Aftermarket rack and pinion upgrades?

Hello there my fellow Taconians! I am in the market for a new Rack and pinion and was wondering what options I have other than OEM? Thanks.

 

Bump, looking for the same...

 

OEM is as good as it gets. All aftermarket racks are a step down

 

I agree. Don’t take a gamble on an aftermarket rack.

In case you didn’t know, changing the rack on a 4WD Taco is a fairly difficult job. I recently did mine. One TW member described it as a rigged game of Tetris. While you’re in there replace the pressure and return hoses with Napa hoses. Great quality and fit and much cheaper than OEM hoses. Also, now is a good time to do the ECGS bushing. Before you get started, check your front wheel bearings. If they’re bad, now is the time to do them.

Make ABSOLUTELY SURE you tie the steering wheel in the straight ahead position with the seat belt and make sure the replacement rack is centered when you hook up the intermediate steering shaft.

 

This is the only upgrade over oem

https://www.solomotorsports.com/sho...ta-parts/toyota-tacoma-steering-rack-upgrade/

 

Only other option I've seen

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/modified-tundra-rack-swap-preorder.625844/

 

Just curious, but has anyone bought a seal kit and "rebuilt" their own rack?

 

tundra rack modded

 

There are two links in this thread to it

 

What happens if you have a lifted truck? Do you think OEM is still better than aftermarket?

 

yes

 

A 2015 rack will fit in an 2009 right?

 

yes

 

if you’re going OEM for price reasons it’s not hard to find a used rack. I’d imagine that can be used to rebuild on a bench or use as a core return. Or mail out for rebuilding. Might not be common enough to find a place that does that locally.

 

So I blew my rack out about 2 months ago and ordered a Toyo-steering rack. About 1500 for a modified tundra rack with offset bushings and tie rods. Going to do the install this weekend and see how it goes. Part # on the steering rack they sent is from a brand “Koyo” which I’ve not been able to find out much about so we will see how it holds up. I’ll let you know how the install goes.

 

Koyo is a Japanese brand, and known for high quality wheel bearings and seals. Didn't realize they made steering components too, but a quick google search confirmed.

 

Update: Installed the Toyo-steering kit this weekend and just got the alignment done today and it’s driving smooth. Install took me a day and the instructions and other videos I watched made it straight foreword just tight spacing. Getting the new rack in I had to grind down the top of the crossmember where the rack mounts to get some space from the oil pan and other lines. Drilled out old holes to 1/2”. Reaming out the spindles was definitely not hard but you need to be careful to keep the 10:1 reamer straight and not walk it at an angle. I did have to buy the reamer separately and that was $88 from summit racing. The rack went in fine but getting the eccentric bushings oriented so it has good clearance was tricky. I ended up wedging two pry bars behind it to push it to the front of the truck as far as they allow. Then it’s hooking up everything and centering the rack with the wheel. Most important to note as I finished up was looking at full lock both ways. I have about an inch of space from the steering stops to the rack which means the rack isn’t getting the same throw as stock. Not sure what my next move is but I wasn’t expecting to loose that much steering. If anyone has any insight to how to get full rotation both ways please let me know. If I do end up living with it I will need to extend my steering stops somehow to prevent the rack seals from wearing out.

 

I don't KNOW the answer to this but would speculate that as big of a job that it is, you'd hate to try and save a few bucks on the rebuild, only to have to do it again a short time later.
I wouldn't be willing to take the chance that I'd be changing it again in another month.
That's just my opinion.