*TOOLS WE USED FOR THIS JOB and ONE SPECIAL NOTE* *If you're looking for other tools not used in this video, check out Timmy's Master Tool List.* www.amazon.com/shop/timmythetoolman?isPublicView=true *Steering Rack Driver Side Long Bolt Torque Value - 141 ft-lbf (I've heard from people this might be a misprint in some FSMs. After working on other Toyota models, I concur there is a misprint in some manuals for this long bolt and nut. The value should be 96 ft-lbf.)* *6 Ton Jack Stands - (strong stands to support vehicle while you're working underneath it) amzn.to/2MM91w6 *Heavy Duty Rubber Wheel Chocks - (nice heavy chocks that don't slip) amzn.to/2mttRWp *Dewalt 1/2" Drive Impact Gun - (strong gun that's great for removing wheel lug nuts and a host of other fasteners) amzn.to/2M2Y9J1 *Dewalt Batteries amzn.to/2urcx59 *Dewalt Battery Charger amzn.to/2Ud8RlY *Wheel Lug Nut Impact Socket Set - (nice set for removal of different size lug nuts) amzn.to/33uatZt *Long Magnetic Parts/Tool Tray (Good for holding longer tools like ratchets and wrenches) amzn.to/2m89y0D *Medium Size Magnetic Parts/Tool Tray (Good Size for keeping track of fasteners/small parts) amzn.to/2ky8Qt8 *Small Size Magnetic Parts/Tool Tray (Good for holding lug nuts or smaller fasteners/parts) amzn.to/2m6kQ5y *Milwaukee Mi12 Cordless Ratchet - (great for speeding up the removal and reinstallation of fasteners) amzn.to/2utRZsE *Milwaukee M12 Batteries (2 Pack) amzn.to/2uoQlZs *Milwaukee M12 High Capacity Battery amzn.to/2HEFTpu *Milwaukee M12 Battery Charger amzn.to/2uo2o9x *3/8” Drive Regular Extension Set amzn.to/2OehCao *3/8" Drive 6 Point Metric Standard Socket Set amzn.to/32WIh0M *Flex Head Box End Wrench Set - (very handy for multiple applications) amzn.to/31x8BOo *1/4" and 3/8" Flex Head Ratchet Set - (awesome ratchets that will make your wrenching life easier) amzn.to/2ql8nNA *3/8" Drive 6 Point Metric Deep Socket Set amzn.to/37iQjVt *1/2" Deep Metric Impact Socket Set amzn.to/2WfSTGD *1/2” Drive Impact Swivel amzn.to/2Kv2dBE *Small Digital Caliper - (if you found your tie rods were also way off and needed to figure out how to get them in better alignment side to side) amzn.to/2OfIgB4 *White Paint Pen - (for making match-marks for the outer tie rods) amzn.to/34T8FLs *Large Metric Wrench Set - (for disconnecting and tightening the outer tie rod to the inner tie rod) amzn.to/2TCXLmY *Knipex Diagonal Cutters - (to facilitate the removal of cotter pins and cutting off excess of new cotter pins) amzn.to/300BRRE *OTC Front End Service Kit - (great puller kit for disconnecting the tie rod and balljoint connections) amzn.to/2LuisQc *1/2" Drive Flex Head Gear Wrench Ratchet - (awesome ratchet you'll fall in love with. The flex head capability and 120 click points of engagement make life easier) amzn.to/2Wnbq2r *1/2” Drive 6 Point Deep Metric Socket Set amzn.to/330QjGh *1/2” Drive 6 Point Standard Metric Socket Set amzn.to/35dKQwW *Mayhew 5 Piece Prybar Set - (nice set. you might use a small one for prying the passenger side steering rack grommet bracket away from the cross member) amzn.to/2Ob8THw *1/2" Drive Breaker Bar - 24” Long - (you'll need one for breaking free that center bolt for the steering rack) amzn.to/343Vcix *Flex Head Flare Nut Wrench Set - (these makes disconnecting and retightening the power steering lines much easier) amzn.to/32GoIdy *Oil Drain Pan amzn.to/2QK6kh9 *Silicone Plug Kit - (in case you also wanted to plug the fluid lines to lose less power steering fluid) amzn.to/34Joap7 *Crowfoot Wrench Set - (to use with a torque wrench in case you wanted to get the power steering fluid lines to the exact torque spec) amzn.to/362U9Bo *Brake Cleaner - (to clean up parts before reassembly) amzn.to/2KuJ6Yw *CDI 1/2" Drive Foot Pound Torque Wrench - (nice affordable torque wrench for larger fasteners) amzn.to/2UPhyjK *CDI 3/8" Drive Foot Pound Torque Wrench - (nice affordable torque wrench for medium size fasteners) amzn.to/2U2vUA4 *Cotter Pin Set - (for tie rod castle nuts) amzn.to/2OoD38K *Oil Funnel 2 Pack - (to refill power steering system) amzn.to/37z6sG2 **As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.
