Need some advise for my 2007 4Runners LCA bushings and PS rack

[Dry-fly]

So we’re going on a long road trip in about a month and I have my 4Runner at a local Toyota only repair place I trust a lot getting a look over. I just got a quick phone call saying my steering rack is leaking badly and the lower control arm bushing are shot. Now, before y’all say do it yourself.... know that I would, but I have had two spinal fusions and cant anymore. I use to be into off roading a lot as well as doing my own mods, alas some of those days are gone....

Anyway, my mechanic is getting back to me in the AM with estimates but I thought I’d hit y’all up with a couple of questions. Is there any other preventative stuff that should be done while in there? Won’t he be in the vicinity of the control arms anyway doing the steering rack? Any idea what this is going to come back costing? I’m in the DFW of Texas. Thanks for the help guys! BTW, my 4Runner is a 2007 V8, 4x4 Limited with 184k on it.

 

[DZNUTS]

You may want to do fresh wheel bearings if they’ve never been done.


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[timbo_slice]

You may want to do fresh wheel bearings if they’ve never been done.


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If your car has seen a lot of water Dznuts has a good point...

I would say check the lower ball joints if he is taking the lower control arm off that is the main contact point so he is halfway there. Check your CV's make sure the boots are in good shape and are not torn if you are 4x4.

 

[4RunnerMexico]

Be prepared for an expensive quote....

In total for a steering rack and replacing LCA bushings Id say the quote will be over 2 grand.

 

[Cloud9]

Find a good independent shop. I'd do it for you if you drive here.

 

[Acw137]

What did it cost?

I have a similar issue with my 2001 T4R (150k) and would like to know what you paid. My mechanic says an end seal on my power steering rack is leaking, the rack needs replacing, and he says that to do this, the control arms will probably need replacing too, because of something to do with the control arm bushing being seized up in T4Rs as old as ours. I’m not a mechanic! Does his advice make sense and sound reasonable? He’s quoting over $2k.

 

[SeanWN86]

Be prepared for an expensive quote....

In total for a steering rack and replacing LCA bushings Id say the quote will be over 2 grand.

With parts absolutely.

My advice, do it yourself. You can't though. So definitely negotiate a deal on doing the steering rack with LCA's. Half the work on each is shared, shouldn't pay twice for it.

Get OEM LCA's, or atleast the OEM bushings if your ball joint is still good. But at that mileage, buy whole new units.
Make sure they tighten/torque while the vehicle is on the ground. So the suspension and arms are in their normal state. If they tighten while on the lift you'll destroy those new LCA's in very short order and they'll clame it was the product.
As far as touching other stuff while in there, I'd have them check wheel bearings and the CV's.

 

[pahaf91]

might be pretty expensive if the mechanic wont be able to take out the alignment cams. They are famous for getting seized. I had to spend an extra 2 hours getting one cam out that was stuck on my 4runner.