When I put on brakes the front end vibrates, have had everything changed to new accept stabilizing bar and rack and pinion what is going on knowone knows.

I've never seen a package deal on these parts. A rebuilt rack usually comes with new inner tie rods. But you'll need to buy new outer tie rod ends, stabilizer end links and you should really take this opportunity to replace the power steering lines. The deteriorate from the inside and can wear out the new rack much faster.

this may have something to do with worn suspension and steering joints. If the mechanic didn't tell you about the condition of the front end when he did the shock absorbers then be a little sus when you go back.

Go to another mechanic and check out the wheel bearings and wheel nuts as the first mechanic would have fixed any problems the first time around.

There are so many possibilities. It's difficult to even attempt a guess.but... Axles, ball joints, brake calipers, rotors, sway bar ends/bushings, rack and pinion,tie rod ends, A-arms, shocks, struts, springs, mounts and even a cracked or broken frame! Hope this was helpful!

check the stabilizer links,usually they go bad and make that noise,they are connected to a stabilizer bar

It's a bit of a pain, but doable with simple tools.

Loosen the front lug nuts. Jack up the van and support it on the rails just behind the front tires (not the sub frame as you need to lower that a few inches). Remove the front tires. Disconnect the sway bar link pins, and the sway bar mounting bolts. Disconnect the tie rod ends from the knuckles. Support the rear ends of the sub frame, and remove the bolts mounting it to the van. Once the sub frame bolts are out, lower the rear end of the frame. I did this by using a jack, and placing the jack stands a couple of inches below the frame. Remove the sway bar from the van. You may need to drop the rack a bit more, but be careful as the steering shaft is still connected. You should be able to get at the bolt that attaches the rack stub to the steering rod by pushing up on the boot. Remove the sub shaft bolt. Disconnect the power steering lines from the rack (at the rack). Un-bolt the rack from the sub frame, there are two bolts. The rack should be able to be removed from the drivers side of the van. I replaced the tie rod ends and the sway bar bushings when I replaced mine (new link pins are easy at this time too). The installation is reverse of removal. I measured the tie rod distances when I put the new ends on. The only change I made was that I tied the steering shaft boot down onto the rack so I could install the bolt. I couldn't push the boot up high enough to get the bolt back in. Be sure to install the new power steering line seals that should come with the rack (buy new ones if it doesn't) - the lines are different sizes so you can't mix them up. Torque everything to spec when reinstalling (the cheap Hanes manuals have what you need along with these directions!). It's easiest to install the sway bar brackets when the sub frame is hanging down. Once it's together and running, check the power steering fluid. Get an alignment immediately (I set mine up before I changed the rack).
One last bit of advice, buy the rack with the longer warranty, you don't want to do this twice.

YOU HAVE TO SAFELY RAISE SUPPORT VECHICLE ON JACK STANDS.MAKE SURE YOU HAVE VECHICLE PARKED ON LEVEL SOLID GROUND.ONCE VECHICLE RAISED.REMOVE FRONT WHEELS.REMOVE TIE RODS END COTTER PINS AND CASTLE NUTS.REMOVE TIE ROD ENDS FROM THE KNUCKLES.REMOVE FRONT STABILIZER BAR.POSITION THE DASH OPENING WEATHER SEAL FOR THE STEERING COLUMN OUT OF THE WAY.REMOVE OR DISCONNECT THE FOLLOWING.REMOVE PINCH BOLT RETAINING THE STEERING COLUMN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COUPLING.REMOVE STEERING GEAR RETAINING NUTS BOLTS.REMOVE REAR SUBFRAME BOLTS.USE WIRE TO SUPPORT EXHAUST COMPONENTS UNLESS YOU ARE REMOVING THEM COMPLETELY.SUPPORT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM FLEX TUBE AND REMOVE THE FLEX TUBE TO DUAL CONVERTER Y PIPE ATTACHMENT.LOWER THE VECHICLE SLIGHTLY UNTIL THE REAR SUBFRAME SEPARATES FROM THE BODY APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES.REMOVE THE HEAT SHIELD BAND AND FOLD THE HEAT SHIELD DOWN.ROTATE THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY TO CLEAR THE BOLTS FROM THE FRONT SUBFRAME AND PULL TOWARD THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VECHICLE.PLACE A DRAIN PAN UNDER THE VECHICLE AND DISCONNECT THE POWER STEERING LINES.REMOVE THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VECHICLE***** TO INSTALL ****** INSTALL NEW TEFLON O - RINGS ON THE POWER STEERING LINE FITTINGS. PLACE THE RACK AND PINION RETAINING BOLTS IN THE GEAR HOUSING.INSTALL RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VECHICLE.INSTALL POWER STEERING LINES ON THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. INSTALL RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY ON THE SUBFRAME.INSTALL ******** HEAT SHIELD.INSTALL TIE ROD ENDS TO THE KNUCKLES TIGHTEN THE CASTLE NUTS AND INSTALL THE COTTER PINS.INSTALL STABILIZER BAR.INSTALL RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY RETAINING BOLTS.TORQUE THEM TO 85 - 99 FT LBS. RAISE VECHICLE UNTIL SUBFRAME CONTACTS THE BODY.INSTALL REAR SUBFRAME RETAINING BOLTS TORQUE THEM TO 83 - 112 FT LBS.INSTALL EXHAUST SYSTEM FLEX TUBE TO DUAL CONVERTER Y PIPE.INSTALL FRONT WHEELS.INSTALL A NEW PINCH BOLT IN THE STEERING COLUMN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COUPLING ON THE RACK INPUT SHAFT TORQUE PINCH BOLT TO 25 - 33 FT LBS.POSITION THE STEERING COLUMN OPENING WEATHER SEAL OVER THE STEERING GEAR HOUSING.LOWER THE VECHICLE FILL THE POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR. START THE VECHICLE AND CHECK FOR LEAKS. CHECK FOR PROPER WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND STEERING WHEEL POSITION.BLEED POWER STEERING SYSTEM.