@@joyvonguerard9653 The steering rack itself isn't different per say between the years. At some point, they updated the steering rack guide. I just did a check on an online parts seller website and the part number we advertise in the video is the same part number for all the 3rd Gen 4runner model years and it should then be the same for all the 1st Gen Tacoma years as well. 3rd Gen 4runners and 1st Gen Tacomas have essentially the same front end.
@@joyvonguerard9653 Hi Joy, we have a Tip Jar link on our page. If you look at the photo on our page in the right hand corner, you'll see links to the Tip Jar which will enable you to donate money to us via PayPal. We added this link because many people were asking if they could send us money but our favorite form of payment is hearing back from people sharing their success stories using one of our videos. The fact you appreciate our channel is payment enough in our opinion.
Video is over 3 years old so you may or may not read this but if you do I'd want you to know that you're inspirational and deserve nothing but respect. Rare video with 0 profanity and 100% educational demonstration. Thank you sir :-)
Sean and I usually read and respond to every question and comment on our channel but sometimes they do squeak by us. Thanks for the kind words. We truly appreciate it. I don't want you to get the impression I'm a saint though. I swear plenty when I get frustrated during a job, but we usually don't feel any need to put that in the video so it's edited out. We've left a few swear words in videos but for the most part but that's an exception to the rule. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
@@TimmyTheToolman Oh man, I truly appreciate you not only writing back, but also being so thorough. What you do off camera is up to you but what content you share to me and many others is just exceptional. I thank you once again and will do my best to support your channel in every way I possibly can. :-)
Well I’m at the alignment shop and everything turned out great. Thanks Tim , who knows how much I saved in labor costs. I even found the Toyota steering rack for a little over $500 bucks online. So thanks again guys for all the incredible work you do to help the rest of us out!
Great to hear Israel. Good job getting it done. You are saving tons of money doing your own work and the best part is your learning and making sure things are done right. Thanks for the comment and you're very welcome. Happy Wrenching Bro!
the # i was able to finally pull out of a Toyota dealer shop was 4.5 hours for this rack replacement (I asked several and they refused to give me the hours it would take) ... so its more than 700$ labour at most places... BUT I honestly do NOT see how its supposed to take trained monkey slopshops with all tools and training anywhere NEAR 4.5 hours to do this ?!?!?!
@@efil4kizum Yeah, a guy who has done this job before should not take 4.5 hours to do it. It became very apparent to me over 7 years ago, that the supposed "Experts" aren't all that great because they screw up with a high frequency. There are very good Professional Mechanics, but there's also lots of bad ones. The best person to work on your rig is you. No doubt.
@@TimmyTheToolman two local Yota shops refused to quote me the hours on this... I was told I had to bring my rig in to them and pay a 135$ ~160$ diagnostic fee to tell me the rack is leaking out of the top where the steering shaft connects
@efil4kizum Yep, because they want to hook you on using them for the job. They charge you that diagnostic fee, basically telling you what you already know, and then try to sell you on the repair stating they'll apply the diagnostic fee towards the repair. They should be able to tell you what they will charge for the labor and parts over the phone. It's for reasons like this that, for the most part, I don't like auto shops or dealerships. They are driven more by their profits than providing a good service to their customers. If you're a competent and honest shop, the customers will always be there and you'll make plenty of money. There's way too much dishonesty in the automotive industry.
Sway Bar bushing, Control arm bushing, upper and lower ball joints, valve covers, steering rack, rear axle seal, and trailing arms! Thanks for all the videos. Couldn't get those jobs done without you man!
