What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

Ok thanks.. sounds like fun

 

Ok I'm stuck.. How the hell do I get that thing off the old rack...????? Any ideas? This thing is pretty stuck on there..

 

If you're talking about getting that whole flange off the shaft then I'd suggest heating it up and pounding it off sorta like when you get an outer tie rod out of the steering knuckle. But be careful because ATF burns well. I have never changed a rack though, so maybe there is a simpler way, is there a detent and a ball holding it on there or only that one bolt (that you have already removed) compressing it on there?

 

Pretty sure just that one bolt. I'm going to try heat. Only bad thing is there really isn't a good spot to hit it with the hammer.

 

An air hammer is the only thing that worked for me

 

Are you trying to get that steering knuckle off? Cause I was thinking about a hammer and a "pickle fork" .

 

Hmm this thing is not moving at all.. Wishing I had an air hammer right now.

 

That sucks^ mine came right off, no problem what so ever.

 

Yea that's the thing in trying to get, what's a pickle fork?

Almost at the point of giving up. I've been trying to get this pos off for at least 1.5 hrs lol.

 

Put a nickel (or something similar) in the gap and thread a bolt in from the side closest to the camera here. That would spread the clamp. Also get some penetrating oil on there.

 

Maybe make one of these.


Out of one of these.

 

This is a pickle fork, you can get them for a air hammer also

 

^^^ thats what i used on mine.

 

There used for more than for ball joints lol

 

Phew... Got that POS off.. Only took me two hours of beating the living crap out of it with a hammer..

The thing about the nickel worked pretty well @cmj , I put ATF all over it.

I didn't end up finishing, when I got everything all back together I realized that I can't put that steering knuckle back on while the rack is secure to the frame.. So now I have to take it all apart again so I can put the steering knuckle back on.. FML....

I never want to replace a steering rack again. Lol.

 

Yeah it's not a fun project at all. I still have to go back and fix mine because I installed it a spline off. Make sure you have everything all centered up before you install.

 

A write up would be great! I probably wouldn't do it any time soon, because I don't have anything new that needs switches right now. I'd like to do it eventually for sure though. Don't worry about it if its too much trouble though. Really, no big deal. It'll be a long time before I have OBA or more lights. I've got brakes and rear suspension to tackle first.

 

Question for those who have done there own timing belt, did you buy all the parts locally? Online? I found kits on ebay that are supposed to include everything and use oem parts (Denso, bando, ngk, nsk, aisin, mitsuboshi). Should I piece out parts or has someone used the kits they sell or go with more known websites?

 

I used the kit from eBay for two tacomas now. Aircabinman was the seller. Perfect kit.

 

X2 it's the same kit I got just haven't put it on yet, all Toyota parts