What's the best Rack & pinion set-up for first Gen Tacoma???

Empty_Lord · Mar 20, 2020

Toyota does technically make their own rack. The oem rack is a TOYODA rack. It’s Toyota’s parent company. They make racks and p/s pumps. for Chrysler’s too.

the lce is likely solid. But the oem also is solid. Rarely see major failures on them (other than leaks, but all racks suffer that, especially on the passenger side)

tommyboy480 · Mar 20, 2020

Empty_Lord said: ↑

Toyota does technically make their own rack. The oem rack is a TOYODA rack. It’s Toyota’s parent company. They make racks and p/s pumps. for Chrysler’s too.

the lce is likely solid. But the oem also is solid. Rarely see major failures on them (other than leaks, but all racks suffer that, especially on the passenger side)
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Ill take your word on it, you know what I mean though, sometimes its not always Toyota,
As far as Toyota racks ,there decent for what there meant for.

jaytrd02 · Dec 17, 2020

tommyboy480[OP] said: ↑

Ill take your word on it, you know what I mean though, sometimes its not always Toyota,
As far as Toyota racks ,there decent for what there meant for.
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In need of a new rack and was wondering how yours turned out from LCE? Thanks

prerunnerSD · Sep 14, 2021

eon_blue said: ↑

quoting myself because I learned recently that I should not have messed with my steering rack guide like I talked about doing in the above post.

I ended up tightening it just 1 or 2mm (very little) to see if that would tighten up the play in my wheels.

It did not, but what it did end up doing was giving me a NASTY clunk/pop in my steering a week or so later, especially whenever I would turn left for some reason. Sounded like bad ball joints that were on the verge of giving out.

After checking everything else (ball joints, tie rods, bushings, etc) I ended up loosening the rack guide back to where it was (luckily I had marked it first) and the noise immediately went away.

If your rack guide is tight, don't over tighten it lol. IIRC the torque spec on it is 19 ft/lbs or something light like that.

I still need to figure out why my wheels have some turning play in them when lifted off the ground. I can grab one wheel and move it a little side to side by hand, and the other wheel moves simultaneously. So it's not a bad wheel bearing or ball joint. Something to do with the steering. The steering wheel moves too when I do it
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did you ever figure out what was causing the play in your steering and rack and pinion?
I totally get this clunk like you described turning left. It kind of started out from nowhere I was told that tightening down the rack guide would help but it didn’t…

prerunnerSD · Sep 14, 2021

tommyboy480[OP] said: ↑

Yeah to get a Quality Part your going to pay forsure ,.Just got to stay away from them 200.00 Racks there junk!
Oh and I miss California!!,I lived in Sierra Madre and Pasadena , California..My dads still out there in Glendora ,Ca
I use to go to Gorman,Boumount,Azusa canyon,El mirae dry lake bed..Good times!!
In Arizona now,wicth is cool too,i love it out here as well
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totally, the 200 aftermarket ones are so cheaply made. I ordered one and sent it back because the vendor even cheaped out on the packaging and it arrived damaged. It’s a hard item to just switch out if something breaks it’s not like a lightbulb or something easy like that: definitely go with quality parts for rack and pinion for sure!! The OEM ones are made by Toyoda which is a sister company to Toyota. Toyoda is the original Japanese familiar name of the man who started this famous company

frenchee · Aug 30, 2022

Squeaky Penguin said: ↑

Not sure what LCE is selling, but IMO, if it's not OEM it's not worth it.

I had no luck with both a new aftermarket unit and an Rack Doctor reman. Don't be like me a swap your rack three times year after year. New OEM unit is holding up well though.
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Old post but had to second this. On my BMW's I was getting rack doctor no issue.
On this Tacoma I've already had to replace a "lifetime replacement" rebuild rack twice. Never again.

Dylwhit · Oct 5, 2022

Does anyone know if the the 96-02 4runner rack and pinion/tierods fit on the 98-04 tacomas? I need to do a rack/pinion replacement on my tacoma and was thinking about grabbing one from a junkyard 4runner in Oregon that looks like its in pretty good shape ‍♂️ gotta love that OEM.

T.kelley · Jan 16, 2023

Heads up on Rack Doctor, I bought a rack and pinion from them last year online. 3 months went by and I started asking for a refund and never got a response. I had to call my credit card company to get a refund. I don’t know what’s going on with them but be aware.

DoubleC · Aug 20, 2023

Reviving this thread,
Installed a Toyota rack last summer and it’s doing great. Been on 2 wheeling trips so far with no issues

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What's the best Rack & pinion set-up for first Gen Tacoma???

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What's the best Rack & pinion set-up for first Gen Tacoma???

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