Just wanted to leave a thank you on this video. I was able to do the rack replacement myself and I saved so much money. I really appreciate the videos you guys make. 🙏
You're very welcome, Jurelle. I'm happy to hear our video helped you replace your steering rack. Great job doing it yourself and saving a ton of money. Happy Wrenching!
2002 tacoma 4x4, 300K plus miles, new power steering pump at the same time. Surprised at the amount of gunk in the screen and how difficult it was to clean it out. Great video, really appreciate your efforts and the completeness of the coverage and the additional information.
Fantastic quality video as usual Timmy. This video allowed me to replace the rack on my 2001 Taco. Everything went smoothly.... Until I stripped the intake hole of the rack😢. Murphy's Law😂. Anyways the guys at the machine shop in my area retreaded the hole. No leaks so far. I succeed today because of you Timmy. Much thanks. Keep em coming.
Thanks for the compliment. As they say (whoever they are) Shit Happens. That's great that a local machine shop was able to re-tap the threads for you. You got the job done and that's what counts. Great Job!
I just finished using your videos to completely replace all the suspension components and steering rack on my 1st gen Tundra. I never would have been able to do the job without your channel. You've explained everything so thoroughly even a backyard wrenching Jabroni like me can get the job done. You guys are unreal,Thank you my man!
Hey Will, that's great to hear you did all the work on your rig using our videos as a reference. We appreciate you taking the time to comment and share this with us. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
Timmy and Sean, I wanted to thank you again for all your videos but specifically, this steering rack video. Over the weekend, I removed, degreased and resealed my steering rack. It was a success. I degreased my engine and reinstalled my Relentless skid plates. I can call my drive train bulletproof now. I will never have to worry about changing bushings because everything there now is Energy Suspension. With your video, the alignment guys took 15 minutes to align my truck. I hope to meet you in person soon. Thanks you so much and keep on trucking!!!
I can’t thank you enough for all the work you do making these videos. I’ve done my valve cover gaskets, timing belt, steering rack and a whole lot of other maintenance jobs all with your help!
It's great to hear our videos have helped you out a lot. You're very welcome. Our goal is to empower people to handle their own automotive work so comments like yours let us know we're achieving that goal. Happy Wrenching Brother!
Toyota wanted to charge over $90 for just for the rubber grommet on the passenger side. Centering the adjustment on both sides was a great idea! Oil does leak from the valve covers but don't forget to check the oil cooler for leaks. I had a leak for years & finally removed the driver front wheel & skirt to access the oil cooler. Cleaned the block under it and sure enough that was my leak (o-ring cracked) because I did the valve covers twice thinking I missed something. I only changed the grommets because the leaking oil turned them to gel. FYI- Toyota does not sell the middle & driver side grommets, they only come pre-installed on the new rack. Another great video brother!
I did an oil cooler gasket replacement on my buddy Wei's 3rd Gen, but I wasn't in a filming mood and didn't document the job. I forgot Toyota doesn't sell the other 2 bushings and only include them with the new racks.
Thanks Timmy. The flex head flare wrench was key. I had to leave the low pressure line attached to the rack, I disconnected the hose line from the fitting and managed to get it off while the rack was on the bench. Also couldn’t get my slip joint to slide up the intermediate shaft, but made it work. Thanks again for the videos, I’m extremely jealous of your rust-free rides...
Same here! Do you know which hole on the rack is for the high-pressure line? Mine didn't come off ended up breaking the lines and taking the nuts out with socket
Maybe the best repair video ever. To the point and not much fluff at all. Didnt skip over anything. Thank you. I think my leak is coming out the seals of the body
Thank you for the nice compliment. If your steering rack isn't leaking too bad, maybe just occasionally check the fluid level in your power steering reservoir and top it off when necessary. My steering rack has been leaking for years.
Recently replaced my steering rack, tie rods, upper and lower ball joints with toyota parts after I suffered a LBJ failure on the road in my 2000 sr5 4Runner. Cannot thank you enough for your excellent and thorough instructions on these repairs; I'm back on the road now!
Hey Tom, sorry to hear you had a LBJ failure but great to hear our videos helped you get everything replaced and your rig back on the road. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
@@jerryp2433 Previous owner installed aftermarket LBJ's (Detroit Axle brand from Amazon). They failed after 36k miles. I have photos of the broken parts.
