Part 2 of how to replace the steering gear in the Acadia, Traverse, Enclave, Outlook for the home shadetree mechanic. Please click 'Like' if you find this video helpful!
Excellent videos; thank you. I watched them before I changed my wife's 2009 Outlook this past weekend. My rear-bank cat to header bolts were seized, but I was able to drop the y-pipe from the cat. I was then able to slide the rack out after removing the left bracket for the stab bar, then rolling the rack forward (ccw when viewed from driver's side) as I pulled it out.
It is AWD. I had to drop the prop shaft, but I was able to work the rack out without removing the cat. It was not easy and I had to remove the stab bar.
umwolverine1994 looks like it will be a bitch but I refuse to pay the dealer like 1500. I think I can get mine out too with only dropping the y pipe and removing the stab bar. I'd rather do that then take out the cat... That looks nightmarish . If one of those header bolts break looks impossible to drill out. Thx
bravo ! gracias .. for being one of first to tackle this job and show it on you tube , got a 2011 traverse leaking some oil at boots, maybe looking at replacing in the future, thanks again
Excellent video. I watched it multiple times to make sure I had it before I changed the steering gear out in the wife's 09 Outlook. For those that are changing the power steering pump also; do it while the subframe is lowered. I removed it while it was lowered but installed it while it was raised back in place. I didn't realize how much room it made. I've subscribed to your channel to watch your other lambda repairs. Thanks for the videos.
Glad you like it! Hope it helps your project. Good luck. Come back to my channel soon - I should have a few more Enclave videos posted in the next few weeks.
Chris Bruno OK I have a couple quick questions. 1) is it absolutely necessary to remove the catalytic converter??? 2) did you upgrade to the Dexron 6?? or keep it at Dexron 4???
Brice Young I believe you are going to find it pretty difficult to get it out without pulling the cat out. However, removing it was not very difficult at all - especially if you first remove the 3 heat shields. Surprisingly, even up here in New England, the bolts were not seized. Good Luck! (Please click on the "Like" Button if this video helps you out!)
+Chris Bruno Our 2008 steering rack is going out now too. I just noticed this comment that you used Dextron VI in the power steering system. Alldata shows this: When adding fluid or making a complete fluid change, always use a power steering fluid meeting GM Spec. No. 9985010 or equivalent. I used this 9985010 fluid instead of Dextron VI in ours after I rebuilt the transmission, etc. I wonder if this is an error on alldata and my use of this fluid caused our rack to go bad. Symptoms: More effort is required to steer the car at low speeds and a clunk when changing steering directions while engine is idling.
no need to touch catalytic...drop the framw driver side all d way ..remove driver side sway bar mount..adjust the rear rack ear and it will slide out..dont forget to support d car from transfer case
You don't need to remove the exhaust to get the rack out. Undo the sway bar mounting bolts and slide it back it will give you a extra few inches which is just enough to get the rack out.
i need help please. i notice the rack and pinion braket holes dont line up with cradle anyone know whats the problem. i put both of the very long bolts in close to the steering shaft. but the ones one the passenger side the two little bold dont line up with car bracket. thank you
I had the same problem. I loosened up the driver's side bolts which allowed me to rotate the shaft enough to line the holes up on the passenger's side.
take the lines that are on the rack off, not the pressure and return but the other short metal ones integeral to the rack and you can sneak it out with out dropping exhaust, drive shaft or subframe .You just gotta lower the back of the subframe leaving the front bolts in but loose
Going to attempt this on an '09. Video is first rate. Sincere thanks. With a lot these newer cars so complicated, I think I have discovered why there is war in the world. (hahaha) Want a fun vehicle comparison? Look up under the hood of a Citroen 2VC. After you stop laughing, time to get back to the real world. Videos like this are lifesavers. Dear Santa...All I want for Christmas is a large garage and a smooth, flat floor...and a whole lot of money to pay someone else to do this! (Good thing I never got rid of the horse.)
is that connector for assisted driving ? not fuel injection ? i still trying to figure out if my acadia 09 fwd slt had assisted steering don’t want to buy the wrong rack did the new one you buy have the same connection in that you unplugged? do you have assisted steering ?
Chris, since you installed a new steering gear, how did you center it? I don't think they are centered from the factory when you buy a replacement. After you connect the steering shaft, did you turn the steering wheel from lock-to-lock to make sure the rack was centered? I realize you don't want to lose the zero position of the steering angle sensor. Thank you.
