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factory steering rack - where to buy?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Sundowner, Aug 3, 2015.

  1. Aug 3, 2015 at 4:23 AM
    #1
    Sundowner

    Sundowner [OP] Member

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    optional rusty everything has been progressively installed over the past 14 years
    Sigh - after literally bashing apart the front of my truck to replace pretty much everything that isn't the frame, it still sucks. new ball joints, new bearings, new rod ends, rebooted and packed the CV joints, and replaced Mr. Leaky, the steering rack. I've been shaking it down locally for the last 2 weeks, and it's been much better at low speed. Took it on the highway this weekend and its downright spooky how sloppy the steering is.

    I chased the issue down to the rebuilt steering rack. It's got a little slop in it, which isn't really noticeable at 40 mph, but is downright terrifying at 75 mph. My guess is that the Chinese kanji for "rebuilt" is suspiciously similar to the one for "repaint". Researching the issue here and elsewhere, it seems that rebuilt Tacoma racks are notoriously hit-and-miss for quality.

    So no more rebuilts for me. Does anyone know where to find the best (of just really good) price for a new Toyota steering rack? Prices I've found vary from low $500's-high $600's, which kinda sucks.
     
  2. Aug 3, 2015 at 4:52 AM
    #2
    ramonortiz55

    ramonortiz55 Not A Well-Known Member

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  3. Aug 3, 2015 at 9:36 AM
    #3
    keakar

    keakar Well-Known Member

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  4. Aug 3, 2015 at 11:11 AM
    #4
    Sundowner

    Sundowner [OP] Member

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    optional rusty everything has been progressively installed over the past 14 years
    that's the cheapest I've found, too.
    Still. $500 of ouch.
    hope rockauto doesn't give me much guff when I send back this POS steering rack.
     
  5. Aug 3, 2015 at 1:59 PM
    #5
    keakar

    keakar Well-Known Member

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    used to have - 99 2.4L I4 5 lug & 04 prerunner v6
    there is always the salvage yard or someone with a parts truck option, have you checked the for sale section?
     
  6. Aug 3, 2015 at 9:07 PM
    #6
    trx125

    trx125 Well-Known Member

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    #6
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  7. Aug 4, 2015 at 9:22 AM
    #7
    Brice

    Brice Turbo Member

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    I had to replace my pump and rack and here's how i did it. I went to the local O'Rielleys and bought a rack for $446 and a pump for around $50 bucks and that was my day
     
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  8. Aug 16, 2015 at 8:31 AM
    #8
    186000mps

    186000mps ..Slingin' up mud and we're scarying off bunnies..

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  9. Aug 17, 2015 at 12:46 PM
    #9
    motleycrue999

    motleycrue999 Active Member

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    My steering rack went out on my 2010 Tacoma at 70, 337 miles. I had an extended warranty that was good for 70,000 miles, my local dealership honored it because they were baffled that the steering rack went out at such low mileage. They replaced with the OEM rack that was quoted at $500.00.
     
  10. Aug 22, 2015 at 11:14 AM
    #10
    Keep on Truckin'

    Keep on Truckin' Well-Known Member

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    Not New but Excellent Rebuilt for $245 w/ Free Shipping ,Warranty ,etc. go to detroitaxle.com
     
  11. Aug 22, 2015 at 12:03 PM
    #11
    MtnClimber

    MtnClimber Well-Known Member

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    Nothing for a 2001 Taco on this site... booo
     
  12. Aug 22, 2015 at 12:29 PM
    #12
    Keep on Truckin'

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    on Ebay - detroitaxle-'95-'04 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 Complete Power Steering Rack & Pinion w/ 2outer tie rod ends - $ 245 w/ Free Shipping
     
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    #12
  13. Aug 22, 2015 at 5:53 PM
    #13
    Ritchie

    Ritchie Well-Known Member

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    What I found is you can't beat the old tried & true steering box... which means SAS as I want 4x4. My steering blows at the moment and has for about a year. It whines more than an unpaid hooker on Fridays!
    All parts are in for the SAS. Supposed to drop off at the shop next weekend for the install.
    I'll post after for the difference in performance which should be huge.
     
