Another Rack Thread

Hello everyone, it's been a while. Time to do some more work on my truck.

1998 Tacoma 4x4 V6 SR5 TRD

Sorry for any redundancy in questions or repeating stuff that may be found elsewhere, I did look first...

After watching some of Timmy the Toolman's great videos, ready to tackle upgrading my steering.

Ordered a new rack and pinion from an online Toyota parts dealer. I was going to upgrade the guide, but noticed in one of his videos the same rack part number I ordered (4250-35042) looked like it already had the recessed rack guide nut installed (45524-37010). Does that recessed rack hex head guide nut typically indicate the upgraded guide?

Ordered OEM tie rods, RT side:

$67 45046-39295 Toyota Tie Rod End - 45046-39295

45046-39295 LT side: 45047-39175

Also replacing the bushings with the Energy polyurethane ones, and putting on OEM outer tie rods.

My current rack has the protruding hex head on the rack.

Anything else I should do/upgrade while swapping the rack?

Planning on trying to flush the power steering pump with fresh fluid as well while I have the lines disconnected (how would one tell the condition of the pump as well?)

Thanks

 

When was the last time your lower ball joints were replaced? Or your control arm bushings?

When I put in new poly LCA bushings, new UCAs, outer TREs and balljoints, it felt like a new truck. (King shocks probably didn't hurt, lol)

 

I've replaced everything else in the suspension, about a year and a half ago. The alignment shop noticed some play in my steering and pointed out the rack and pinion bushings were toast, so now putting in the polyurethane bushings. True, when I did the ball joints and stuff before, definitely felt tight, smooth and no noise at all.

I guess my recurring most important question is the newer teflon fixed steering guide vs the older roller, is it just looking at the hex head vs recessed hex to confirm the style on the rack?

jbrandt - side note, what size/style kings do you have? I'm planning on getting the 2.5 coilovers with resevoir for the front down the road, the 2.0 fox just aren't enough and are such a pain in the ass to adjust

 

Gonna put in the new rack and outer tie rods today. The dealer says dextron 2 or 3 for fluid is fine. Then the auto store has power steering fluid, synthetic and non synthetic. What's the best option? I'm going to clean and flush the reservoir first.

 

Dex3 Mercon Valvoline from WMart is a good deal and spec.
Flush the ps system after you take the reservoir off and clean the screen.
Hope the rack and TRE job went well for you

 

Glad you're making good use of our videos. Here's another one based off your question. I think you should remove your power steering reservoir and clean the fine mesh filter screen inside to optimize the fluid delivery to your new steering rack. No real way to tell the condition of the pump other than how it's performing for you. These OEM pumps can easily last the lifetime of the vehicle if you take care of it and renew the fluid on a regular basis. The main problem with power steering systems is people forget about servicing it. It's one of those forgotten things like renewing the brake fluid. Any fluid is going to get old and dirty. By the time you start having issues with your power steering system, the fluid is really old and black and deposits in the fluid have blocked up the fine mesh reservoir screen. Cleaning out the screen breathes new life into your system

I use to use conventional fluids on all my rigs but I've since switched to using all synthetic fluids. This is the ATF I use for my auto transmissions and power steering systems now.

*Valvoline Max Life Full Synthetic ATF https://amzn.to/2Oaco0F

I recommend you ad an additional filter for your power steering system. An inline magnetic filter will filter out finer particulates from your power steering system. I added the filter in the return line right before the fluid goes back into the reservoir. All you have to do is cut the return line, maybe take out a very short section and hose clamp the filter in place. I plan on changing out my magnetic filter every 10k miles. With this additional filtration, you'll never have to clean your reservoir screen again.

*Magnefine 3/8" Magnetic In-line Transmission Filter https://amzn.to/35p6heN


https://www.youtube.com/embed/5k61KXRK8bM

 

Thanks guys. Yea the job took me a bit longer than planned of course as usual but got it done and now the steering is way better.

For the inner fluid line going into the rack, DEFINITELY easier getting the flex head version of the flare nut wrench. I didn't have the flex head and was kind of a bitch but still was able to get the line loose (had to point the wrench vertical). I should've bought ahead of time, it's hard to find, and since bought this one for any future jobs: https://www.ebay.com/itm/332745988678

Also, the rag joint was kinda stuck and rusted onto the rack, took a lot of pb blaster and slowly tapping on all sides to get it off.

I did put in one of those magnefine filters per Timmah's recommendation, along with taking off the reservoir and cleaning the screen. There was still quite a bit on the inside on the screen I just couldn't get out but did seem to get some of the gunk out. Replaced the o ring too.

FYI, another problem I ran into is the "3/8" return line hose toyota has is a different ID than like 2 other types of power steering hoses I got from oreillys. The Toyota one has a larger ID (I ended up replacing the whole return line from the metal line to the power steering pump, was really old). The packaged, precut "power steering return hose" was NOT the correct size at all and had to go back to the store, even though it said 3/8". The one they have to cut from behind the counter was much closer to the size I needed and worked. They all said 3/8" but all had different looking ID

I was planning on trying to flush the power steering, but I figured when I disconnected both fluid lines from the steering rack, most of it should've drained out, so I didn't bother. I put in the regular valvoline dex 3 reddish power steering like in Timmy's video.

I do have a diff drop and it's true, you have to take the spacers out, jack up the diff in order to get the long horizontal bolt out.

Also, I'm not sure why, there is still a slight clunk I feel in the steering sometimes. When I took it to the alignment shop after, they said my lower control arm bushings are shot (I just replaced those with new arms like 1.5 year ago) so not sure if it's that or something from the rag joint above from the steering rack somewhere...?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone

Old rack and tie rods free to a good home

 

You are correct about the recessed cap indicating the guide IS a bushing and not the older roller style. I believe the older styles can simply be upgraded to the bushing assuming that the guide rod itself is in good shape. @Dirty Pool has a great thread in here that covers the steering rack in great detail.

I've had play in steering racks and tightened up the bushing to eliminate it. Just because there is some slop doesn't mean you need an entirely new rack.

 

Is dissembling the pump and checking the specs in the fsm not an acceptable way to insure your pump is in good shape?

 

Good to hear you were able to overcome some obstacles and get the job done. That clunk in your steering might be play in your steering shaft. Check out the video below. There are people that have found that the u-joint for the steering above the steering rack has gone bad and has developed slop but I don't have a video for addressing that.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/xsOptgpfshg

 

You can upgrade the steering rack guide if you have the older style.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/r4Hhl225E8A

 

Fortunately I confirmed when I ordered the new rack that it came with the upgraded guide (I was about to order the parts to upgrade it as well).

I watched that video Timmy and yea still have a tiny bit of play on the steering shaft when I turn the steering wheel slightly from side to side like in your video. (It's not a lot of play, just one of those annoying little things while driving, kinda like my door rattle on the driver's side I'm still trying to track down...) Must be that weird plastic ball thingy that you guys cut the oil bottle shim for? Guess I'll have to do that next still, and have the shaft welded for good measure.

Reh1508, are you talking about that same bushing to tighten with the oil bottle shim? Again, I had other reasons for changing my rack, and totally worth it.