If you watch Video #1 - you'll see that I centered the steering wheel and locked the steering wheel in place before detatching the old steering gear. For the new steering gear, when it was still out of the car on the floor, I manually turned the input shaft to both ends, counted the revolutions and then centered it. Then, when I put it in the car, I adjusted it to the closest position to line up with the already-centered steering wheel.
at 8:40 in the video, you pulled that metal connector lock out, you can actual just push those in and you'll be able to pull the connector. Food for thought for the future. Also, AWD or 2WD, you would be able to work the rack out without pulling the cat. My question is, after completion, did you have any issues with the steering angle sensors and have any DTC lights on?
Thanks for the tips! Though I have to admit, it seems like it would be tough to get access without removing the cat. If I ever have to do this again, I'll give it a shot. To answer your question, though, no - I didn't have any issues with the steering angle sensors or have any DTCs set.
Hi Chris, I am in the process of putting everything back together after replacing the rack and pump. I am having a tough time getting the intermediate shaft back onto the new rack. Did you need to spread the tangs to get it back together, or were you able to slip the coupler onto the steering rack shaft? thanks, tom
Considering tackling this job...But I have a question: how much clearance do you need around the vehicle, (assuming drivers side) to pull the rack out once it’s loose? I have a 1 car garage that is fairly tight.... don’t want to tear it all apart only thing find I can’t get the damn thing out in my garage!
I ended up pulling the complete engine cradle to change the timing chains after this video was taken, so I never made a video of changing the power steering pump while the engine was still in the car. I will try to get the video it being changed posted this week, even though it's out of the car.
really nice video Chris. my wife's 11 acadia rack/pinion is leaking. my question is if I convert to Dexron 6 after replacing the rack& pinion would I have to change hoses as well? did you change your hoses when you converted to ATF?
Chris Bruno how about the pump should I change it too if I use ATF? It's not giving me any problems so far. If it does down the road I'll let the dealer change it. That's my plan any way. Thx for the help!
+joedmac78 If your rack is only leaking, then you may be OK not replacing the pump. But, if there is any clunking or notchiness in the rack, then I would definitely replace the pump. Good luck!
Years ago I bought the electronic manual on Ebay. I believe you can get subscriptions for the latest models that include the full service manual through alldata.com for not too much money.
I have 2010 enclave, do you think 2013 or 2014 rack and pinion is compatible ? I read that since 2012 models , GM updated the internal parts of than rack and pinion.
Hi Chris, it looks like a great video. Im about to embark on this swap out with a 2011 Traverse. Im assuming the setup is all the same. Im curious about this problem falling under GMs special coverage, as noted below. Do you know anything about this. The car has about 110k miles. Any help is appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Hi Tom, if your problem is the ps pump, then it should be covered. I'd suggest taking it to your dealer with the special coverage sheet printed out and seeing what they say. Good luck!
I have not had to deal with it, but it sounds like an issue with your steering wheel position sensor. I believe that if you did not have the rack centered (or, at least in the same position as the rack you pulled out) then the car will sense the car tracking straight but the steering wheel angle offset and it will trigger the abs and stabilitrac lights.
Thanks for the video! The procedure I got from Alldata (for my wife's 2012 Enclave) says to replace all four of the front frame mounting bolts once you remove (or loosen) them. It appears that when you re-install them you have to torque them to yield. Did you replace yours? Also, I have a part number I found on the web (11609932). Any idea if that's correct?
+Jamie Blair Hi Jamie, I did not replace them and have not noticed any issues. However, according to GM Parts Direct, it looks like you need 11609933 (2X Front bolts) and 11609932 (2X Rear bolts). Good luck!
hello, do I have to remove everything you removed on your vehicle mine is a front wheel drive doesn't have rear drive line and the catalytic converter is out of the way seems like 09 ACADIA slt
+Eddy Vasquez Hi Eddy, I haven't crawled around under a 2WD model, so I couldn't say for sure, but I think you may still need to remove the Y-pipe for access to the mounting bolts. You can try it without removing the Y-pipe first, I suppose. Obviously, you shouldn't need to remove anything related to the rear drivetrain. Good luck!
+lorenzo cepeda The rack was very clunky and required significant effort to turn. I knew that the power steering pump needed to be replaced, but I didn't want to learn later that a brand new PS pump got ruined because of debris that might have been inside of a failed rack. So, considering the reports of other owners with similar problems and what was ultimately done to fix those, I decided to replace both the rack and the pump at the same time.
