rod is odd too.

slydnz31

somebody must have hit one hell of a pot hole to snap the outer tie rod end in half.

mike88se

If he didn't have his location posted I would have sworn he lived in Houston

Meatguy87

lol, no im in florida - and the tie rod is broken from the previous owner towning it himself to my house - the tow rope wasn't put on the tow loops - just around the rack and pinion - and when it was stopped it shifted to the side by the tire and when he hit the gas to go - the rope just snapped the tie rod

i haven't had time to take off the rack and pinion, but someone on another forum told me that if it has been messed with or tried to fix or somethin before - its very possible that dirt, water, and just crap could get into the steering box of the rack and pinion and gunk it up so the steering won't work at all - so im just going to buy a new one with two tie rod ends for about 140 i found online still in the box, that will replace the whole steering problem and that way i can move on to the little stuff i need to get done to it

i i got some pics up in my album on here if you wanna see it now - i'll get more of the part to show you as well, and i'll keep it updated when i get somethin done

mike88se

Cool, followups are always nice. Looks like a great project.