Chapter 8

Steering

Contents

Steering - general description
Steering knuckle - general notes
Ball joints - general notes
Ball pivot - checking wear
Ball pivot - removal, inspection, replacement, and installation
Tie rod - removal and installation
Steering gear - removal, stripdown, and installation.
Steering wheel - removal and installation
Steering column - removal and installation
Switchgear and steering lock - removal and installation

Specifications

1 Steering - general description
1 The steering of the Porsche 924 is of the rack and pinion type.
2 When the steering wheel is turned, the steering column operates a gear within the steering gear assembly. This gear meshes with a toothed rail.
called the rack. which moves beneath the stationary gear and. through the offset mounting of the steering knuckle, turns (he wheels

Type

Rack and pinion

Steering wheel diameter

Standard

383 mm

Turbo

380 mm

Turbo and M-471 option

360 mm

Steering wheel ratio

Standard and Turbo

19.15 : 1

M-471 option

22.39 : 1

Turning circle

Standard and Turbo

10.08 meters

M-471 option

10.30 meters

Track circle diameter

Standard and Turbo

9.21 meters

M-471 option

9.50 meters

Steering wheel turns, lock to lock

All models

4.02

Raw settings for alignment

6 mm machined surface on cup of cup and bail
connector

68 ± 0.5 mm

13 mm machined surface on cup of cup and ball
connector

65 ± 0.5 mm

Spacer sleeve clearance

41 mm from top face of spacer to top face of the steering
column

Torque specifications

ft-ib

m-kg

Tie rod to steering knuckle

22 to 36

3 to 5

Steering column to steering gear assembly

18 to 25

2.5 to
3.5

Steering gear assembly to cross member

14 to 17

2.0 to
2.4

Adjuster screw plate

4 to 6 0

6 to 0.8

Cup and ball joint to tie rod

22 to 29

3 to 4

Ball pivot to tie rod

22 to 29

3 to 4

Steering wheel to steering column

25 to 40

3.5 to
5.5

Pinch bolt. ignition switch casing

8 to 14

1.1 to
2.0

Bearing cover and support to body

4

0.5

Steering column, clamping bolt

18 to 25

2.5 to
3.5

2 Steering knuckle - general notes
1 The steering knuckle, although it turns with the steering gear and therefore allows the wheels to turn. is basically a part of the braking and
suspension systems.
2 Refer to Chapters 9 and 10f or full details on inspection, removal, and instatiation.

3 Ball joints - general notes
1 Although the operation of the ball joint can have a direct effect on the precision and accuracy of steering, it is a component of a major
suspension piece. Its inspection, removal and replacement are covered in Chapter 10.

4 Ball pivot - checking wear
1 The ball pivot consists of a metal ball in a spring loaded shell.
2 To check the ball pivot for wear, raise the front end of the vehicle and place jack stands under the appropriate frame locations (see
Introduction Sections).
3 Block the rear wheels and set the parking brake.
4 Remove the bolts from the tower engine guard and remove the guard.
5 Slide beneath the vehicle.
6 Grasp the tie rod firmly with both hands and push and pull the tie rod toward the steering gear assembly and then toward the outboard end of
the ball pivot. Direct force only along the line created by the long side of the tie rod (longitudinal pressure). If any movement from side to side is
noticed in the ball pivot, it must be replaced. It will be very easy to twist the tie rod, and this is normal action. It is the side to side (or inboard to
outboard) play which indicates need for replacement.