Nice job, just wondering why you didn't have the dealer make the repairs. The enclave power steering pump and gear is covered up to 150,000 miles or 10 years regardless of owner. It's special coverage 14329a. My 2008 is at the dealership now, no charge to me. Here's the link www.askatech.com/AskATechLive/forums/ResourceHandler.ashx?a=10564
+Shawn Kelly Hi Shawn, if you notice when GM published that special coverage (Dec 2014) and when I posted this video (July 2014), you'll notice that I had to repair my car before GM decided to cover the power steering pump. I did send GM the receipts for the parts and they covered the PS pump cost, but nothing else, which was a bit annoying.
GM TSB regarding power steering rack and pump: Loss of power assist and service procedures - static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2014/SB-10056459-3388.pdf Stay gold.
I would JUNK it!!!! TRASH cars. Top 10 trash motors. Everything about these models SUCK. NOT WORTH ANY EFFORT. IF SOMEONE GAVE ME ONE OF JUNK IT. FLAT OUT!
P.S.- This reminds me...ever wonder why machinery is always named after the female gender...? Well, here's why. They're high maintenance, cost lots of money to keep, usually make annoying noises, never really get fixed and if you really need one, they're hard to get rid of. As they say, "Marriage is grand; divorce is ten grand!" I think I'm going to rename my car "Butch".
Excellent videos; thank you. I watched them before I changed my wife's 2009 Outlook this past weekend. My rear-bank cat to header bolts were seized, but I was able to drop the y-pipe from the cat. I was then able to slide the rack out after removing the left bracket for the stab bar, then rolling the rack forward (ccw when viewed from driver's side) as I pulled it out.
is your wife's car 4wd? my wife's Acadia is 2wd and I'm thinking if I'll have to take off the cat converters
It is AWD. I had to drop the prop shaft, but I was able to work the rack out without removing the cat. It was not easy and I had to remove the stab bar.
umwolverine1994 looks like it will be a bitch but I refuse to pay the dealer like 1500. I think I can get mine out too with only dropping the y pipe and removing the stab bar. I'd rather do that then take out the cat... That looks nightmarish . If one of those header bolts break looks impossible to drill out. Thx
bravo ! gracias .. for being one of first to tackle this job and show it on you tube , got a 2011 traverse leaking some oil at boots, maybe looking at replacing in the future, thanks again
J v same here. How did it go?
Excellent video. I watched it multiple times to make sure I had it before I changed the steering gear out in the wife's 09 Outlook. For those that are changing the power steering pump also; do it while the subframe is lowered. I removed it while it was lowered but installed it while it was raised back in place. I didn't realize how much room it made. I've subscribed to your channel to watch your other lambda repairs. Thanks for the videos.
Gregory Penrod I'm glad it helped Gregory!
I am planning on doing this on my wife's 2010 in a few weeks. I really appreciate your video. First once I have found yet.
Glad you like it! Hope it helps your project. Good luck. Come back to my channel soon - I should have a few more Enclave videos posted in the next few weeks.
Chris Bruno OK I have a couple quick questions. 1) is it absolutely necessary to remove the catalytic converter??? 2) did you upgrade to the Dexron 6?? or keep it at Dexron 4???
Brice Young
I believe you are going to find it pretty difficult to get it out without pulling the cat out. However, removing it was not very difficult at all - especially if you first remove the 3 heat shields. Surprisingly, even up here in New England, the bolts were not seized. Good Luck! (Please click on the "Like" Button if this video helps you out!)
Brice Young
Sorry - I just realized I never answered the question about fluid. I switched to Dexron VI.
+Chris Bruno Our 2008 steering rack is going out now too. I just noticed this comment that you used Dextron VI in the power steering system. Alldata shows this: When adding fluid or making a complete fluid change, always use a power steering fluid meeting GM Spec. No. 9985010 or equivalent. I used this 9985010 fluid instead of Dextron VI in ours after I rebuilt the transmission, etc. I wonder if this is an error on alldata and my use of this fluid caused our rack to go bad. Symptoms: More effort is required to steer the car at low speeds and a clunk when changing steering directions while engine is idling.
great
no need to touch catalytic...drop the framw driver side all d way ..remove driver side sway bar mount..adjust the rear rack ear and it will slide out..dont forget to support d car from transfer case
Did you have to take put any of the exhaust?