Thank you very much for informative video. I did this job yesterday on a '97. More room to negotiate lines etc on 2wd fortunately. You can follow this video to a tee and be happy with the result!
Such a good teacher! Most men I’ve been around fixing trucks are angry and swearing, negative. Lol wish I could do this work to my 4Runner, but at least I learn from you and know what they are doing and how long it should take. Wish I could hire you instead. 😍
Plenty of swearing goes in behind the scenes, trust us. But in general, if you follow our lead, you should be able to do any job we show on our channel with the right tools. Refer to our video descriptions for helpful links to tools.
Thanks Timmy! I replaced my 2000 Tundras steering rack with this video. Didn’t have to take out the stabilizer bar cause had just enough access. I tied down the steering wheel and also did new outer tie rods too by just counting the turns. Took me less than four hours. 👍👍
thanks again for the videos, My new rack and pinion arrived here last night off of the UPS truck around 6 pm, so after a bite of supper I went out to the shop and at 2:30 am I staggered back to the house with the new rack in place, then today after a through flush job and reservoir clean out, my 2000 4 runner is back on the road. Took it to a shop for re-alignment, so hats off to you for the helpful videos
You're welcome Tim. Glad you got it done and our videos helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to share this. We enjoy reading success stories. Happy Wrenching!
Timmy, I have to tell you that of all the UA-cam videos I spend my time watching, yours are probably the best! You are thorough, you do not rush, you do a fantastic job! Being a diy shade tree mechanic myself, I really appreciate all that you do. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Mark. We appreciate the nice compliment. We want people to succeed using our videos and we try to put ourselves in the shoes of an absolute beginner who's never turned a wrench before. We want everybody to succeed and not just experienced guys and gals who've been turning wrenches for years.
Just completed another job thanks to Timmy The Toolman! And Shawn! Pretty straightforward following your video. Major complications I had were due to a non OEM return line installed that gave me hell upon reinstallation, a broken nut on the right bracket for which I had to get some help from a nearby mechanic and OEM tie rods not fitting due to non OEM lower ball joints installed. A few curve balls, but I was able to deal with them. The one thing that was interesting was that eventhough I measured a million times to avoid having the same issue you had with the steering wheel ending up not straight, I also ended up with a slightly turned steering wheel. However, the guy on the alignment shop was able to straighten it up from the cabin (I don't know how he did it as he was up on the lift) without having to adjust the splines the way you did it. Thanks for all these awesome videos you make!
Hey Marx, good job getting it the job done. The alignment techs are able to straighten the steering wheel by making the proper adjustment to the outer tie rods while dialing in the toe. An alignment tech can make up for a steering wheel that's a little out of adjustment, but if you give them your rig with it way off, that's not a good idea because then they would need to max out the adjustment on one of the tie rods like we found when doing this job. It's best to do your own adjustment at the rag joint or via the steering wheel and get it as close as you can before taking it to the alignment shop. This way the tech doesn't have to perform a major correction to get your steering wheel straight. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
Keep these videos rolling in Timmy. This is all going to come in handy as I am doing all suspension work on my 2001 and cleaning up the bottom of the few rust spots with rubberized paint etc. I currently have a 2013 and I love the way it drives, but the 2001 I really want to keep as a reminder of when I thought I could never own a 4runner. This is the reason I am working on it as a hobby to get that new drive feel again.Looking forward to the next video as you mentioned below.
You're definitely keeping my truck going. As long as I can control the rust (which I've spent hours grinding and painting) and replacing parts I'll be good for at least 10 more years! Great videos man! Just gotta take care of the leaky valve covers and rear main seal haha
Hey Jesse, we're starting today pulling Sean's transfer case and transmission. Sean's transmission totally imploded a while back and he's finally got the funds together to get it rebuilt at IPT Performance in New Jersey. IPT rebuilds the transmission to a superior spec and addresses the weakness in the trans which is a bearing for the planetary gear. He puts a better bearing in, heavier duty clutches and an upgraded valve body. But, long story short, one of the things we plan on doing is replacing the rear main seal so we might have a video for you sometime soon.
