De-powering the rack on the NB2 Miatas (2001 - 2005) differs slightly than previous generations. There are probably 3 or more steering racks for the first 2 generations of Miata manufactured by different vendors, so expect variations. The process can be time consuming, although not too difficult for the do it your selfer. On a 1 to 5 difficulty scale, I rate this a solid 3.

To start, you have the option to remove the inner tie rod that connects to the rack from the outer tie rod, which is how I did it here OR you can remove the inner tie rod from the steering rack while the rack is still mounted to the sub-frame. The advantage of removing the inner tie rod from the rack is that your alignment is not impacted after you re-assemble the rack and put it back on the car. The disadvantage is that it can be more difficult to get the inner tie rod off while on the car, versus on a work bench.

If you decide to remove the inner tie rods and rack together as a unit, then do it this way: back off the 17mm jam nut that locks the inner and outer tie rods together. Mark the inner tie rod threads with white marker so you can re-assemble close to the original alignment. Back out the inner tie rod from the outer tie rod using a 12mm wrench.

Remove the 12mm hex head bolt that connects the rack u-joint to the steering shaft. Remove the 4 -17mm hex head bolts that connect the steering rack to the sub-frame. Pull the rack off the steering shaft, you may have to tap it free.

It's best to work on a bench with a vise. Begin by removing all the hydraulic tubes and hoses. You'll need 12mm, 17mm and 19mm wrenches to do this. Save all the fittings and banjo bolts if you want to reuse them as seals as I did. You'll need to cut the fittings from the tubes and cut the collars from the banjo lines.

Remove the rack tensioner yoke set by loosening the large hex locking nut, then backing out the yoke assembly, spring and washer with a 17mm wrench. Remove the 2 12mm hex head torx bolts from the pinion housing and pull the pinion assembly off the rack. Remove the pinion from the housing by tapping the splined end. I tapped a few times on my vice and the pinion popped right out. Set aside.

Remove the metal twist ties and hose clamps from the dust boots and peel the boots back to access the tie rods. Work on the driver side (you don't need to remove the tie rod on the passenger side on an NB2 rack!) With the rack secured in a vice, tap the tabs on the lock collar back and out of the way using a screw driver or punch. Use an adjustable wrench and unscrew the tie rod from the rack. It's on there tight, especially if it has never been replaced before and you will need to tap the wrench with a hammer to break the tie rod free.

Remove the large hex nut seal on the passenger side of the rack. It's in very tight, and you will likely need to tap on the wrench with a hammer to break it free. Now just pull the steering gear out from the passenger side.

Remove the pressed on seal from the steering gear by cutting it off with a grinder cutting wheel. You will need to make a few cuts but you should be able to pry it off with a pliers.

Back to the pinion, remove the locking ring that secures the valve to the pinion and remove the valve. Thoroughly clean the pinion and either weld it secure or use locktite 680 to bond it secure as described in this video.

Clean all parts and use silicone sealer (I used permatex ultra black) to fill all the openings left by removing the lines - or you could reuse the fittings and fill them with sealant instead. I personally think it looks cleaner this way.

Reassemble the rack using generous amounts of a high quality all purpose automotive grease, particularly on the steering gear and pinion.

When reinstalling on the Miata, be sure to get the rack as centered as possible. I did this by first connecting the inner and outer tie rods back to the original positions as indicated by the marker paint then turned the steering rack u-joint by hand until the front tires (or rotors in my case) looked straight. Then I removed the 17mm hex heads bolts so I could move the rack and connect the u-joint to the steering shaft. Be sure your steering wheel is centered at this point.

That's it! I hope you like my video and be sure to subscribe to see more awesome videos as I build my boosted miata!

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Good resources on steering rack de-power:
MotoIQ: http://bit.ly/motoiq
Flyin' Miata: http://bit.ly/fmdepower
Car Passion Channel: http://bit.ly/cpdepower

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