So i got my new crossmember intsalled today but when i went to put the manual rack in I came across a problem... The steering column shaft does not reach the steering rack itself. I no longer have my old power rack to measure them. The manual shaft i bought didnt come with any steering column shaft sections. I assumed it was a install and go thing. My car is an s4 n/a and the crossmember is from an s5 tII but i doubt that matters. This is the last roadblock to get past before driving my car again. I was really looking forward to finally driving it again but thanks this problem i could not. Thanks in advance

 

What's the question?

 

Am i missing a part? Why is it not coming together as easily as all the other threads make it sound? Do i need to get a different part? Where the hell is carmen san diego?

 

Probably missing the shaft that contains the rag joint.
I dunno if this link works..but:
https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B4...VkMmU0ZDdhMTc5
(yep,does)
Scroll to Steering column.
1-112 (that square page in the left will be 145)

 

I found out that the intermidiate shaft is different from manual to power. The manual shaft is longer than the power steering intermidiate. I may have gotten rid of the intermidiate shaft a while back because i had no clue they were different lengths...now i have to track down a manual steering intermidiate shaft 86-87

 

so they are different from manual to ps reguardless of year?

 

Funny that I have switched 3 racks and never ran into a problem.
I take the rack off and discconnect it at the First bolt/clamp that is on the steering column at the rack.The clamp holds the splined shaft coming out of the Rack itself.
Everything fits perfect.

 

so you never swapped the intermediate shaft? you just used the power one with your new manual rack?
And the intermediate shaft were talking about is the large u joint that the large dust boot covers in the bay?

 

Correct.
just undo the power rack from the steering column,drop the power rack,put up the Manual rack,connect that splined part to the column with that 12?14mm bolt.Voila!. ..and Robert is your Relative..(Bob's your uncle!) Done.

 

so then whats going on with the op's car?

 

The intermidiate shaft is longer on a manual rack than a power steering rack. When i first got the manual rack, i took off the intermidiate shaft so that i could just put the manual rack in and go. Not so. They are even considered different parts. I may have gotten rid of my originally manual steering rack intermidiate shaft because i assumed they were the same length and that i would not need it. That is where i made my mistake. If i had taken the manual steering rack along with the intermidiate shaft, than all would be swell. Fml so hard right now

 

you may need to go over it again. I just put a manual rack into my 88 gxl tonight. it was power and i put in the manual using the old intermediate shaft.
i used the manual rack inner and outer tie rods hold down clamps and that was it. so im running stock power steering parts all the way down the shaft right up to the rack.