The sway bar has little to do with steering, it stabilizes the chassis. The play in the steering could be in the rack & pinion assembly. The shop that did the alignment should be able to check that out.

Removing the rack and pinion assembly from a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am Se To get the old rack and pinion off of the car for replacement involves lowering the sub-frame, removing the stabilizer bar, and pulling the rack out from the driver side of the vehicle.

• Start by lifting or jacking up the car and removing the front wheels. Once the car is safely supported, disconnect both tie rods from the steering knuckles.
• The rear motor mount sits on top of the cross-member part of the sub-frame, and must be disconnected to allow the sub-frame to drop a few inches. Remove the three bolts attaching it to the center of the sub-frame - one in the back and two in the front near the back of the transmission.
• Loosen the two bolts holding the front of the sub-frame. Place a scissor jack or bottle jack under the rear of the sub-frame where the bolt for the motor mount was. Remove the two smaller bolts from each side of the rear of the sub-frame (total 4 bolts) and then loosen the two remaining larger bolts holding the rear of the sub-frame (these bolts go through the rear control arm bushings and are very long) until the bolts are only going through the control arm bushing, and not into the chassis. You do not need to remove these completely.
• Remove the stabilizer links from both sides.
• Next you must disconnect the steering linkage. This is done easily by lifting up the rubber boot to expose the small bolt holding the linkage. Remove the bolt and pry the linkage upward using a pry tool or screw driver.
• Near the passenger side of the crossmember, remove the bolt holding the power steering line bracket to the chassis. You may now begin to lower the sub-frame using the jack. The front bolts should have lowered the sub-frame about a half-inch or so, allowing you to lower the back of the sub-frame 3 or 4 inches.
• With the sub-frame lowered, you can now access the bolts holding the stabilizer bar in place. The right side has a nut screwed onto the top of it holding the power steering lines, remove this first, then remove both bolts. Pry or pull the stabilizer brackets up and out. Remove the stabilizer bar.
• Now you can get to both of the bolts holding the rack in place. Remove both of these, then begin to slide the rack toward the driver side wheel well until there is no more slack in the power steering lines. At this point you should be able to get to the nuts securing the lines on the rack. Loosen both nuts and be ready with something to cap the ends with. I used part of a plastic bag and a wire to tie it. You can now pull the rack out through the driver side.
• Be sure to replace the rubber o-rings on the ends of the lines when putting the new rack in. Replace everything in the reverse order. Put your tie rods on the new rack, making sure to count the turns or make a mark or measure to be sure your tie rods end up close to the same length as before.
• Bleed the power steering system.

Important: Get an alignment! Not only is it dangerous to drive with your steering out of align but it will also grate the tread off your tires in a matter of weeks or even days.

if fluid is flowing out the bellows, you need to replace the steering rack assembly. There is no fluid in the area of the inner tie rod. The seal is just before the tie rod.