You don't need to remove the exhaust to get the rack out. Undo the sway bar mounting bolts and slide it back it will give you a extra few inches which is just enough to get the rack out.
i need help please. i notice the rack and pinion braket holes dont line up with cradle anyone know whats the problem. i put both of the very long bolts in close to the steering shaft. but the ones one the passenger side the two little bold dont line up with car bracket. thank you
I had the same problem. I loosened up the driver's side bolts which allowed me to rotate the shaft enough to line the holes up on the passenger's side.
take the lines that are on the rack off, not the pressure and return but the other short metal ones integeral to the rack and you can sneak it out with out dropping exhaust, drive shaft or subframe .You just gotta lower the back of the subframe leaving the front bolts in but loose
Going to attempt this on an '09. Video is first rate. Sincere thanks. With a lot these newer cars so complicated, I think I have discovered why there is war in the world. (hahaha) Want a fun vehicle comparison? Look up under the hood of a Citroen 2VC. After you stop laughing, time to get back to the real world. Videos like this are lifesavers. Dear Santa...All I want for Christmas is a large garage and a smooth, flat floor...and a whole lot of money to pay someone else to do this! (Good thing I never got rid of the horse.)
Great video think im going to be doing this for my brother next weekend I just did the steering pump and it’s quite now but still doesn’t work right
is that connector for assisted driving ? not fuel injection ? i still trying to figure out if my acadia 09 fwd slt had assisted steering don’t want to buy the wrong rack did the new one you buy have the same connection in that you unplugged? do you have assisted steering ?
I ordered through RockAuto and the connectors were the same. If you are unsure, I suggest ordering from a dealer and give them your VIN.
Thank you for share your knowledge this video helps me a lot. Do you know the torque spec for the subframe bolts?
Chris Bruno where is the video on taking out the power steering pump on the Buick Enclave?
thanks for the video
nice supermoto in the back, husq SMR 510/610?
Aprilia SXV 550 :-)
Chris, since you installed a new steering gear, how did you center it? I don't think they are centered from the factory when you buy a replacement. After you connect the steering shaft, did you turn the steering wheel from lock-to-lock to make sure the rack was centered? I realize you don't want to lose the zero position of the steering angle sensor. Thank you.
If you watch Video #1 - you'll see that I centered the steering wheel and locked the steering wheel in place before detatching the old steering gear. For the new steering gear, when it was still out of the car on the floor, I manually turned the input shaft to both ends, counted the revolutions and then centered it. Then, when I put it in the car, I adjusted it to the closest position to line up with the already-centered steering wheel.
at 8:40 in the video, you pulled that metal connector lock out, you can actual just push those in and you'll be able to pull the connector. Food for thought for the future. Also, AWD or 2WD, you would be able to work the rack out without pulling the cat. My question is, after completion, did you have any issues with the steering angle sensors and have any DTC lights on?
Thanks for the tips! Though I have to admit, it seems like it would be tough to get access without removing the cat. If I ever have to do this again, I'll give it a shot. To answer your question, though, no - I didn't have any issues with the steering angle sensors or have any DTCs set.
I did mine on an Acadia and spun it and went out the side by the tire. No removal of exhaust at all.
@@sandyann9976did you lower the frame ? gotta do mine it’s making a clunking noise
In the beginning, you mentioned trying to track down a rattle in the front, did the sway bar end links fix the problem?
It's been a while, but as I recall, they did.
Hi Chris,
I am in the process of putting everything back together after replacing the rack and pump. I am having a tough time getting the intermediate shaft back onto the new rack. Did you need to spread the tangs to get it back together, or were you able to slip the coupler onto the steering rack shaft?
thanks,
tom
Considering tackling this job...But I have a question: how much clearance do you need around the vehicle, (assuming drivers side) to pull the rack out once it’s loose? I have a 1 car garage that is fairly tight.... don’t want to tear it all apart only thing find I can’t get the damn thing out in my garage!
Hi Eric, that's a good question.. My guess is you'd probably need 2.5' or so. Good luck!
I didn't remove the rear cat either. wish I had tried not removing the exhaust. broke 2 bolts. been drilling for 45 minutes so far
Where is the power steering pump video please?
I ended up pulling the complete engine cradle to change the timing chains after this video was taken, so I never made a video of changing the power steering pump while the engine was still in the car. I will try to get the video it being changed posted this week, even though it's out of the car.
Ann Gonzalez you going to have fun taking out the ps pump 🤣 it’s not hard after the first couple times doing it
really nice video Chris. my wife's 11 acadia rack/pinion is leaking. my question is if I convert to Dexron 6 after replacing the rack& pinion would I have to change hoses as well? did you change your hoses when you converted to ATF?
No, you don't need to change out the hoses.