  14. Aug 22, 2015 at 9:28 PM
    #14
    quetzal

    quetzal Well-Known Member

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    Napa
     
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  15. Aug 22, 2015 at 9:34 PM
    #15
    Butterless Toast

    Butterless Toast Well-Known Member

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  16. Nov 3, 2015 at 9:56 PM
    #16
    MindFork

    MindFork Active Member

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    Thanks for that. I put one of their reman units in my taco and it seems like it was done right. They said the inner tie rods that come with it are OEM, although they seemed *slightly* looser than the new OEM units I had recently put on. I didn't feel like swapping them out, though so I'll keep my other ones as back-ups, just in case.
     
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  17. Nov 5, 2015 at 8:52 AM
    #17
    Laxtoy

    Laxtoy Dog is my backseat driver

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    The steering rack in these trucks suck, especially when you have 33's or bigger and wheel them.

    I am still limping my stock one along, I replaced the rack guide but it still pops and leaks.

    I went with a used one, it's sitting in the garage still, I think if you can, try finding one with low mileage, oem is your best bet and probably cheapest.

    The used ones on eBay are going for around $200 and most have some sort of warranty too.
     
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  18. Nov 19, 2015 at 1:21 PM
    #18
    geoyota760

    geoyota760 Allergic to pavement

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    I bought and just rec'd this brand new steering rack...

    partsgeek.com A1 Cardone New Tacoma Steering Rack

    A0ECC376-4960-4721-95F0-740E118F9319_0fdab7b7e77585ced4ef4a46be8c881c54d7ea15.jpg

    Since I am replacing the inner tie rods, I also ordered new Moog outer tie rod ends, also from partsgeek.com.

    [​IMG]

    This, combined with two EMPI CV axles was $586.00 delivered to California.

    It took 7 days from order placement to receipt.
     
  19. Nov 23, 2015 at 7:59 AM
    #19
    FirstGen Jer

    FirstGen Jer Well-Known Member

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    Question- I just purchased a 99'. The previous owner said he replace the cv's, ball joints and outer tie rods about a year ago. I have now noticed the rack boots have a tear and are leaking oil. Is the leak only from the torn boots? Or is there a bad seal inside? If so can I rebuild it or do I just need a whole new rack? Also am I doing damage with driving with a leaky rack? I check the fluid reservoir often and the level seems fine. Thanks for any help. Also the steering play all seems fine I have no issue that I can tell beside the leaky boots.
     
  20. Nov 23, 2015 at 5:46 PM
    #20
    Laxtoy

    Laxtoy Dog is my backseat driver

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    Sorry to say, if they're leaking from inside the boots, it's a seal inside the rack you can't replace that the rack slide goes through. This is often caused by a worn out rack guide that allows the rack slide to have excessive slop. You can try a new rack guide, Toyota stated putting them in 4Runners and Tacomas after a certain year. Google Tacoma rack guide and I guarantee you get a bunch of useful info with part numbers, diagnosis, etc.

    One way to diagnose if your rack guide is bad is to pull the boot back so you can see the rack slide and wiggle your steering wheel back and forth and see if you can see the slide deflect.

    Just an FYI, a lot of people replace these racks because they start to leak. Mine has been leaking for a long time, but since i replaced the rack guide it seems to have not gotten any worse so I just keep it going and it's stood up to lots of abuse so far. I have a spare out of an 03 4Runner on the garage floor for when the time comes this thing pukes.

    Some might also say it's unwise to run a leaky rack, but I figure the worse that will happen is I will lose power steering, which trying to steer with no hydraulics with 34's will be a nightmare, but I'll just limp it home and swap the rack.

    Trying to rebuild a rack is not something anyone I have heard of has undertook so I don't think anyone would recommend you going to the trouble. If you're worried about it, there are so many options to replace it, but none are that great because the inherent flaws of the steering rack's themselves
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2015
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