How to change the rack and pinion steering -2nd gen V6

Any auto parts chain store will have pickle forks, as will Harbor Freight. Just make sure you have an air hammer handy if you are going to attempt doing those bushings. I didn't, and is why I just left mine alone.

 

I don’t have an air hammer but I’ve heard getting the bushings out of a new rack is easier than a used rack. Guess I’ll find out if that’s true or not...

And I’m in no hurry to get this done. I’m actually working on some other stuff with the truck today and will be cleaning out enough room in the garage later to pull the truck in and get the front end in the air. My plan is to swap the bushings and then work on the steering rack removal a few evenings this week. Hopefully by the time I get it out the rest of my parts will be here. Then I can start the process of reinstalling everything.

Once that’s done, I’m going to go ahead and install my new suspension since I’ll already have most of the front end of the truck apart anyway. This will definitely be a marathon, not a sprint and since I have a spare car and nowhere I really need to go, I’m perfectly ok with that.

 

Just finished installing a new rack. Everything went very smooth. Took about 2.5-3 hours total. Hardest part was connecting and separating the steering shaft. Drop the front diff bolts and the rack slides right out. I cut the old bolt with a sawzall.

 

Awesome. Fingers crossed I have the same experience. Although, I’m still having trouble confirming which bolts I need... I know there are two different lengths and the dealership website tells me neither one fits my truck. WTF?

 

I used the 4wd bolt. Exact match

 

Perfect. I just ordered two of those, two of the nuts, two of the outer tie rod adjustment nuts and the three mounting bolts for the power steering lines. I already have the new rack, energy suspension bushings and new lines. Now I just need some pickle forks and I’ll be good to go.

 

my CVJ axels arrive Thursday.....

 

I guess my truck wanted to give me another quarantine project. After going outside last night to throw some anechoic pads in the front doors (won from secondskinaudio), I noticed this....




My initial thought was...that's not from my truck. But then common sense took over and realized how fresh it looked, despite the strange location of the spill. Upon further inspection, noticed the fluid dripping onto the LCA and down from there....


Pic of passenger side and bushing for fun.





I know a lot have gone w/ the cardone, but I may just get new OEM. It's about 600 for the assembly w/ new outer tie rod ends and bolts.

 

Just want to say Thank You to everyone who contributed to this thread. I changed the steering rack out of my girlfriends 2011 DCSB Tacoma TRD-OR with 130k mi on it this past week. It had been leaking PS fluid for a little while now and I kept refilling it as a temporary means and finally was able to get around to changing out the rack. I take her truck to Firestone for their alignments and they told me the steering rack had to be replaced (which I already knew) and they gave me a quote of $1400 or so. I thought I could do better than that and being that I've never changed one before looked up tutorials on here and Youtube on how to do it. Looked like it was something I was capable of doing so I went ahead and plunged right in. Knowing me though there's always something that always does and can go wrong and it typically takes me 2-3x the time to do it LOL.

This tutorial was also very helpful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf48eGo0n9g

I ordered the Toyota OEM Steering rack 44250-04030. I'm a sucker for OEM parts and it being her DD I figure it's good for another 100k mi before it needs to be changed. Got it from Toyota of Marietta for $560 w/ free shipping. Decided against changing out the outer tie rods since they were in okay shape and I'll change those down the road if need be. Got all the parts in, had a free weekend and this is where the fun starts.

Her truck was a Colorado and Utah truck. It's not the rust belt or NE but they use salt out there in the mountains so there is some rust. Still however this caused some problems that lead to a lot of aggravation. I sprayed some rust penetrate on the bolts and joints I knew I'd have to loosen up the the night before. I'd say everything that required a little to a lot more effort to remove because of the rust issue. From loosening the OTR from steering knuckle, to the OTR jam nut being sized, removing the ITR, to separating the steering rack from steering shaft. Everything just took more effort and time than expected. For me one of the BIGGEST PITA was separating the steering rack from the steering shaft. I only removed one of the bolts (not all 3) so perhaps thats where I went wrong? but I did see a tutorial where only one bolt needed to be removed so I went with that. Used a pry bar and flat head to try and open up the u-joint a bit. Then I really had to after it with a hammer and pry bar to separate the rack from shaft. I'm not sure how long it took but it was very frustrating. I'm sure an air hammer would have worked well here but not something I had access to. So after all that I was able to remove old rack.

Now onto centering the new rack. Most tutorials I've seen the rack can turn about 3.5 times so half way should be around 1.75 turns. For some reason mine went a little more than 3.5 turns, more like 3.625. So I turned it 1.75 and then just a touch more figuring that was good enough. Putting the new rack in and getting the shaft in wasn't too bad. Just required a few hits from the backside of the U-joint to get it to fit snug. Now the next mystery is what do I do with the OTR jam nut being seized on. I had to get it off somehow. Tried clamps and locking pliers to no avail. Called all the auto stores and none of them around me had the M16x1.5 fine thread nut. The closest home depot to me that had one was 1 hr away. So I decided to drive to my local firestone where I get my alignments and ask if they could remove the nut for me. Thankfully the manager asked one of the techs to remove them and he gladly did it with a torch and bench clamp. I was very thankful for that since it was basically Sunday afternoon and my only resort was to drive 1hr to a Home Depot that had what I needed. Got everything back together and while I'm putting the castle nut on the driver side OTR the nut and bolt start to spin together. Fubar. Ran to Auto Zone to get a Duralast OTR for now.

