for those that have replaced steering rack bushings

01t4rnr

01t4rnr

New member
Im an idiot.. I have a replacement rack and pinion bushing kit from Daystar here that i attempted to install last year. I almost stripped the center bolt nut , it wouldnt budge so i gave up and now finding out that the bolt has to come out from the top and the bottom side nut is welded, lol :redbrick:. Seems pretty tight up there so how did you guys get the center bolt loose and out? Everything else looks real easy, might have to jack front diff up since i have a diff drop to get long drivers side bolt out. Not 100% sure yet but looks to be close. Thanks
 
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It's extremely tight. That was the most frustrating one for me. You just have to work the rack until you can get it loose. I think it would have been WAY easier if I had just disconnected the tie-rod ends, but at the time I didn't know how easy it was to pop them out and back in.

Good luck. That bushing install is seriously the most aggravating thing I've ever done on any vehicle.
 
Haha, that was explicitly mentioned in the walkthrough that I followed, so you aren't the first to make that mistake.

Yeah, that middle bolt is a pain to reach, but I found I was able to get good leverage putting my arms in the right places. I used my breaker bar to just break the threads loose (I couldn't turn it more than maybe 10°, but it did the job). Little tip there, get a 12 point socket for the breaker bar and you are more likely to be able to fit the breaker bar on and be able to turn it. Be sure you spray with PB blaster though as the 12-points don't get as good a bite as the 6's, though on a hardened bolt like that one, it shouldn't be a big deal.

After that I was able to fit a socket wrench up there. It was still a pain, but totally doable
 
thanks guys, i was wondering how to maneuver a breaker bar in there somewhere but if youve done it id imagine i can find someway to get leverage on it. wouldnt expect to get much out of each turn but if i can loosen it im good. how long do you think it took you guys to do it and is the rack a pain in the ass to get back in and lined up?
 
01t4rnr said:
thanks guys, i was wondering how to maneuver a breaker bar in there somewhere but if youve done it id imagine i can find someway to get leverage on it. wouldnt expect to get much out of each turn but if i can loosen it im good. how long do you think it took you guys to do it and is the rack a pain in the ass to get back in and lined up?
Click to expand...

Oh man, it took me like 4 hours, but I messed up and wasted a bunch of time. My Energy Suspension kit came with multiple metal collars, and they had put the center bushings on the wrong one. I didn't realize this until I wasted a bunch of time trying to force it in despite it being too big. Eventually I realized my mistake, and the right one slid right in.

If I did it again, it would probably be about 1.5 hours.

Lining it up wasn't bad, you will have to lift the wheel off the ground to get enough play, but no big deal.
 
Nelsonmd said:
Oh man, it took me like 4 hours, but I messed up and wasted a bunch of time. My Energy Suspension kit came with multiple metal collars, and they had put the center bushings on the wrong one. I didn't realize this until I wasted a bunch of time trying to force it in despite it being too big. Eventually I realized my mistake, and the right one slid right in.

If I did it again, it would probably be about 1.5 hours.

Lining it up wasn't bad, you will have to lift the wheel off the ground to get enough play, but no big deal.
Click to expand...


just what i needed to hear. i plan on taking off the front wheels anyways, should take qutie a bit of pressure off of the rack:thanks:
 
I'm getting ready to do this on Monday...thanks for the tips. I'll have an extra hand helping, so I think it should be a decent job.
 
I layed under there and got the breaker bar all lined up. I had my dad reach up the car and yank on it. MUCH more leaverage when standing hahah
 
twitchee2 said:
I layed under there and got the breaker bar all lined up. I had my dad reach up the car and yank on it. MUCH more leaverage when standing hahah
Click to expand...

Wait, reach from where? Was he standing on the side of the truck....like by the front wheel? Just trying to get a mental picture....
 
I broke all the bolts loose with the truck on ramps. That gave me enough room to work and I was more courageous than I would have been with jackstands, which I used after that.

When it comes time to install, the C-clamp is the key. It made everything easier.

And yeah, I started on the bottom welded nut, too. The write-up I had then was not as clear as some more recent ones.
 
quicksilvr said:
Wait, reach from where? Was he standing on the side of the truck....like by the front wheel? Just trying to get a mental picture....
Click to expand...

Leaned down by pass front wheel, reached left arm under and pushed off the tire. Same thing to torque it up to 148 or what ever it was except he was on the driver side. that one was a kind of a stretch.
 
The ones on the tacos seem to be a lil easier to get to! I dont remember them being that as the Runners are! Good luck and just take your time! Dont feel bad their are probally alot of peeps out there that didnt know that nut is welded. They are just Skeered to admit it! I done it twice forgetting That it was welded. Long time between changing the bushing out!

You SAC it and get rid of the steering rack! But that would be another can of worms you would open! I'll never due another SAC
 
Ive changed my rack bushing twice (once with the rack on, and once with my remanufactured rack off the vehicle) and I sware that it would have been very difficult without penetrating oil. Good penetrating oil works wonders. I would recommend putting it on the nuts/bolts 48 and then 24 hours before working on it. Just let it soak in there.
 
Wow...am I the only one whose bottom nut wasn't welded in? I just put an open end on the top and zapped the bottom with an impact gun and it came right out...this seems like a pain- I'm glad the welds broke lol
 
* update *

Finally got rack bushings put in Saturday by myself and i definitely agree its a big pain in the arse for sure. Center bolt wasnt too bad to get out. Had to use a break bar and i could get a good range of motion but you cant see the head of the bolt so you kinda have to feel for it. Very awkward positions and some choice words it came out. All others were real simple and easy, had to take out drivers side diff drop to lift diff enough to clear the drivers side bolt. Got rack loose and thought i was home free, wrong. The new bushings are very tight to get in the holes and damn near impossible to do without a C clamp (which i didnt have btw) . Even harder once you get bushings in the holes to get the sleeve inserted. I took a long bolt for the center rack with wide washers top and bottom and tightened it down to pull bushings together. worked out great until trying to put rack in, top half bushing was barely sticking out and wouldnt clear the bracket that the bolt runs through.By then i was in a piss poor mood and ready to get done. Long story short i used the bottom half bushing only for the center rack, its tight as it can be the way its setup so it wont make any difference whatsover as far as movement. Drivers side gave me no real trouble but this entire job was not easy. It never fails for me , the things that should be simple always kick my butt (rear shocks also) I can now do both fairly easy if i had to do again but i will recommend at least a breaker bar and a small C clamp to press new bushings in. Its not hard at all but very aggravating to say the least, took me about 3.5 hours start to finish. Last time i drove on a local rutted up dirt road it was all over the place and couldnt do much over 5-10 mph. I tried it this morning and even at 20mph it stays planted, big difference in handling. :bigok:
 
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