Ree

Is there a specific tool anyone can point me to to help loosen the nut for the steering rack preload adjustment?

 

I used a pair of channel locks on the thin jam nut, then a small piece of flat bar to adjust the bushing and hold it in place while tightening the jam nut.

 

How did you approach doing this? I cant get to it from the wheel well or from the front

 

In case anyone is searching for this like I had been, had a heck of a time getting calipers back there so I made a mold of aluminum foil to get a rough measurement off of, bought a handful of crowfoot wrenches to try, and found the lock nut is 42mm on the flats. I believe this one was listed as no-name brand for a Chevy Aveo water pump, $12 as of this writing (conventional crowfoot wrenches are going to be pretty expensive in this size range, and possibly too bulky). Combined with a flex head ratchet it made very easy work of it and I am glad I didn't try some improvised technique.

Edit: with regards to the thread title..well, don't look at me..