Steering rack and alignment help

I took the truck in to Les Schwab today to get an alignment ($56) in preparation of mounting 35's. I wanted to make sure I could get over 2.4 caster and everything else be at 0.

After about an hour wait they came back and told me the steering rack had too much play and that they couldn't align the truck. I took a look at the truck while it was up and the bushings were toast, there was a little play you could feel when steering. There was also some seeping on the rubber boots, the lower half looked like it was coated with a light film of old oil.

They quoted me $884 out the door to replace it with an alignment, but it's not a factory steering rack. I looked up the part online and it's $684 plus shipping for a factory steering rack. I called the dealer to get a quote for the same job and it was $1900, $1100 of that was for the rack itself. They did say however that they will install the steering rack, if I brought them a factory one.

So my questions are:

1. Should I spend the extra $100 to get the rack from Les Schwab even though it's not a factory part?

2. Should I buy the part myself and have Toyota install it?

3. Should I install it myself? How difficult is it?

4. Can my current rack be rebuild, or replaced with something else that's stronger?

 

What bushings were bad? Just the mounting bushings? You can buy better bushing kits.

Or is the rack significantly leaking? Lea Schwab loves to replace stuff. They also love to use impacts for everything and over torque/break bolts, nuts and wheel studs.

 

That's part of it, but when steering back and forth if you put your hand on the boot you can feel the tie rods have play.

 

I'm also looking at the steering rack from Safari LTD. Anyone have experience with that one?

 

Inner Tie rod ends are like $30 each.

I'm just saying, make sure there is an actual problem with the rack. I don't know how many miles are on the truck or what exactly is going on, but if you don't know, take it somewhere else for another opinion.

I stopped letting les schwab touch my rigs years ago. They broke things during most tire rotations. They love to replace parts. Good thing they didn't have a rack on the shelf because they likely would have just installed it without asking, and billed you for it. They are famous for doing that type of stuff around here. More than once, I brought in a truck for tire rotation and they handed me a bill for a new battery and installation. Claiming that my battery tested bad and they went ahead and replaced it for me for only $180. I made them reinstall my old battery that was working fine and left.

Their other common move is brakes. "Your brake pads are worn. They are unsafe. We need to replace them, but do not replace individual components. We have to sell pads, rotors and calipers as a complete kit, it is the only way."

If the rack is bad replace it. Just trying to help you out and suggest a second opinion from another shop.

For what it's worth I have not had good experiences with remanufatured steering racks.

 

I hear ya Brian. I just got home and took off all the skid plates to see how hard it is to drop. For sure I need to replace the bushings. I think everything else is fine.

They did see my Camburg uniballs and said one was squeaking excessively, and said the same thing you just mentioned. The guy told me I should replace it, but not just one but both. I said on hot days the lube dries out and they squeak.

Well, I guess I'll find another shop to get an alignment. LS told me they wouldn't adjust the caster to 2.4+ anyway, so I guess what's the point.