Thanks for this guide, which was a great assist to me for the rack replacement on my '04 Tacoma. While my Taco is pretty clean, the job was quite time consuming due to salt belt conditions; a few frozen fasteners led to new sway bar retainers and end-links, new PS pressure and return lines, and the requisite toiling beneath the rig - that was fun! This video helped me overcome those challenges, thanks again!
Stoked you were able to benefit from this video and get the job done. Although it seems like everything goes perfect for us, there is also usually a snag when we tear into these things.
Thanks for the detailed video. It helped me get the job done. Took it in for an alignment and the shop called me back and said it wouldn't align and they think I got a bad rack. Ahhhhhh! Took it in to a different shop the next day and they got it aligned perfectly. Got my $ back from the 1st shop and I didn't have to the job twice. Thanks again.
Good to hear our video helped you out. Yeah, sounds like the first shop didn't know what they were doing. If the second shop had the same problem, I was going to suggest you check to see if one or more of the cam adjusters in your lower control arms were seized. It's pretty common the cam sleeves gets rusted into the bushing sleeve and then when the alignment tech tries to make an adjustment to the camber, he's fighting the bushing and no adjustment is really happening. But, for your application, the camber and caster should have been fine. The main thing they would have had to adjust is the toe since your replaced the rack and the tie rods might have needed some adjustment. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
Finally replaced all front rear bushings, bearings, seals, springs, ball joints (except upper). I never want to do this again :) but thank you so much for all the suspension videos and torque specs. Not everyone posts torque specs!!
Awesome video as always, I hope anyone who needs help or wants to see how the job will look like finds this video. Thanks a lot Tim! Keep up the awesome work!
Timmy says some of the same stuff last year in his comments above regarding the rag joint, ie flex joint and how to slide it out of the way. I elaborate on this so I hope I don't bore you. Warning: Disconnect your battery when performing the steering rack replacement. When the steering rack is disconnected from the steering wheel do not turn the steering wheel fully to the left or right. Leave it in the locked position until you are ready to install the rack. Starting at time 21:00 in the video Timmy has us taking the flex joint apart to facilitate the removal of the steering rack. This is not necessary and just makes life difficult. All you have to do is spray some penetrating fluid on the ends of the flex joint where the two shafts (spleens) are connected. There is a top and bottom bolt that tightens the collars that hold the respective spleens in place. Remove both of these bolts. You can't just loosen the bolts and not remove them because they go through the collar and enter machined grooves in the shafts. Once the bolts are removed slide the flex joint up off the steering rack shaft. You may have to take a screw driver and hammer and tap up on the flex joint to get it to move. There is up and down movement in the steering wheel shaft also. Once the flex joint is slid up off the steering rack shaft push the flex joint, still connected to the steering wheel shaft, off to the side and proceed with removing the steering rack. When the new rack is in place lining everything up is much simpler than what Timmy has us doing because of the way he took the flex joint apart. There is approximately 3.5 turns in the steering gear going left to right or right to left. To center the steering rack, BEFORE INSTALLING, place some vice grips on the steering gear shaft and turn if all the way to the left. Now, counting the turns, turn it overall the way to the right. Should be about 3.5 turns. Turn it back 1.75 turns or half of your turn count and you have centered the rack. Take measurements from the end of inner tie rods to the respective boot end to double check both left and right inner tie rods are sticking out the same distance. Turn the steering rack shaft to make minor adjustments so both ends are perfectly centered. Remove the vice grips Now you can start your install. Be careful not to move the steering rack shaft from its centered position. Once the rack is installed except for the rag joint or flex joint unlock the steering wheel and make sure it is straight. Now move the intact flex joint back over the steering rack spleen and slide it down over the steering rack spleen. You might have to turn the the flex joint just a little to line up the spleen but not very much. I had to tap on the flex joint with a little hammer to get it to go down. The flex joint needs to come down so none of the steering rack shaft spleen is showing. Replace the two bolts in the spleen collars. If the bolts do not go in move the flex joint up or down until the the collar holes lines up with the grooves in the shaft and the bolts go in easily and can be tightened. Timmy's 4runner had an off center steering rack which he had to take into account. You can forget most of what he did with the measurements. With the centered steering wheel connected to a centered steering rack the outer tie rods screw into the inner tie rods about 18-19 turns and should give you a fairly reasonable alignment to get you to the alignment shop regardless of what they were in the beginning. Attach the outer tie rods to the the LCA and install the castle nuts but don't tighten just yet. Eye ball the alignment to make sure it is close. If it is not close you can do what the alignment shop does. You can remove the boot clamps and turn the inner tie rods equally in or out to correct the alignment or you can spin the outer tie rods in or out to get the alignment close. Fine tuning the alignment can only be done by turning inner tie rods since the outer tie rods have to be turned a full turn each time, which may be too much. Once you get the alignment close tighten the castle nuts and insert cotter keys Tighten the lock nuts down on the inner tie rods locking the outer tie rods in place. Reinstall the boot clamps. Of course a professional alignment is necessary So there you have it, a centered steering wheel, connected to a centered steering rack with a close enough alignment to get you to the shop.
