Steering rack bushings maintenance....

Yota shop quoted me roughly 400$ for this task
Sounds RiCH or no?
 
Most auto shops have labor rates at or over $100/hr. Part cost is small.

Not too long ago, I needed my headlights aimed. I was at the dealer for just about 1 hour. I don't have the space or tools for this work. Cost was pushing $125 pretty hard. No parts........

I've gotten to the point where I cannot afford $100/hr, if I'm not earning similar. So, I research to determine if I have the tools, skill, confidence to do the work. I figure......its broken, so I can't screw it up much more.

My point. You can always try to do the work yourself. Most times the work is not terribly complex. Although, you may need to dig through other items to access the repair spot.


FWIW, this work doesn't look terrible. Although, you may need to deal with corroded fasteners and stuck parts. Keep the can of PB Blaster and a propane torch handy.
 
Rock62 said:
Most auto shops have labor rates at or over $100/hr. Part cost is small.

Not too long ago, I needed my headlights aimed. I was at the dealer for just about 1 hour. I don't have the space or tools for this work. Cost was pushing $125 pretty hard. No parts........

I've gotten to the point where I cannot afford $100/hr, if I'm not earning similar. So, I research to determine if I have the tools, skill, confidence to do the work. I figure......its broken, so I can't screw it up much more.

My point. You can always try to do the work yourself. Most times the work is not terribly complex. Although, you may need to dig through other items to access the repair spot.


FWIW, this work doesn't look terrible. Although, you may need to deal with corroded fasteners and stuck parts. Keep the can of PB Blaster and a propane torch handy.
Click to expand...
My truck is relatively clean underneath but is definitely aging on some of those bolts and nuts
As long as my new jack stands can get it up high enough for me to squirm both shoulders underneath it all to the center and don't need more than one and half arms to wrench it could be simple task
 
If the steering rack were to spring a weep ,
Where exactly might that start?
The Rack is not dry but I have anti corrosion spray all around the place and I am trying to determine what's what LOL
 
JayQQ97 said:
If the steering rack were to spring a weep ,
Where exactly might that start?
The Rack is not dry but I have anti corrosion spray all around the place and I am trying to determine what's what LOL
Click to expand...

Hmmmm.....don't know. If the rack is weeping, maybe its sad about something. Or you said something to hurt its feelings.
 
ok ya, i don't really notice this problem with steering wheel being off-centered much at all after some turn turn turn

 
Steering rack bushings are easy to replace, at least on my gen1 tundra. The new lines to the pump were a real pita to get at the fittings. Removing one of the bolts holding the rack was an adventure. Counted the amount of threaded turns when replacing the tie rod ends with the new ones. I probably should of got a wheel alignment afterwards, but everything seemed ok. I made sure to lock the steering wheel in place when i pulled the rack off so nothing changed.
 
If the sway bar links and mounts don't need to be removed like I think I saw Timmy the toolman doing it will make it much simpler, but I'll have to see how much clearance I have
The 97 might be diffrent than whatever year that truck is
 
Rock62 said:
Most auto shops have labor rates at or over $100/hr. Part cost is small.

Not too long ago, I needed my headlights aimed. I was at the dealer for just about 1 hour. I don't have the space or tools for this work. Cost was pushing $125 pretty hard. No parts........

I've gotten to the point where I cannot afford $100/hr, if I'm not earning similar. So, I research to determine if I have the tools, skill, confidence to do the work. I figure......its broken, so I can't screw it up much more.

My point. You can always try to do the work yourself. Most times the work is not terribly complex. Although, you may need to dig through other items to access the repair spot.


FWIW, this work doesn't look terrible. Although, you may need to deal with corroded fasteners and stuck parts. Keep the can of PB Blaster and a propane torch handy.
Click to expand...
Theres only one bolt on the steering racks that could be a pita, otherwise its an easy job if just replacing the rubber bushings. I used a little seal grease on the new ones when i swapped my tundra ones out....the grease made them slip into place easier.
 
tacojoel said:
Theres only one bolt on the steering racks that could be a pita, otherwise its an easy job if just replacing the rubber bushings. I used a little seal grease on the new ones when i swapped my tundra ones out....the grease made them slip into place easier.
Click to expand...

did you use rubber bushing or the poly ones from energy suspension?

i am reading not-so-good things on the poly ones!
 
so now i ponder...

would the old bushings on the sway bar itself, the U-shaped ones (not the links), be the root cause of my rigs most nasty banging on broken roads?

i honestly do not understand how any of this works :confused:
 
tacojoel said:
Theres only one bolt on the steering racks that could be a pita, otherwise its an easy job if just replacing the rubber bushings. I used a little seal grease on the new ones when i swapped my tundra ones out....the grease made them slip into place easier.
Click to expand...
oh! is that the one on the far back side that goes up and down that you would need the rig sufficiently elevated to get ANY kind of leverage on at breaking it free, heaven help if it is all rusted crusted :eek: like that Gen2 taco front skid i was wrenching on for a couple days this week
 
@JayQQ97

You may need to crawl under the truck to look. There is no way an internet forum can predict the exact situation on your truck.

Sure, bad/worn bushings on the sway bar could allow the bar to bang around. Although, you need to get under your truck to examine.

The front skid on my Gen2 is attached with 2 bolts and a pair of hooks on the front edge. If you are struggling to remove 2 bolts, you may be better served taking the truck to a mechanic and close your eyes to the invoice.

Sorry to be so blunt. Sometimes, you just gotta get dirt on ya OR pay to someone who will get grubby.
 
Rock62 said:
@JayQQ97

You may need to crawl under the truck to look. There is no way an internet forum can predict the exact situation on your truck.

Sure, bad/worn bushings on the sway bar could allow the bar to bang around. Although, you need to get under your truck to examine.

The front skid on my Gen2 is attached with 2 bolts and a pair of hooks on the front edge. If you are struggling to remove 2 bolts, you may be better served taking the truck to a mechanic and close your eyes to the invoice.

Sorry to be so blunt. Sometimes, you just gotta get dirt on ya OR pay to someone who will get grubby.
Click to expand...
thank you for the valuable input :)

regarding the Gen2, are the back edge nuts welded to something like the front 2 are?
the back bolts and nut kept spinning even after a copious amount of blaster soak on me underneath the other day and then a grapefuit sized chunk from the skid BROKE lol, posted a pic of that in the Gen3 forum here (by mistake it was late)

thank goodness that plate is NOT the heavy weight that my rig is that i cannot possibly lift it myself with any sort of ease to bolt it back on, it weighs 10x what the Gen2 stock skid does, not a joke!

and its not about the dirt here... its the physical difficulty with neck mobility issues that ails I
the early onset of rigormortis...

let me tell you a story or two or three about paid monkeys mucking my property up
at least six times in the past couple of years it has occurred
 
Last edited:
Rock62 said:
@JayQQ97

You may need to crawl under the truck to look. There is no way an internet forum can predict the exact situation on your truck.

Sure, bad/worn bushings on the sway bar could allow the bar to bang around. Although, you need to get under your truck to examine.

The front skid on my Gen2 is attached with 2 bolts and a pair of hooks on the front edge. If you are struggling to remove 2 bolts, you may be better served taking the truck to a mechanic and close your eyes to the invoice.

Sorry to be so blunt. Sometimes, you just gotta get dirt on ya OR pay to someone who will get grubby.
Click to expand...

you shoulda heard those front 2 bolts CRACK when first wrenched off in 12 years with the rusted threads!
i am glad they did not break like the ones all over the old Corolla did
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top