5 Ball pivot - removal, inspection, replacement, and Initallatlon
1 Disconnect the negative lead from the battery.
2 Raise the vehicle and place it on jack stands.
3 Remove the bolts from the lower engine guard and remove the guard.
4 Remove the front wheels from the vehicle (see Chapter 9).
5 Remove the cotter pin from the threaded shaft of the ball joint.
6 Remove the castellated nut.
7 Use a gear puller (if you have one of the appropriate size) or a 'pickle fork' (small-bone wedge) extractor to separate the ball pivot from the
steering knuckle (photo).
8 Even if your wear testing has proven the ball pivot to appear to be sound, check the condition of the rubber dust boot and if it is dry, cracked,
or torn the ball pivot must be replaced.
9 If you have found the ball pivot to need replacement, carefully measure the distance between the inboard edge of the ball pivot lock nut to the
inboard edge of the chamfer which is at the end of the threaded end of the tie rod. Make a written note of this figure.
10 Loosen the lock nut (photo).
11 Unscrew the ball pivot assembly with a wrench on the cast-in flats of the ball pivot.
12 Install the new ball pivot in the reverse of the removal directions.
13 Thread the new ball pivot into place with a wrench on the flats of the casting.
14 Screw the new ball pivot in until it is in the same approximate location as the old one and the threaded stud faces up.
15 Tighten the lock nut snug with a wrench and measure the distance between the inboard side of the lock nut and the inboard edge of the
chamfer at the end of the threaded end of the tie rod. Adjust the ball pivot until the same figure is found as the old measurement. Torque the lock
nut to 22 to 29 ft-lb (3 to 4 m-kg) (photo).
16 Install the threaded stud of the ball pivot into the steering knuckle. If the cotter pin hole is not parallel to the dust guard at the rear of the
brake discs, adjust the stud until it is.
17 When installing the castellated nut, it must be torqued so that one of the spaces between the castelIations aligns with the cotter pin hole in the
stud. To achieve this, first torque the castellated nut to 22 ft-lb (3 m- kg). If there is no alignment of the slot and the hole, raise the applied
torque in 2 ft-lb (approx. 0.3 m-kg) increments until alignment occurs. If you reach the maximum torque figure of 36 ft-lb (5 m-kg) before the
hole and slot line up, loosen the nut and torque it to 22 ft-lb (3 m-kg) and begin the process again. When alignment is made and the applied
torque does not exceed the maximum limit, install the cotter pin and fold back its ends 18 Your front wheels are now only in approximate
alignment. Take your car to a certified alignment shop or your Porsche dealer as soon as possible. Alignment is a task which cannot be done
accurately enough by the home mechanic in the case of the 924 model A special tool and jig are necessary for the task and these can not be
procured or made with any real savings resulting.

6 Tie rod - removal and installation
1 Disconnect the negative lead from the battery.
2 Raise the vehicle and place it on jack stands.
3 Remove the bolts from the lower engine guard and remove the guard as well.
4 Remove the front wheels (see Chapter 9).
5 Remove the cotter pin from the threaded end of the ball joint
6 Remove the castellated nut.
7 Remove the ball pivot from the steering knuckle with a gear puller (if you have one which fits) or a 'pickle fork' (small-bone wedge) extractor.
8 Loosen the clip on the rubber bellows and slide the bellows back to expose the cup and ball connector.
9 Loosen the jam nut on the inboard side of the cup (photo).
10 Remove the cup and ball connector by unscrewing the cup with a wrench which fits across the machined-in flats of the cup.

11 Do not allow the tie rod to fall off. Make the final turns on the cup with your hand while holding the tie rod (photo).
12 Inspect the ball pivot and replace If necessary (see Section 5).
13 Check the rubber bellows for cracking and other signs that the rubber has dried out. If there are deep cracks or breaks in the bellows, replace
them. There are several brands of rubber protectant on the market which help prevent the bellows from drying out and cracking. A coating of
one of these liquids on an occasional basis will prolong the life of the protective bellows and prevent dirt from getting in the rack and pinion
gears and wearing them out.
14 If the lie rod is bent or otherwise in need of replacement note the following when ordering a new tie rod from your parts supplier. There are
two types of tie rod. The later type, which is the only one available for replacement, is identified by the width of the shoulder machined on the
inboard side of the cup. On the older versions, this shoulder was 6 mm. The replacement tie rods have a 13 mm machined surface and will
require a new rubber stop ring, too, if the tie rod you are replacing meets the older specification.
15 Replacement tie rods come with a new ball joint and cup and ball connector installed.
16 Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure.
17 Before starting the installation procedure the steering must be centered.
18 Remove the plug from the threaded boss at the bottom of the rack and pinion assembly and insert centering bolt 9116 (photo). An example of
this tool can be made by taking a plain bolt of the same diameter and thread, and grinding the threaded end to a 45° conical angle, so that there
is a point at the center. Screw this bolt into place and turn the steering wheel back and forth slowly until the groove in the rack aligns with the
point on the bolt. Screw the bolt home so that the rack is held in this location.
19 Screw on the tie rod evenly.With the centering tool installed and the rubber stop rings in place (photo), adjust cups so that there is 65 ± 0.5
mm distance between the inboard ridge on the stop ring and the outboard edge of the steering housing (right side), and the same distance
between the inboard edge of the Stop ring and the shoulder inside the casting on the left side (photos). If the cups on your particular model have
6 mm machined surfaces instead of the 13 mm surfaces of the later style cups, the measurements between the same points should be 68 ± 0.5
mm (photo).
20 Torque the jam nuts to 22 to 29 ft-lb (3 to 4 m-kg).
21 Recheck all of the measurements above once the jam nuts have been tightened to make sure nothing has moved. The stop surface on the
rubber stop ring may move up to 1 mm under compression, so adjustment may be necessary to bring these measurements back into the specified
limits.
22 Adjust the steering by loosening the lock nut and screwing in the adjusting screw until it just touches the thrust washer in the rack and pinion
assembly. If you are in doubt, loosen the adjusting screw and tighten it again until you can feel contact. Hold the adjusting screw lightly and
lighten the locknut (photo).
23 Remove the centering tool and replace the plug.
24 Before installing the ball joint on the steering knuckle, line up the cotter pin hole so that it will be parallel to the dust guard on the disc brake.
This will make it easier to install the cotter pin.
25 Press the ball pivot studs into place on the steering knuckle.
26 Install the castellated nut and torque to 22 ft-lb (3 m-kg). Sight through the castellations to locate the cotter pin hole. Raise the torque in 2 ft-
lb (approx. 0.3 m-kg) increments until the cotter pin hole is seen squarely in between two castellations. The maximum torque which can be
reached is 36 ft-lb (5 m-kg). If you reach this figure before the cotter pin hole is aligned, back off the nut. bring the torque back up to 22 ft-lb (3
m-kg) and begin the process again. Install the cotter pin when possible and fold back the ends. Do not exceed the maximum torque figures.
27 Place the rubber bellows back in their proper locations and tighten the clamp on the inboard side of the right bellows.
28 Your front end is not in alignment. Proper alignment of the Porsche 924 requires a special adjusting tool which must be used in conjunction
with a light-type alignment bench. Have the front end alignment checked by a competent shop as soon as possible. Driving your car with the
wheels out of line will cause excessive wear to your tires.

