Dodge Neon / Neon SRT-4. Manual - part 300
gear ports. Replace the pressure hose used O-ring
with new. Lubricate the O-ring with power steering
fluid.
(13) Attach the power steering fluid pressure hose
to the pressure port on the power steering gear. Start
the tube nut threads into the gear, but do not tighten
them at this time. On vehicles equipped with a power
steering fluid cooler, reconnect the cooler line to the
gear in place of the power steering fluid return hose.
(14) Open the routing clips on the front of the
steering gear housing and install the power steering
fluid pressure hose into the routing clips.
(15) Place the cooler in mounting position and
snap the cooler tube going to the gear into the right
routing clip.
(16) Close both routing clips.
(17) Tighten the power steering fluid pressure
hose tube nut at the gear to a torque of 34 N·m (25
ft. lbs.).
(18) Install the two screws securing the cooler to
the front suspension crossmember. They are located
behind the cooler.
(19) Place the hose clamp on the hose far enough
from the end to clear the steel fitting on the gear. Do
the same for the fluid return hose on a vehicle that is
not equipped with a cooler.
(20) Push either hose listed in the above step onto
the steel fitting, then move and secure the clamp on
the hose past the bead on the steel fitting in the
steering gears outlet port.
(21) Route the fluid return hose along the front of
the steering gear, clipping it into place in the
C-clamps on the outside of the routing clips on the
front of the power steering gear housing.
(22) Reconnect the wiring harness connector from
the power steering fluid pressure switch (Fig. 6). Be
sure the locking tab on the wiring harness connector
is securely latched.
(23) Perform the following to each outer tie rod:
• Place the tie rod heat shield on the knuckle’s
steering arm, aligning the hole in the shield with the
hole in the knuckle and the tangs on the outside of
the shield with the outside configuration of the steer-
ing arm. The shield should now be facing outboard,
away from the power steering gear and tie rod (Fig.
4).
• Attach the outer tie rod end to its steering
knuckle.
• Start the attaching nut onto the stud of the
outer tie rod.
• While holding the stud of the tie rod stationary
with a wrench, tighten the attaching nut (Fig. 4).
• Using a crowfoot wrench attached to a torque
wrench, tighten the attaching nut to 55 N·m (40 ft.
lbs.).
(24) Install the tire and wheel assemblies back on
vehicle. Tighten the wheel mounting nuts to 135 N·m
(100 ft. lbs.) torque.
(25) Lower the vehicle to ground level.
(26) Install the dash-to-lower coupling seal in
place over the lower coupling’s plastic collar.
NOTE: Verify that grease is present on the lip of the
dash-to-coupling seal where it contacts the cou-
pling’s plastic collar.
(27) Inside the passenger compartment, place the
steering column in the full tilt-up position and
secure the tilt lever, then reconnect the steering
column lower coupling to the steering column upper
coupling (Fig. 3). Install the coupling pinch bolt and
tighten the pinch bolt nut to a torque of 28 N·m (250
in. lbs.). Install the pinch bolt retainer pin.
(28) Remove the steering wheel holder.
(29) While looking under the instrument panel at
the lower coupling, rotate the steering wheel back-
and-forth to verify that the lower coupling does not
squeak against the dash-to-coupling seal.
(30) Perform the POWER STEERING PUMP INI-
TIAL OPERATION service procedure to properly fill
and bleed the power steering system. (Refer to 19 -
STEERING/PUMP - STANDARD PROCEDURE)
(31) Check for fluid leaks.
(32) Adjust the front toe setting on the vehicle.
(Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/WHEEL ALIGNMENT -
STANDARD PROCEDURE)
INSTALLATION - RHD
Right-Hand-Drive power steering gear is typical of
Left-Hand-Drive. (Refer to 19 - STEERING/GEAR -
INSTALLATION - LHD)
TIE ROD - OUTER
REMOVAL
(1) Raise the vehicle. (Refer to LUBRICATION &
MAINTENANCE/HOISTING - STANDARD PROCE-
DURE)
(2) Remove the tire and wheel assembly from the
vehicle. (Refer to 22 - TIRES/WHEELS - REMOVAL)
(3) Loosen tie rod jam nut (Fig. 13). Thread the
jam nut far enough up the inner tie rod to pull the
collar away from the outer tie rod end. Pull the collar
off the end of the outer tie rod.
(4) Remove the nut attaching the outer tie rod end
to steering knuckle (Fig. 14). Remove the nut by
holding the tie rod stud stationary while loosening
and removing the nut with a wrench.
(5) Remove the outer tie rod from the steering
knuckle using Remover, Special Tool MB991113 (Fig.
15).
19 - 32
GEAR
PL/SRT-4
GEAR (Continued)