How do you replace the steering rack bushings on a 1997 Dodge Intrepid?

Answer 1

The bushings that go bad are the ones that hold the inner tie rod ends onto the rack. They are difficult to change. Chrysler has a kit to install that includes the bushings, spacers and bolts along with lock tabs that you fold over. you must remove the air box and air tube from the throttle bodies for better access on the V6 applications. You also need to jack the car up in front for access through the fender wells where the tie rods go through from the rack to the steering knuckles. Turning the steering wheel to move the rack position is necessary as you do one side at a time. This is not a job for someone inexperienced! You will need to have an alignment done afterward. Pay attention to the bolt torque spec as listed in the instructions, and make sure that the thrust washer/spacers are correctly installed between the inner tie rod and the rack! 8/3/2009 - The answer previously given was not for the steering rack bushings, but instead for the inner tie rod end bushings. If that's what you really meant, then this answer is good. If you were actually asking about the steering rack bushings, there are 4 of them. The two on the passenger side of the car are much easier to replace than the two on the drivers side. They are pressed into a plate that then Sandwiches the end of the steering gear with a piece of rubber between them. BE VERY CAREFUL when you take those out that you don't pry up on the steering gear. This can cause the unit to crack and require replacement. Instead, loosen the two bolts on the driver's side to allow the steering gear to move more freely and the plate should come out without much effort. If you don't have the equipment, a local repair shop should be able to press new bushings in for a minimal fee (if not free.) The other two bushings require that the entire unit be pulled to have new bushings pressed in. With the price of the bushings not being too much less than a remanufactured steering gear with new bushings already installed, I opted to just replace the whole thing. There are also some other bushings that you should check out while you're working on the car, such as the engine cradle bushings. Three out of four of mine were completely disintegrated and the car made horrible rattling sounds. There's the infamous inner tie rod bushings mentioned above. With some patience, they're not a terrible job but certainly not a pleasant one. You'll get pretty good at it after a while, as they tend to go bad every 2-3 years. Why they were so interested in poor quality bushings is beyond me, unless it was one of those "planned obsolescense" things.