7 Steering gear - removal, stripdown, and installation
1 The rack and pinion gears in the steering assembly are manufactured and sold in matched sets. If you are removing the steering gear assembly
for purposes of replacement, you must purchase the entire steering gear assembly as a unit.
2 Disconnect the negative lead from the battery.
3 Raise the vehicle and place it on jack stands.
4 Remove the front wheels (see Chapter 9).
5 Remove the bolts attaching the lower engine guard and remove the engine guard.
6 Remove the tie rods (see Section 6).
7 Remove the clamping bolt which holds the lower end of the steering column to the serrated shaft on the steering gear assembly. Pull the
steering column free (photo).
8 The steering gear assembly is held to the cross member by four bolts. Remove the bottom two bolts and then have an assistant support the
steering gear assembly while you remove the top two bolts (photo).
9 If you are replacing the steering gear assembly, a few parts must be stripped from the old unit for use in the new one. Remove the two bolts
from the adjuster plate. This plate is under spring load. so loosen each bolt one turn at a time, alternating between the two bolts until pressure is
evenly removed. Remove the adjuster plate, with the adjuster screw and lock nut installed; the spring; thrust washer; and the pressure disc.
Inspect the pressure disc for wear in the form of metal erosion (one spot deeper than the others) .grooves and cracks. Replace if any of these
conditions are noted.
10 Before installing these parts in the new steering gear assembly, lubricate the steering gears with multipurpose grease. 11 Lightly grease the
rubbing surface of the pressure disc with the same multipurpose grease as used in the task above. Install the pressure disc with the longerside of
the curved surface at the top and facing the steering gears.
12 Install the thrust washer and spring in the cup of the pressure disc.
13 Loosen the lock nut on the adjusting screw and back the adjusting screw out of the adjuster plate until one or two threads show on the innner
side of the plate.
14 Install the adjuster plate and tighten its bolts evenly. Torque the bolts to 4 to 6 ft-lb (0.6 to 0.8 m-kg).
15 Tighten the adjusting screw only until contact can be felt when tightening with the fingers. Set the lock nut finger tight as well.
16 installation of the steering gear assembly is the reverse of the removal procedure.
17 Have an assistant hold the steering gear assembly in place while you loosely install the mounting bolts.Tighten the bolts in a cross pattern
and torque them, also in a cross pattern, to 14 to 17 ft-lb (2.0 to 2.4 m-kg).
18 Slide the serrated shaft of the pinion gear into the clamp on the steering column. Torque the nut to 18 to 25 ft-lb (2.5 to 3.5 m-kg).
19 install the tie rods, set the basic steering alignment, and adjust the steering according to the instructions in Section 6.