Chris Bruno how about the pump should I change it too if I use ATF? It's not giving me any problems so far. If it does down the road I'll let the dealer change it. That's my plan any way. Thx for the help!
+joedmac78 If your rack is only leaking, then you may be OK not replacing the pump. But, if there is any clunking or notchiness in the rack, then I would definitely replace the pump. Good luck!
Chris Bruno thx the vid really does help.
So where did you find the service manual?Nice video by the way...
Years ago I bought the electronic manual on Ebay. I believe you can get subscriptions for the latest models that include the full service manual through alldata.com for not too much money.
I have 2010 enclave, do you think 2013 or 2014 rack and pinion is compatible ? I read that since 2012 models , GM updated the internal parts of than rack and pinion.
Hi Chris, it looks like a great video. Im about to embark on this swap out with a 2011 Traverse. Im assuming the setup is all the same. Im curious about this problem falling under GMs special coverage, as noted below. Do you know anything about this. The car has about 110k miles. Any help is appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Hi Tom, if your problem is the ps pump, then it should be covered. I'd suggest taking it to your dealer with the special coverage sheet printed out and seeing what they say. Good luck!
If the abs and stabilitrac lights come on after replacing the steering Geer assembly how do I remedy this problem?
I have not had to deal with it, but it sounds like an issue with your steering wheel position sensor. I believe that if you did not have the rack centered (or, at least in the same position as the rack you pulled out) then the car will sense the car tracking straight but the steering wheel angle offset and it will trigger the abs and stabilitrac lights.
Where did you get the printed instructions?
The GM service manual. You can now get a subscription online through Alldata I believe.
Thanks for the video! The procedure I got from Alldata (for my wife's 2012 Enclave) says to replace all four of the front frame mounting bolts once you remove (or loosen) them. It appears that when you re-install them you have to torque them to yield. Did you replace yours? Also, I have a part number I found on the web (11609932). Any idea if that's correct?
+Jamie Blair Hi Jamie, I did not replace them and have not noticed any issues. However, according to GM Parts Direct, it looks like you need 11609933 (2X Front bolts) and 11609932 (2X Rear bolts). Good luck!
hello, do I have to remove everything you removed on your vehicle mine is a front wheel drive doesn't have rear drive line and the catalytic converter is out of the way seems like 09 ACADIA slt
+Eddy Vasquez Hi Eddy, I haven't crawled around under a 2WD model, so I couldn't say for sure, but I think you may still need to remove the Y-pipe for access to the mounting bolts. You can try it without removing the Y-pipe first, I suppose. Obviously, you shouldn't need to remove anything related to the rear drivetrain. Good luck!
what problems were you having with the steering rack that made you buy a new one?
+lorenzo cepeda The rack was very clunky and required significant effort to turn. I knew that the power steering pump needed to be replaced, but I didn't want to learn later that a brand new PS pump got ruined because of debris that might have been inside of a failed rack. So, considering the reports of other owners with similar problems and what was ultimately done to fix those, I decided to replace both the rack and the pump at the same time.
+Chris Bruno thank you
Nice job, just wondering why you didn't have the dealer make the repairs. The enclave power steering pump and gear is covered up to 150,000 miles or 10 years regardless of owner. It's special coverage 14329a. My 2008 is at the dealership now, no charge to me. Here's the link www.askatech.com/AskATechLive/forums/ResourceHandler.ashx?a=10564
+Shawn Kelly Hi Shawn, if you notice when GM published that special coverage (Dec 2014) and when I posted this video (July 2014), you'll notice that I had to repair my car before GM decided to cover the power steering pump. I did send GM the receipts for the parts and they covered the PS pump cost, but nothing else, which was a bit annoying.
did they pay for the rack and pinion? plus the pump? I don't think they'll pay for the rack of its leaking
joedmac78 GM only reimbursed me for the pump.
GM TSB regarding power steering rack and pump: Loss of power assist and service procedures -
static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2014/SB-10056459-3388.pdf
Stay gold.
I would JUNK it!!!! TRASH cars. Top 10 trash motors. Everything about these models SUCK. NOT WORTH ANY EFFORT. IF SOMEONE GAVE ME ONE OF JUNK IT. FLAT OUT!
P.S.- This reminds me...ever wonder why machinery is always named after the female gender...? Well, here's why. They're high maintenance, cost lots of money to keep, usually make annoying noises, never really get fixed and if you really need one, they're hard to get rid of. As they say, "Marriage is grand; divorce is ten grand!" I think I'm going to rename my car "Butch".