U-Joint Assembly

Removal

1. Remove the nut from the U-joint assembly bolt.

2. Push the bolt completely out of the assembly.

3. Remove two nuts retaining flexible coupling to flange on steering gear input shaft. Disengage safety strap and bolt assembly from flexible coupling.

    CAUTION: Whenever lower shaft is removed, the column must be in the locked position or the shaft must be wired in a manner to prevent the steering wheel from turning and damaging the air bag contact.

4. Slide the U-joint assembly off the steering column lower steering shaft.

Installation

1. Slide the U-joint assembly into the lower steering shaft until the bolt can be passed through both the steering shaft and U-joint assembly. The bolt must be installed with bolt head against concave portion of column tube. Tighten the nut on the bolt to 53.1-71.9 Nm (39-53 lb-ft).

    CAUTION: The safety strap must be properly positioned to prevent metal-to-metal contact after the final tightening of the attaching nuts to 29.7-40.3 Nm (22-30 lb-ft). The flexible coupling must not be distorted when the attaching nuts are tightened.

2. Engage the safety strap and bolt assembly to the flexible coupling. Install the two nuts that attach the flexible coupling to the flange on the steering gear input shaft. Pry steering shaft up or down with suitable pry bar to obtain 3mm (1/8 inch) coupling insulator flatness.