Rick Woolverton Jesus Christ Rick, I think you just wrote a novel. Just remember, there's more than one way to do a job. The way I showed people worked perfectly fine and should work for them as well.
I did it Rick's way on the rag joint - very smooth. To remove the hose fittings I used a 17mm crowsfoot flare nut wrench. There was just enough room to get a socket wrench on the crowsfoot prior to loosening the rack. Thanks Timmy for taking the time and effort to post all of your great videos. I've consulted many of your videos which have helped to keep my '99 SR5 with 330,000 miles on the road.
My buddies' 2002 Sequoia has a really bad leak from the steering rack on the passenger side, where the big rubber grommet lives. I suspect corrosion underneath that bracket assembly has eaten away the metal- it is the original rack also. When we change the rack, we will utilize your video as a guide, because of your great detail brother Tim! Will keep you posted.
The steering rack on my 2000 leaks as well. I disconnected the plastic boot on the passenger side and ATF came pouring out. The seals have obviously deteriorated but my steering is still good so I'll just add fluid for now and prolong it's life. Good luck with the swap Brother Jake. Make sure not to strip those power steering line fittings. A flare nut wrench is your friend for this job. A flex head flare nut wrench is the way to go if you guys have one.
i also like to add if you have problem with the intermediate shaft just buy a new one at the dealership. The Toyota p/n 45860-34020 and I purchased it for $74. It made the adjustment centering the steering wheel and wheels that much easier. Thanks again!
You have more faith in Jack stands than me! I always default to placing wood under the frame out of paranoia. Awesome video, and I may tackle this now since you've provided such a great tutorial.
Keep them videos coming! I use your videos more than anybody else because you go more in depth and do your best to show that you are doing while explaining it. I have used many other videos of yours to do repairs and it has always turned out in the end. Thank you!
Hey Vinson, Sean and I live for comments like yours. We love hearing how our videos have helped people and we like to hear how people appreciate the detail we offer. We want people to be successful and not be intimidated to wrench on their vehicles. We try our best to cut our videos down to keep them as short as possible but we refuse to cut out important content just to make a video shorter. We really appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
Thank you for a great video, it helped a lot when I did my rack. Something that people might find helpful is that my outer nut was seized on good and tight and I could not get it to move. What I ended up doing was this. The outer pipe is a short 4 inch piece of pipe that feeds into a rubber hose with just a pressure clamp. I disconnected this hose which allowed me to get at the inner nut which I was able to get loose. I removed the whole rack and once out I then took the outer nut off and got the job done. I had to use a pipe wrench to get it off.
Timmy The Toolman so I actually pulled the old steering rack last week and the return line fitting wouldn’t come off for dear life. So I pull the clamp/hose off it and put in the new steering rack with the new fitting today. So far going well. I had a major failure when my passenger side upper ball join sheered off while I was driving. Just found out that Toyota had a recall on the tundra/sequoia/4Runner/Tacoma upper joints but I guess I never got the letter 12 years ago.
Wow, I've never heard about an upper balljoint issue. The lower balljoint issue is well-documented. Now you got me thinking. Maybe I'll replace my upper balljoints for preventative maintenance.
Ah sorry meant to type lower ball joint on the recall* but I’ve been looking on UA-cam and forums and a lot of people are having problems with both. When I pulled the steering assembly(rotor, lower ball joint assembly and upper vertically running control arm) and the and lower assembly was very worn but didn’t sheer off like the upper ball joint.
