Advice on new Rack and Pinion?

[Langcow1]

Long story short - I think I need a new rack. Do you guys have any advice on where to get one?

I’m currently considering the new Cardone one here but am open to suggestions:

1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 3.4L V6 Rack and Pinion | RockAuto

How about Rack Doctor? I can’t find OEM. It seems they are discontinued.

This is for a ‘99 SR5 manual, 275,000 miles.

 

[Langcow1]

Good news/bad news:

I found an OEM
1995-2004 Toyota Steering Gear 44250-35042 | Toyota Parts

But it doesn’t come with the inner tie rods, unlike Rack Doctor or Cordone.

 

[Langcow1]

Heh - ok my bad - I should’ve just checked Ebay before posting! Found new OEM from a Toyota dealer with inner tie rods for $650.

Still, if anybody has any advice on Rack Doctor or Cardone I’d love to hear it since they are a bit cheaper

 

[Bad Luck]

Good news/bad news:

I found an OEM
1995-2004 Toyota Steering Gear 44250-35042 | Toyota Parts

But it doesn’t come with the inner tie rods, unlike Rack Doctor or Cordone.

That part number includes the inner tie rods FYI

 

[Langcow1]

Well thanks man - I owe you a beer!

I don’t know why they call you Bad Luck. You just saved me some $$

 

[Skulking]

When you replace the rack, you probably want to grab the "Gear Assembly Insulator" part number 45517-35010 separately as it does not come with the rack. It's the one bushing that is considered separate from the rack, and while you can install it later if you need to, it's easier to just do it with the rack. It is included in both the energy suspension and whiteline kits if you decide to just replace your bushings with aftermarket bushings.

 

[Langcow1]

Hey thanks for the tip. I was actually going to be asking about the bushings next. So far I’ve got upper and lower control arms and ball joints, the steering gear with the inner tie rods, outer tie rods and sway bar links.

When I look here for the Energy Suspension bushings, which ones should I get?
Suspension & Control Arm Bushing Kit - Toyota Bushing Kit

I figured the power steering rack bushings and the front sway bar bushings for sure. But there is also the “Complete front control arm bushing kit” and the “front control arm bushing set”. I’m not clear on the difference.

 

[Skulking]

Hey thanks for the tip. I was actually going to be asking about the bushings next. So far I’ve got upper and lower control arms and ball joints, the steering gear with the inner tie rods, outer tie rods and sway bar links.

When I look here for the Energy Suspension bushings, which ones should I get?
Suspension & Control Arm Bushing Kit - Toyota Bushing Kit

I figured the power steering rack bushings and the front sway bar bushings for sure. But there is also the “Complete front control arm bushing kit” and the “front control arm bushing set”. I’m not clear on the difference.

When you say you have upper and lower control arms, do you mean you have the bushings, or you have new upper and lower control arms? If you have new control arms already, I'd just keep the stock bushings in them. If you really want to replace the control arm bushings, I'd go with whiteline over energy suspension for those bushings specifically because the whitelines come with replacement sleeves and the energy suspensions don't.

 

[Langcow1]

Ok I understand. Sorry - I’m not super familiar with the front assembly but have been having a crash course reading threads on here. The upper control arms and upper ball joints are installed (Napa parts). The lower control arms and lower ball joints (OEM) have arrived and are sitting in my living room but I haven’t opened the boxes yet. The rest (all OEM) is still on order. I think the only thing I have left to order (hopefully) is the bushings.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Skulking]

Ok I understand. Sorry - I’m not super familiar with the front assembly but have been having a crash course reading threads on here. The upper control arms and upper ball joints are installed (Napa parts). The lower control arms and lower ball joints (OEM) have arrived and are sitting in my living room but I haven’t opened the boxes yet. The rest (all OEM) is still on order. I think the only thing I have left to order (hopefully) is the bushings.

Thanks for your help.

