New steering rack

[freshley]

Anyone recommend a good quality steering rack? Mine has been leaking for a while and is starting to make weird noises going around turns so I think it's time. I know everyone that takes their rigs off road says to get a safari rack but mine is a daily driver. No need to spend that much on a rack.
I looked at autozone and they have rebuilt A1 Cardone, Advance Auto has A1 Cardone, Napa carries reman. BBB industries which are rebuilt in Mexico. No thanks. RockAuto carries Cardone and AAE and I've seen others have bough AAE but haven't seen how much luck they have had.
I've seen new Toyota ones for $580 but that's out of the budget.

 

[4Running Daily]

Call these guys:

Safari LTD - Parts (New, Used Toyota, Lexus & Scion Parts)

 

[JayRolla]

Call these guys:

Safari LTD - Parts (New, Used Toyota, Lexus & Scion Parts)

He just said he wanted something cheaper. LOL

To the OP I would recommend OEM. Then the safari and after that nothing. I went with a toyatasteering.com rack and its junk. Cost me over $350 for the new one. If I did it again I think I would go try safari but again Ive heard of those failing too.

 

[4Running Daily]

He just said he wanted something cheaper. LOL

To the OP I would recommend OEM. Then the safari and after that nothing. I went with a toyatasteering.com rack and its junk. Cost me over $350 for the new one. If I did it again I think I would go try safari but again Ive heard of those failing too.

My point is there really aren't other options. A steering rack is a vital part of your vehicle. Yes they go out, it sucks, they're expensive. If you can't afford to replace the rack then sell the car. A steering rack going out is the same as a motor blowing up, just at a lesser extent. If your motor blows up and you can't afford to put a new one in, you sell the car. You don't put in another motor thats about to blow up (A used steering rack). And you don't put in a motor built by some dude name Joe (An Autozone Steering Rack). You put in something that will last, something with a great warranty(A Safari Steering Rack).

 

[JayRolla]

My point is there really aren't other options. A steering rack is a vital part of your vehicle. Yes they go out, it sucks, they're expensive. If you can't afford to replace the rack then sell the car. A steering rack going out is the same as a motor blowing up, just at a lesser extent. If your motor blows up and you can't afford to put a new one in, you sell the car. You don't put in another motor thats about to blow up (A used steering rack). And you don't put in a motor built by some dude name Joe (An Autozone Steering Rack). You put in something that will last, something with a great warranty(A Safari Steering Rack).

But you can put a low mileage motor in your car thats NOT blowing up. My point is I would trust a 100k mileage oem rack over any aftermarket one. Shit I got over 200k out of my stock rack. And my new one is failing in less than 20k.

 

[4Running Daily]

But you can put a low mileage motor in your car thats NOT blowing up. My point is I would trust a 100k mileage oem rack over any aftermarket one. Shit I got over 200k out of my stock rack. And my new one is failing in less than 20k.

Exactly, but why put in a 100k mile old rack. They will all fail eventually over 150k miles anyway, especially on a lifted vehicle. Why bandaid the problem? Drive on the old rack until you can afford to do it right the first time.

 

[SCRunner12]

Anyone deal with the rack doctor? I've read about quite a few Tacoma guys using them with good success and it has a lifetime warranty.

 

[JayRolla]

Exactly, but why put in a 100k mile old rack. They will all fail eventually over 150k miles anyway, especially on a lifted vehicle. Why bandaid the problem? Drive on the old rack until you can afford to do it right the first time.

Yes very true. If he cant afford it, a $50 oem is not a bad idea if its not leaking. I like having a clean driveway.

 

[Aelfwine]

I went with AAE rack from rockauto.com. Its new, not a reman and costs half of what you pay for oem. I also saw a thread somewhere where the AAE and a Safari rack were compared and they look exactly the same. Safari rack was said to be better because it has brass bushings. One of the guys in that thread opened the AAE rack up and discovered it also has brass bushings. Sorry I don't have a link for the thread but you can just google it.

 

[pluton]

Yes they go out, it sucks, they're expensive

Yes, but compared to the price for the new OEM steering box that Toyota used in the previous generation trucks and 4Runners($2400 before they ran out of them) the current new rack is a cheap part.
Of course, most folks with that generation vehicles bought rebuilt units for $350 or less, and those rebuilts usually lasted a long time.... something that apparently is no longer the case with today's rack and pinion units.

 

[Castaway]

I know a lot of people will disagree, but I just put a Rack and Pinion from Advanced Auto Parts in my truck. I can't remember for sure, but I think I had the option of buying a brand new one or a remanufactured one. I chose the new one (if I remember correctly).

Logic going into it was, Advanced is nearly everywhere and it came with a warranty from Advanced, now that I know how to do the swap it would probably only take 1 day (plus an alignment), and the nearest place I could get OEM parts was about 1.5hrs away (Advanced was in town).

If you are doing the swap yourself, you will need to remove the front stabilizer bar to get the rack out. I suggest getting the rubber bushings where the stabilizer attaches to the frame before you start (or at least inspect them for wear). I had to replace those bushings and it delayed the repair three days while Advanced shipped them in (all of my parts had to be shipped in, that Advanced did not stock Toyota parts).