Thanks Minh. We're definitely going to keep pumping out the videos. Hopefully our videos will be partially responsible for keeping people's 3rd Gens on the road longer. There's still tons of 3rd Gens on the road, at least in my area of California. I see them everywhere I go.
I just looked it up, and here's some stats on how many 3rd Gens were made by year: 1996 - 100,000 1997 - 128,000 1998 - 118,000 1999 - 124,000 2000 - 112,000 2001 - 90,000 2002 - 77,000 Total = 749,000 With how well these 3.4 liter engines last, there's got to be a pretty good percentage still on the road.
I see tons of these 3rd gen 4Runners everyplace I go. People put lots of miles on these and they keep going. Mine's a 2000 with 250,000+ miles, burns no oil and runs perfectly. Like Tim said the valve covers tend to leak after this many years and miles. I wouldn't say they are 'notorous', they are leaking after many, many miles.
Thank you so much for these videos. Everyone has helped me do these projects just as you described down to the size socket needed and torque specs to go back together.
Tim, thanks for your advice recently on my pwr steering. Looks like the trouble is something I never gave a thought to. There's a u-joint at the end of the steering column which allows an almost 90 degree turn to the pwr steering rack. Looks like that's the problem. Who'd have guessed. Not available new, but I have a lead on a good used part. Figured this out by lifting the front end with the engine off, and turning the wheel has the same lumpy feel as with power. One for the books. Don't know if 4runners have this joint or not, but you might want to store this one in your head somewhere.
You're welcome. Yes, the 3rd Gen 4runners have that same steering u-joint. Good job figuring out the problem. Let me know how the repair goes. If you could take some pictures while you're doing it and email them to me if you remember. Here's my email address: mtbtim@sbcglobal.net.
Tim - you da man...what more can we say brother?! Just wanted to add this - I was able to loosen the hydraulic lines into the rack and pinion with a normal 17mm wrench. I agree though - if you have the style wrench Tim does, it makes more contact. Luckily I didn't strip the nut. If that nut gets stripped, you're basically going to have to buy a whole new line. Also, getting the 22mm and (2) 19mm bolts loose was a total B using regular ratchets. I almost had to break down and buy the same big ass Dewalt impact gun Tim uses, but I went medieval on it and hit my ratchet with a small sledge hammer. After already spending over $4,000 on a JDM engine and Magnaflow Overland exhaust, the wife was NOT going to allow a purchase of a $300 impact driver. :) Thanks again for all you do Timmy. Toyota truck owners everywhere owe you and your team a debt of gratitude!
@@TimmyTheToolman UPDATE - I found that the older your truck is, the harder this job may be. I've owned my '97 since 1999. I've had it in mud, rivers, sand dunes, etc. (That was back in the day before kids...I'm way less hard on it now). However, everything about this job has been a B (other than getting the hydraulic lines off). The tie rod ends did not want to come out, even with the same puller you used. On the passenger side, it slipped when cranking down and gash the threads up a bit. SO, when I go to put the tie rods back in and put the crown nut back on --- THE POST JUST SPUN. No way to stop it from spinning even with hitting from below to get it seated tight. Also - the pressure hydraulic line's nut was so tight on the metal hose, it was trying to twist the whole hose. So...I disconnected the pressure hose from the power steering pump, from the 2 clamps on the frame, and pulled the hose out about 6 inches. Then grabbed it "gently" with pliers to hold the line while I gently screwed it into the new steering rack. What a bitch of a job. But that's what happens when you're working on an older truck sometimes. Anyhow, the tow truck is on it's way. I'm having my alignment shop install new tie rods and complete the alignment. It will be interesting to see what the position is of the steering wheel when it's done. GOOD LORD! :)
So - I figured out the trick to get the tie rod post to stop spinning. The tire shop puts a bottle jack under it to seat it tightly. That prevents the spinning. Also, the shop said "someone other than us installed the steering rack, so we aren't going to adjust the steering wheel. Adjust it to center and bring it back". I was hoping they would do it since the lower rag joint is so rusty that it is basically a B to get off...but out to the garage I go. I can do this! -GROAN-
@@cameronwright2754 Yeah, sometimes you have to jack up under the tie rod to get the shaft from spinning so you can get the castle nut on. If the steering wheel wasn't too far off, they could have centered it for you when they dial in the toe by making adjustments with the tie rods. If it is way off, I agree it should be brought closer to center first and then dialed in by the alignment tech while he's performing the alignment.