As far as the front end, the only other bushings you might want to replace are the sway bar and sway bar end link bushings. If you do replace the steering rack you should also replace the bushing I gave you a part number for above. That should cover all of the bushings in the front end except for the shocks which should just be done when you deal with shocks. When I replaced my rack I bought that bushing and then ended up going with energy suspension instead. I'll check tonight and see if I can find it, if I can it's yours if you want it.

 

[Langcow1]

Very cool - thanks man! Ok so to recap, I shouldn’t mix OEM and Energy Suspension bushings - either do it all one way, or the other?

 

[JDG2000]

I've got a new OEM rack in the box with the extra bushing just waiting to be installed. It hurt when I ordered it but i'm chilling now knowing that it will last the life of the truck.

I went with energy suspension for the sway bar and am just going to deal with those when i do the rack install.

This is what i got for the front sway bar. 8.5141 | Front Sway Bar Bushing - 26mm | Toyota 4Runner 96-09

Timmy the toolman did a video on installing a new steering rack if you're going to be doing it yourself.

 

[mtbtim]

You might find this video helpful.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wZoRP5ogrK0" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Skulking]

Very cool - thanks man! Ok so to recap, I shouldn’t mix OEM and Energy Suspension bushings - either do it all one way, or the other?

For the steering rack bushings I don't think it would really matter if you mixed OEM and polyurethane bushings, but if you do buy poly bushings, they come as a set so you may as well use them all. I did find the bushing in my parts box in the garage. PM me and we can figure out how to get it to you if you decide you want it.

 

[snydmax]

Very cool - thanks man! Ok so to recap, I shouldn’t mix OEM and Energy Suspension bushings - either do it all one way, or the other?

Energy suspension are great for the rack and sway bars (front and rear)

White line (if poly is desired) or OEM for the control arms... some good thread here. Some folks don’t like the ride with poly in the control arms


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[Langcow1]

How much better are the Energy Suspension rack bushings over OEM? Seems like everybody is saying they went with them over OEM, but then again this vehicle is a DD and light 4wd for going backpacking and XC skiing, not a hardcore offroad beast. I imagine the OEM are probably fine, though the Energy bushings don’t cost much. I’ll order the Energy for the sway bar for sure, regardless of which way I go with the rack.

 

[Skulking]

[MENTION=650077]Langcow1[/MENTION] I've tried to reply to your PM a couple of times, but I don't know if it is going through. Let me know if you haven't gotten a response or 3 from me.

 

[Langcow1]

Hey - I got your messages and had the same problem not knowing if my reply with my address went through. Let me know if you didn’t get it and I’ll re-send. PayPal already sent...!

 

[anniesball72]

Long story short - I think I need a new rack. Do you guys have any advice on where to get one?

I’m currently considering the new Cardone one here but am open to suggestions:

1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 3.4L V6 Rack and Pinion | RockAuto

How about Rack Doctor? I can’t find OEM. It seems they are discontinued.

This is for a ‘99 SR5 manual, 275,000 miles.

Camelback Toyota used to sell an OEM remanufactured rack. I purchased one a few years ago.....

 

[gamefreakgc]

How much better are the Energy Suspension rack bushings over OEM? Seems like everybody is saying they went with them over OEM, but then again this vehicle is a DD and light 4wd for going backpacking and XC skiing, not a hardcore offroad beast. I imagine the OEM are probably fine, though the Energy bushings don’t cost much. I’ll order the Energy for the sway bar for sure, regardless of which way I go with the rack.

I don't know that they are better, as they are stiffer. Less give than the OEM rubber bushings (which are still great by the way). This has been my experience and opinion:

Poly are great for the sway bar bushings and sway bar end link bushings. 4Runners have a lot of body roll especially when cornering so the extra firmness of the poly bushings provide extra stability.

I prefer the rubber bushings on the steering rack. I put poly ones on and noticed I felt a lot more vibrations and feedback through the steering wheel. I didn't really like this so when my rack leaked and needed to be replaced, I went back to OEM rubber. Some may prefer the extra feedback as it's up to each driver and what they like.

I have not replaced my control arm bushings so I cannot comment there.