Removing and installing steering pinion with steering moment sender — AUDI

🧭 Before you start

Remove and clean the rack, clamp it, remove the thrust piece and set straight-ahead. Take out the screw plug and pinion nut, remove the cover and seal, unplug the sensor and mark the pinion before pulling it out with the coil spring taped. Grease the bearing and splines, insert the pinion to the marks, lock the coil spring, fit a new nut, a sealed and greased screw plug and a new cover seal. Refit the thrust piece and rack, adapt G269 and check alignment.

Fits: Audi A3 (8P, 2003–2012)

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• Mark the pinion position on the rack housing before pulling it out.
• Secure the coil spring with tape so it cannot turn or twist.
• Tighten the pinion with a new hexagon nut.
• Coat the screw plug thread with LOCTITE 5910 and fill it with G 052 192 A1 grease.
• Run the G269 adaption and basic setting, then check wheel alignment.

Written for this job from the workshop steps below · TorqFix editorial.

📋 Procedure

1. Remove steering rack .
2. Clean steering rack in area of steering pinion, screw plug and adjuster screw.
3. Clamp steering rack in a vice as shown.
4. Remove thrust piece at steering pinion end .
5. Turn steering rack in straight-ahead position.

6. Unclip sensor wiring at steering rack housing.
7. Remove screw plug (arrow).
8. Unscrew hexagon nut (arrow) from steering pinion.
9. Turn steering to straight-ahead position again.
10. Remove seal (1) from cover.
11. Detach cover (2).
12. Carefully remove seal from steering rack housing. [Note: The sensor wiring in the steering rack housing is fitted with a securing element (arrow) for the coil spring. Make sure that the coil spring is not twisted when removing the sensor wiring.]
13. Now unplug sensor wiring connector at steering pinion.
14. Mark position of steering pinion in relation to steering rack housing.
15. Now pull steering pinion with steering moment sender out of steering rack housing. Secure coil spring to stop it turning by using adhesive tape or similar.
16. Lubricate bearing (arrow) and the splines of the steering pinion using G 052 192 A1.
17. Insert steering pinion into steering rack housing.
18. Turn the steering pinion until the coil spring with the sensor wiring (arrow) can be locked in position. The mark made when removing must align with the mark on the steering rack housing.
19. Pull locating element out of coil spring.
20. Plug connector into coil spring housing.
21. Tighten steering pinion with new hexagon nut.
22. Apply LOCTITE5910 sealant onto thread of screw plug.
23. Fill screw plug with grease G 052 192 A1, then install and tighten screw plug.
24. Turn steering to straight-ahead position again.
25. Apply only a very thin coat of grease G 052 168 A1 when lubricating the seal (arrow) in the cover.
26. Install cover with new seal.
27. Install and adjust thrust piece at steering pinion end .
28. Install steering rack .
29. Perform adaption and basic setting for steering moment sender G269 using vehicle diagnostic, testing and information systemVAS 5051B.
30. Check wheel alignment .

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