Check Worm Preload; Loading Rack Piston Nut; Ball Return Guide - Pontiac Grand Prix Service Manual

STEERING 9 -39
Fig. 9-72 Installing Connector Using J 6217
3. Align ball return guide holes with worm groove.
Load 15 balls into the guide hole nearest Teflon piston
ring on constant ratio gears and load 17 balls on
variable ratio gears. While slowly rotating worm to
left, feed balls through the circuit. Alternate black balls
with silver balls. If balls are installed properly, worm
should turn out of rack-piston nut.
4. Fill one-half of ball return guide with remaining 7
balls. Place other guide over balls and plug each end
with heavy grease to prevent balls from falling out
when installing guides into rack-piston nut (Fig. 9-74).
5. Insert guides into guide holes of rack-piston nut.
Guides should fit loosely.
BALL RETURN GUIDE
Fig. 9-74 Ball Return Guide
6. Place return guide clamp over guides and install two
screw and lock washer assemblies and tighten to 10 Ib.
ft. torque.
CHECK WORM PRELOAD
The worm groove is ground with a high point in the
center. When the rack-piston nut passes over this high
point, a preload of 0.5-3.0 lb. in. torque should be
obtained with gears fro% Pontiac Catalina models
without air conditioning and all Tempest and Firebird
models or 1.5-4.5 lb. in. torque on all Pontiac and
Grand Prix models except Pontiac Catalina models
without air conditioning.
NOTE: DO NOT refit rack-piston balls unless a
complaint of loose steering is received. Upon such a
Fig. 9-73 Loading Rack Piston Nut
Fig. 9-75 Checking Worm Preload