8 Steering wheel - removal and replacement
1 Disconnect the negative lead from the battery.
2 Remove the impact pad from the steering wheel and disconnect the horn wire. Remove the springs (photo).
3 If the front wheels of the car are not pointing straight ahead, center the steering before you continue.
4 With an indelible marker, draw a line from the center of the steering column to one outside edge of the hole in the center of the steering wheel.
This will help you align parts when installing the steering wheel.
5 Remove the nut from the steering column (photo).
6 Remove the washer and then pull the steering wheel free (photo).
7 Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure.
8 Lineup the marks you made before removing the wheel .The bars of the steering wheel should be horizontal when the front road wheels are
pointing straight ahead. Make any necessary adjustments.
9 Install the spring washer and nut. Torque the nut to 25 to 40 ft-lb (3.5 to 5.5 m-kg). In the case of the Turbo model these figures should be 33
± 7 ft-lb (4.5 ± 1.0 m-kg) (photo).
10 Plug the horn wire into its proper spot , install the spring and press the pad into place.
11 Connect the battery leads and check the operation of the horn and turn signals. If there are any malfunctions, refer to Chapter 11.

9 Steering column - removal and installation
1 Disconnect the negative lead from the battery.
2 Raise the vehicle and place it on jack stands.
3 Remove the bolts from the engine guard and remove the lower engine guard.
4 Remove the pinch bolt on the upper universal joint and pull the universal joint free of the steering column.
5 Remove the steering wheel (see Section 8).
6 Remove the steering column switchgear and steering lock (see Section 10).
7 All models with the Oxygen Sensor System of emission control (Turbo and all 1980 standard models) must have the oxygen sensor control
box removed before work can be continued (see Chapter 3).
8 Drill out the two shear bolts and remove the steering column and casing tube as a unit.
9 Check the needle bearing installed in the firewall tor wear and damage. Replace it if necessary, or lubricate it with multipurpose grease.

10 Inspect the metal cylinder section of the steering column for signs of compression. Replace if necessary
11 Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure.
12 Coat the rubber beanng at the forward end of the steering column with a light coat of silicone grease or talcum powder and slide it and the
bearing support on to the casing tube.
13 Slide the casing tube and bearing support on to the steering column.
14 Slide the steering column and casing tube into place beneath the dashboard. Make sure that the forward end of the steering column fits
squarely in the needle bearing on the firewall.
15 Install the shear bolts in the casing tube's mounting plate. Align the bolts with the holes in the mounting bracket beneath the dash board and
tighten the shear bolts until the heads ohear off.
16 Install the switchgear and drive on the spacer sleeve. Make sure that there is a distance of 41 mm between the face of the steering column and
the rear face of the spacer sleeve (photos).
17 Torque the bolts on the bearing support to 4 ft-lb (0.5 m-kgl
18 Torque the socket head bolt on the switchgear to 8 to14ft-lb(1,1 to 2.0 m-kg).
19 Install the oxygen sensor control unit on appropriate modeis (see Chapter 3).
20 Install the steering wheel and torque the center nut to 25 to 40 ft- lb (3.5 to 5.5 m-kg).

10 Switchgear and steering lock - removal and installation
1 Disconnect the negative lead from the battery.
2 Remove the steering wheel (see Section 8).
3 Place the stalks of the switches in their 'off' positions.
4 Remove the plastic spacer piece from the steering column. If it does not slide free. split it along one side with a sharp knife or razor blade and
remove it.
5 Remove the four bolts holding the switch assemblies to the steer-ing lock cylinder.
6 Reach behind the dashboard and carefully unplug the switch pin connectors (photo).
7 Gently pull the switch assemblies off the steering column (photos).
8 Unsnap the cover from the ignition switch and lock cylinder.
9 Loosen the clamp on the steering lock and ignition switch casting witn a socket head wrench. Access to the socket head bolt is through the
hole beneath the plastic housing.
10 Reach behind the dashboard once again and disconnect the plug connector from the ignition switch.
11 Remove the switch, casting and housing together. Grasp the housing firmly and slide the entire assembly off the steering column.
12 Check the bearing in the casting for smooth operation and the absence of radial play. If the bearing is in need of replacement. remove the
circlip and drive out the bearing. Install the new bearing with the proper installation tool until it seats firmly on the stepped surface inside the
casting, then install the circlip.
13 Installation is the reverse of the removal procedure.
14 Torque the socket head bolt on the switchgear clamp to 8 to 14 ft- lb(1.1 to 2.0 m-kg).
15 There is no specified torque for the four bolts attaching the switches to the casting. Before tightening the bolts, make sure that the stalks on
the switches are in their 'off positions, so that you will not damage the operating cams when tightening the screws. Tighten the screws in a cross
pattern until they hold the switches firmly against the casting. Make sure that the screws are tight enough to prevent the switches from rocking

or moving when the stalks are operated.