Inspection
1. Jack up the vehicle and place it securely on axle stands.
2. Firmly grasp each of the front wheels top and bottom, then front and rear, and check for no or play in the steering gear by rocking the wheel back and forth. There should be no play in the drive hinges, only a very small one is allowed. Inspect the pitman arm, swing arm, middle tie rod, inner tie rods, tie rod ends and swing arms for damage. Try to spread the parts of the steering drive apart from each other. There should be no gap between them. If any parts are bent or damaged, or if the hinges are worn, replace those parts.
Withdrawal
1. Before dismantling the steering gear, get a suitable tool to remove the ball joints. A 2-arm puller or wedge tool will do (although this tool may damage the protective covers of the hinges). It is sometimes possible to remove a pointed pivot pin from its socket by hitting the back of the socket in succession with two large hammers, but there is not always enough room for this, and the pin often gets stuck in the socket due to rust and dirt. There is also the risk of damaging the component.
2. To remove the outer tie rods, disconnect the tie rod ends from the pivot arms (see Section Removal and installation of tips of steering draughts). Give a nut of fastening of the hinge on an internal tip of each of external steering drafts to average steering draft. Using a ball joint remover, disconnect the outer tie rods from the middle link. If you are replacing a pivot at one end of the outer tie rods, mark the threads with paint to re-install them in the same position when reassembling.
3. To remove the middle tie rod, loosen the nuts securing the middle link pivots to the pitman arm and swingarm, and use the ball joint remover to remove the pivots from both arms.
4. To remove the bipod, you will first have to remove the steering gear (see Section Removal and installation of the steering mechanism). Look for the alignment marks of the shaft with the bipod. If there are none, apply them to the bottom of both parts. Give a coupling bolt and a nut of a steering bipod, then by means of a puller remove a bipod.
5. To remove the swingarm, first remove the small cover bolted to the top of the subframe cross member. Install a wrench on the bolt and give the nut recessed into the bottom of the cross beam. Check if the rubber bushing of the pendulum arm is worn out. If it is worn or damaged, replace it.
6. Check each hinge for excessive play, sticking during operation, and damage to the dust rubber boot. Replace any damaged or worn joints. The inner and outer outer tie rod ends can be replaced separately; If any of the middle link joints is damaged or worn, the entire middle link must be replaced.
Installation
Install in reverse order, remembering the following:
1. Align the marks on the steering arm and steering shaft when assembling.
2. If you are replacing the inner and outer tie rod ends, install them so that the previously marked marks line up and make sure they are the same length on both sides.
3. Install the tie rod pins on the outer links at a 90°angle to each other.
4. Make sure that after installation, the lengths of the right and left outer tie rods are equal.
5. Tighten all mounting bolts to the correct torque.
6. Upon completion of the assembly of the steering drive, check the angles of the front wheels and, if necessary, adjust them.