Put the wheels back on, lowered the car, and the moment of truth had come. Steering wheel was about 30-degrees off clockwise. UGH. Don't know how or why it wasn't centered but it was late Sunday night so I figure I'd just have to fix it somehow the next day. So now for the second crack at it. Kept the OTRs on, removed rack bolts, and the steering shaft u-joint bolt. Separating the rack from shaft still proved to be a challenge and source of frustration. Aligned it to where I thought it would be straight from my match marks and then put everything back together. Steering was now 45-degrees off counter clockwise. WTF!!! During the test drive I also manged to break my spiral cable/clock spring so now that's gonna get to get fixed. TBH I felt pretty dejected. Considered getting back at it again the next day but honestly my mind and body needed a break. Drove with the steering off-centered and with the airbag light on for 2 days before trying again. I think where I went wrong (both times) was when you put the new rack in and put the rack and shaft back together there's always a little shift and movement that you might not see or notice. Any push or tug of the tie rod will also turn the spline and any small movements make a big difference when centering it.

Alright so for the 3rd crack at it. Really though it out, made match marks for where my steering rack was centered and where the steering wheel was centered. Went through the entire process of loosening the rack and shaft however this time the rack separated from the shaft very easily. Aligned it up once again and put it all back together, everything went along much quicker the 3rd time. FINALLY it was centered while driving. What a relief.

I guess my only recommendations would be this. If you have any rust issues or concerns I would get be prepared to get replacement hardware. Rack bolt & nut, OTR jam nuts, OTR if need be, and new O-rings as well. Pry bar and hammer are good but if you have access to an air hammer man that would be good. And make sure the match marks line up even after you get it all put back in as I think I got confused with placement on mine which lead to problems with centering I had.

So as a green shade mechanic who doesn't quite have the skill or know how I am happy I got the job done, even if it took 3 tries to center it. Things break, things go wrong but you learn to roll with the punches. Even after all this and a broken spiral cable which I need to fix I'd do it myself again. If it weren't for rust, seized nuts, broken tie rod ends, and mis-aligning things (my fault) I'd rate it as a moderate job. Now I just need to fix the clock spring which in my mind seems easy enough but you never know considering my history...

 

Anyone figure out why the rack leaks but the resi doesn't drop? I have the leak in mine that I posted up there but my reservoir fluid is still in the same place. Hasn't dropped.

 

So this might be a bit of a side track to this thread, but Im in the process of acquiring some trail spares. Inner rod, outer rod end, and a boot.

Looking at Beck/Arnley boots as they are priced reasonably and have been recommended on here.

Having been up close and personal to the OEM racks, does anyone know if a left boot would fit the right and vice versa? According to the P/N's theres a left and a right:

$21 103-3070 Steering Rack Boot Kit

103-3070, 103-2881. It looks like they could be interchanged in a pinch, but I havent been up close to the rack when its out of the truck so Im wondering if yall might know something I dont.

 

I believe they are different, the Driver side is longer.

 

Yeah the non-bellows portion of the right boot is longer. But the tie rods are the same, which makes me think it could work. Idk haha

 

You quoted a very old post of mine. My PS pump had failed (hence no hydro assist until I replaced that) and while the rack end seals may have sprung a minuscule leak the moisture/grime buildup on the bottom of my inner tie rod boots was actually residual lube from servicing my uniball UCA’s.

 

Any suggestions on how to get the lower tie rod end off when it’s stuck? I’m changing the torn rack and pinion boot and need to remove the lower part first. I tore the debris boot trying to get it free from the knuckle so I went back and bought a new lower tie rod. Now that it’s free I can’t un screw it. I’ve tried PB blaster and I’ve torched it for 5 min and still can’t get it loose. I’m sure someone has discussed this in here before but I couldn’t find it. Thanks ow yeah and my Tacoma is a 07 sr5 4.0 4x4

 

Lower Ball joint? Tie rods are considered inner and outer.

 

Well, I finally started this project today and after about 4 hours I think I’m gonna call it for now... Pretty much everything fought me, except the tie rod ends. Those came out of the steering knuckle without any issue. But that was about the only thing that went right.

At this point I’ve got the hoses mostly out (cut the high pressure hose into three pieces rather than trying to loosen it from the rack), the passenger side bolt is out and the driver’s side bolt is loose. I’m going to have to cut some off the bottom or try to cut it in half to get it out (totally expected that). But my biggest issue is the steering shaft... I can’t get it to budge. I removed all three bolts, sprayed it with PB Blaster, drove a chisel into the gap and tried just about everything I could to get it to let go. No dice. It’s f*cking stuck.

My next move will be to spray it again and let it sit while I find an air hammer. Can’t think of anything else other than maybe heating it up with a torch. Either way, power steering rack - 1, Nick - 0

 

So I had my local shop install the rack and I'm not sure they centered the unit before installing the outer tie rods. Can anyone tell me approximately how many threads I should see on each of the inner tie rod ends where the outer tie rod is installed and lock but torqued? I've got almost no threads showing on the driver side and several threads showing on the passenger side.

 

Phenomenal write-up!!! Thank you for taking the time to post this. I have to replace my R&P along with both intermediate shafts (#1 and #2)/rag joint. This write-up will certainly help me out a ton. Appreciate you!

 

Dealership quoted me just over $1500 to replace my R&P in my 2009 DC Prerunner TRD Sport 2WD. OEM rack and pinion on oemgenuineparts.com (OEM Toyota Parts) is $533, so that is roughly $1000 in labor. I know this will be a PITA job to do, but willing to tackle this to save $1000.