Steering Gear
The power rack and pinion steering gear is serviced as a power steering short rack (3L547). The front wheel spindle tie rods (3280) and tie rod ends (3A130) are serviced individually. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• The power rack and pinion steering gear incorporates quick connect fittings for the power steering pressure hose (3A719) and power steering return hose (3A713) that allow the lines to swivel. This is normal and does not indicate loose fittings.
• If the fittings leak, check to make sure they are tightened to 14-20 Nm (10-14 lb-ft). Do not overtighten.
• If the leak is not corrected, replace the fitting seals.

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Section 11-02: Steering System, Power 1997 Windstar Workshop Manual
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION Tie Rod End Steering Gear Installed
Removal

1. Remove and discard cotter pin and nut from worn tie rod end (3A130).
   

1. Disconnect tie rod end from front wheel knuckle (3K185), using Tie Rod End Remover TOOL-3290-D or equivalent.
   

1. Hold tie rod end with a wrench and loosen tie rod end jam nut.
   

1. Note depth to which tie rod end was located by using the jam nut as a marker. Grip tie rod end with a pair of suitable pliers and remove tie rod end from front wheel spindle tie rod (3280).
   

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11-02: Steering System, Power 1997 Windstar Workshop Manual
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION Steering Gear Removal

1. Raise vehicle on a twin post hoist and remove wheel and tire assemblies. Refer to Section 00-02 .
   
   
   
   
   

1. Support vehicle with jackstands under front jack pads.
   

1. Remove tie-rod end cotter pins and nuts and remove tie rod ends (3A130) from front wheel knuckle (3K185). Refer to Section 04-01 .
   

1. Remove front stabilizer bar (5482). Refer to Section 04-01 .
   

1. Disconnect heated oxygen and catalyst monitor sensors.
   

1. Support flex pipe.
   

1. Remove bolts and disconnect flex pipe from the converter.
   

1. Raise dash opening steering column opening weather seal (3513) (secondary) above the steering gear housing (3548).
   

1. Remove pinch bolt retaining steering column intermediate shaft coupling (3A525) to power steering gear input shaft and control (3D517) and disconnect the shaft.
   

1. Remove nuts from steering gear-to-front subframe retaining bolts. Remove bolts.
   

1. Remove rear subframe-to-body retaining bolts.
   

1. Lower twin post hoist carefully until rear of subframe (5R003) separates from body, approximately four inches.
   

1. Remove heat shield band and fold shield down.
   

1. Rotate power rack and pinion steering gear to clear bolts from front subframe (5C145) and pull left to facilitate line fitting removal.
   

1. Place a drain pan under vehicle and remove line fittings.
   

1. Remove power rack and pinion steering gear through LH wheel well.
   

1. Remove and discard the O-rings.
   

Installation

1. Install new Teflon® O-rings on line fittings as outlined.
   

1. Place steering gear retaining bolts in steering gear housing.
   

1. Install power rack and pinion steering gear through LH wheel well.
   

1. Install power steering line fittings to power rack and pinion steering gear.
   

1. Position power rack and pinion steering gear into front subframe.
   

1. Install ******** heat shield.
   

1. Install tie-rod ends to front wheel knuckle. Install nuts and new cotter pins. Refer to Section 04-01 .
   

1. Install LH front stabilizer bar. Refer to Section 04-01 .
   

1. Install steering gear to subframe mounting nuts. Tighten to 115-135 Nm (85-99 lb-ft).
   

1. Raise hoist until rear subframe contacts body.
   

1. Install rear subframe to body retaining bolts. Tighten to 113-153 Nm (83-112 lb-ft).
   

1. Install exhaust system flex tube to dual converter Y pipe (5F250) and remove flex tube support.
   

1. Connect heated oxygen and catalyst monitor sensors.
   

1. Install tire and wheel assemblies. Tighten lug nuts (1012) to 115-142 Nm (85-104 lb-ft).
   

1. Using a new pinch bolt, install the steering column intermediate shaft coupling on the power steering gear input shaft and control and the lower steering column shaft. Tighten the pinch bolt to 34-46 Nm (25-33 lb-ft).
   

1. Position steering column opening weather seal (secondary) over the steering gear housing. Tighten nuts to 4.5-6.3 Nm (40-55 lb-in).
   

1. Remove jackstands and lower vehicle.
   

1. Fill power steering oil reservoir (3A697) with Premium Power Steering Fluid E6AZ-19582-AA or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESW-M2C33-F. Refer to Section 11-00 .
   

1. Check system for leaks and proper operation.