New rims tires and tie rods tomorrow
- Thread starter wrpsuite
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
NJ-4Runner
Member
I am going to go out on a limb here and state that unless those steering rack bushings are shot that is NOT going to be worth doing. You would have to remove the rack and burn some of those bushings out with a torch to replace them. Removing the rack alone is is a chore.....ask me how I know I just replaced mine. Not too much fun.
Endlessblockades
Senior Member
Pictures or it didn't happen....
Endlessblockades
Senior Member
Pictures or it didn't happen....
I guess I dont know what bushings your talking about..as the mounting bushings are an easy replace...no burning needed. Replaced mine with poly and took out a lot of vibration and slop.
If your talking internal and seals...well thats a big chore and yes I think the rack has to come out for that.
Can you clarify ?
phattyduck
Elite Member
Agreed. It wasn't hard to remove the OEM bushings on both an old (original) and new rack to put poly in place. The rubber is soft enough that they can be pushed/pried out by hand, basically.
-Charlie
NJ-4Runner
Member
My bad. I just went outside and took a look at the rack I just took out. I assumed those 2 rubber bushings that the bolts go through were the metal-ringed pressed in style bushings...like in a traditional control arm. Those 2 are only simple rubber bushings that seemed they would push out pretty easily. You would still have to take the rack out of teh truck to replace them though.
Not necessarily. If you live where the roads are salted, this job becomes an instant b*tch. The rag joint bolts get rusted to sh*t and the fitting on the supply line has a tendency of seizing onto the steel line. Not to mention dealing with tranny fluid running down your armpits.
Why would anyone want to do all of the above when they can simply remove the old bushings by hand?
Malcolm99
Member
Agreed, no burning, no OTRE/ITRE removal, no rack removal needed for the bushing replacement, ask me how i know. The rack just gets moved back a bit after you remove the 2 rag joint bolts and rack mounting hardware, its wise to mark the rack and lock the steering so goes back on the exact same spot.
Last edited:
NJ-4Runner
Member
Yes you are correct. This is one of the reasons that I joined the forum was to get good info like this.
I just did my rack but I forget if you are able to move the rack back without loosening the 12mm pinch bolt on the upper portion of the rag joint and slipping the upper rag joint up the shaft a little. The upper half of my rag joint was seized to the steering shaft and wasn't able to slide it up and down freely until I took it off the shaft, PB Blastered it, wire brushed it, ran a pick up and down the splines, etc. It took a lot to get that upper joint moving. Is it necessary to be able to move the upper portion of the rag joint up the steering shaft in order to slide the rack back?
Malcolm99
Member
There probably is enough play between the steering shaft u-joint and rag joint, but thats pretty rough on that little shaft, and it does take some prying it get that rack out of its home, I used a rubber mallet & a ratchet strap to put it back in place, I would take the time to remove the 2 rag joint bolts to make things easier.
The pinch bolt only needs to be free'd up if you do a body lift or notice creaking in steering, if your off by one spline you'll notice it, if so, get the wheels straight, loosen that pitch bolt, hop in the truck and move the steering to centre, tighten pinch bolt, drive it and hope you got it right, there is another under the dash that is much easier to adjust aswell. You want everything where it was originally ideally keeping that steering wheel in its place so you don't bugger up the clock spring( 360* off) and/or have a crooked steering wheel.
The pinch bolt only needs to be free'd up if you do a body lift or notice creaking in steering, if your off by one spline you'll notice it, if so, get the wheels straight, loosen that pitch bolt, hop in the truck and move the steering to centre, tighten pinch bolt, drive it and hope you got it right, there is another under the dash that is much easier to adjust aswell. You want everything where it was originally ideally keeping that steering wheel in its place so you don't bugger up the clock spring( 360* off) and/or have a crooked steering wheel.
Dieselchessy
New member
I just did this a few days ago. I undid the bolts holding the rack and also had the tie rods lose cause I was replacing lower controll arm bushings. Likely only need to remove the drivers side if any.
You only pull the rack back a few inches. Just enough to get a big C clamp in to push the bushings about half out. After that you can pull them out by hand.
I then used the clamp to squeeze the poly bushings in.
I used some cord to tie the rack to the sway bar mounts so it was hanging from the cord and not the rag joint.
You only pull the rack back a few inches. Just enough to get a big C clamp in to push the bushings about half out. After that you can pull them out by hand.
I then used the clamp to squeeze the poly bushings in.
I used some cord to tie the rack to the sway bar mounts so it was hanging from the cord and not the rag joint.
Kanoe
New member
You absolutely do not need to undo any of the tie rods. Putting the front end on jack stands allows both front wheels to turn out as you move the rack back. No need to risk messing up alignment over this. (of course you were there anyway with the other work)
Last edited:
