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Rack and pinion bushings replacement question

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by rudo, Jul 26, 2018.

  1. Jul 26, 2018 at 12:47 AM
    #1
    rudo

    rudo [OP] Member

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    I'm a new owner and one of the things noted by my mechanic as needing to be fixed was the rubber rack and pinion bushings. I did a little research and ordered a polyurethane set made by Energy. My question is I saw in a couple of youtube videos the mechanic used some type of grease on all the bushings. I'm wondering if I need a special type of grease for Toyota or if anyone has any recommendations on what to use. Thank you


    https://www.summitracing.com/parts/.../model/tacoma/submodel/pre-runner?prefilter=1
     
  2. Jul 26, 2018 at 12:50 AM
    #2
    E30325

    E30325 Well-Known Member

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    I need to do this to my truck too, I wouldn't think they would need any grease, maybe just to help get them in easier?
     
  3. Jul 26, 2018 at 12:52 AM
    #3
    rudo

    rudo [OP] Member

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    I think its to keep them from squeaking and possibly get them in easier.
     
  4. Jul 26, 2018 at 12:53 AM
    #4
    E30325

    E30325 Well-Known Member

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    I was gonna say noise too, can't hurt anything I wouldn't think
     
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  5. Jul 26, 2018 at 6:01 AM
    #5
    tony2018

    tony2018 Well-Known Member

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    the lithium grease that comes with the poly bushings keeps it from squeaking. It does help getting the bushing in easier as well.
     
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  6. Jul 26, 2018 at 7:30 AM
    #6
    Dalandser

    Dalandser ¡Me Gustan Las Tacos-mas!

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  7. Jul 26, 2018 at 7:35 AM
    #7
    01GreenTacoma

    01GreenTacoma Well-Known Member

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    I put plenty of grease on mine when I did the upper/lower control arms and rack bushings. I had seen where some people had complained of lots of squeaking when the bushings get dry. So far I have had mine in for 1.5 years and no noise yet.
     
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  8. Jul 26, 2018 at 10:28 AM
    #8
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

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    Both, really.

    IIRC, my ES bushings came with some lube.

    BUT IMO it doesn't really matter, I've used plenty of just regular old marine grease. Nothing special.
     
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  9. Jul 26, 2018 at 1:02 PM
    #9
    rudo

    rudo [OP] Member

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    Crazy. I ordered these bushings last night at around midnight and the box was delivered this morning at 11am from hundreds of miles away. Fastest shipping ever lol....
     
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  10. Jul 26, 2018 at 3:16 PM
    #10
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

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    Yeah, that seems to happen to me with the stuff I DON'T need right away.

    I've done the Amazon "free next day" shipping twice, and both times it didn't show up for a couple more days. I mean, it was at least free, but don't get my hopes up like that!
     
  11. Jul 26, 2018 at 3:22 PM
    #11
    E30325

    E30325 Well-Known Member

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    Same, free two day with prime and it takes like 4 days
     
  12. Jul 26, 2018 at 3:24 PM
    #12
    jbrandt

    jbrandt Made you look

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    BUT IT'S FREE.

    so not like you can get a refund, lol.
     
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  13. Jul 26, 2018 at 3:28 PM
    #13
    01GreenTacoma

    01GreenTacoma Well-Known Member

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    Where did you happen to order them from?
     
  14. Jul 26, 2018 at 4:45 PM
    #14
    rudo

    rudo [OP] Member

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    Summit racing from that link in the first post.
     
  15. Jul 26, 2018 at 4:48 PM
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    01GreenTacoma

    01GreenTacoma Well-Known Member

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    Ahh yes, I see now. I ordered mine from summit as well and their shipping dept is excellent.
     
  16. Jul 26, 2018 at 10:20 PM
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    Timmah!

    Timmah! Well-Known Member

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  17. Jul 26, 2018 at 10:37 PM
    #17
    zero4

    zero4 Metal Cutter

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    You don't need grease for the steering rack bushings, they just support the steering rack. You only need to grease the poly bushings that pivot, like suspension bushings. Grease will just make them easier to install but not necessary. I've installed 2 sets of ES steering rack bushings on my truck now, never used grease, never made any noises, and was easy to install without grease.
     
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  18. Jul 26, 2018 at 10:40 PM
    #18
    Dalandser

    Dalandser ¡Me Gustan Las Tacos-mas!

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    The place that rebuilt my rack painted it w/o any bushings in it. I had to press the two bolt bushings in with a c-clamp and grease and even then it was a challenge. Of course this apparently isn't the case for everyone...

    Other people have complained of squeaking - maybe they weren't torqued to spec?
     
  19. Jul 26, 2018 at 10:52 PM
    #19
    zero4

    zero4 Metal Cutter

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    A bit of paint shouldn't make it much harder to put in but who knows, I'm still running my original rack. I mean yeah you can't push them in by hand. For any poly bushing I always insert the bushings first, then insert the sleeve using a dead blow hammer or using my Knipex Cobra pliers, Channel Locks would be the same. C-clamp would work too, just slower. For the 2 rack bushing with sleeves, I used pliers to squeeze the sleeves in.

    Don't know about the squeaking, my first set I installed 12 yrs ago, no grease, didn't torque to spec, no squeaking. My second set I installed a couple of weeks ago, no grease, this time I did torque to spec, no squeaking either. Point of these bushings is to keep the rack from moving, well excessively, of course it is going shift side to side slightly. I don't see why they would squeak, if anything, possibly the D shaped bushing but never in my experience.

    Hmm, maybe those with squeaking didn't clean the rack first where the bushings go?
     
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  20. Jul 26, 2018 at 10:57 PM
    #20
    Dalandser

    Dalandser ¡Me Gustan Las Tacos-mas!

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    I spied those pliers in a picture you posted elsewhere - they look really sweet. The game I played was insert both bushings, get the sleeve in through the first one, try to get it through the second one, but inevitably push out the second one with the sleeve, and then tap in the second one with a mallet enough to line up and squeeze it all together with the clamp. Hard to say if the paint made any appreciable difference, but they were a bit of a pain to get in - much more so than the lower control arm bushings I installed that same day!
     
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