@@TimmyTheToolman Yep, that's what they told me to do. I was able to loosen the top and bottom bolts (above and below the rag joint) and slide it up...move the steering wheel to center and bring the truck back to them. $99 later, I'm back on the road. The steering is money now. Thanks again for all the videos you post!
That's great to hear Tom. A lot of auto mechanics is just like this. It seems like a hard job but if you have the right information, the right tools and a little patience, you can handle a ton of stuff on your own.
Yeah Jake, seeing pictures of rigs where they salt they roads makes me cringe. I would hate to work on a vehicle where every fastener is going to fight you, break or strip. The West does have rust issues for those who live where it snows and they salt the roads and also for the coastal areas due to the salt content in the air that rusts the shit out of everything. But, for the most part, us folks on the West Coast are spoiled when it comes to having rust free vehicles.
Thanks for sharing. I am sure you already know this, but when I work on my FJC's alignment I use the seat belt and wrap on the steering than click it into place. Wheel will stay centered.
Great video. But I do have a question about the intermediate shaft. I am having a very hard time getting the part on the intermediate shaft to slide up and down in order to adjust my steering wheel position. But I noticed you had no problem sliding that thing. What could possibly be wrong? Just to make sure we are on the same page, I am talking about the part that slides up the shaft with splines. If you fast forward to 1:01:30, you fingers are on it.
Maybe you just need to spread the end of the rag joint out a bit. Take the pinch bolt out, put a small pry bar or large flat blade screwdriver in the slot and twist the end of the pry bar or screwdriver to get the end of the rag joint to spread out more. This should allow you more play to slide the upper half of the rag joint up the steering shaft. It could also be a case of some corrosion on the shaft that's hindering the free movement of the rag joint up the shaft. Maybe a little persuasion with a plastic mallet will allow the joint to slide up the shaft. Tap it up and down the shaft back and forth and that might be all it needs to allow the free movement you require to make the final adjustments to get your steering wheel straight.
A lot of guys change them out when the seals are leaking really bad. Rebuilding them looks to be a pain in the butt. The other thing is if the steering has significant slop and other things to address it have failed like steering rack bushings, replacing worn tie rods, replacing a worn steering rack guide.
If you had a brand-new OEM rack, would you upfront replace the rubber bushings w/poly or, not mess with the rack bushings and keep the poly’s for some point down the road?
Timmy; I have a steering wheel that's about 40 degrees out of whack after a front wheel alignment. I'm wondering if I can loosen that coupling at the 24:14 mark, turn the steering wheel to the correct position, then tighten that coupling up to fix the issue I'm having. Will that work?
Yes, that would work. I responded to your comment on T4R. Just make sure you can turn the wheel 2.5 time to the right and 2.5 to the left to make sure you are indeed centered.
Hey Timmy, thanks to you I finished my lower ball joints and now have the rack off. My old rack (probably the ITRs) is/are really sloppy, the new one is very stiff, and I want to make sure I match them up correctly. I marked the old OTRs at the nut but am replacing those too. Shall I just match the length from the end of the tie rods, or ??? What's the best way to make sure I'm matching these up correctly? PS I locked the steering by attaching some hose clamps to the steering wheel and to a rod going across between the open windows, it works great.
I measured the two steering racks and they are not quite the same length, that's why I'm thinking to match up the lengths at the end of the OTRs. Or would I need to adjust the ITRs first?
@@lhughescca The steering racks should be the identical length. The adjustment should only be at the outer tie rods. If you match the length of the outer tie rods using your match marks, you should have the alignment very close. But, you should get an alignment afterwards to make sure your toe is correct so you don't get uneven tire wear.
Timmy, Thanks for this video. I really like the way that you are pretty thorough with your explanation of the jobs your show. I'm going to attempt to replace the rack on my 03 Tundra this weekend. It looks pretty similar to the 4Runner rack. Thanks!
Thanks for the great video! I just wanted to add if you live in the northeast and deal with the winters with the salt you might have seized 17 mm nuts on the high pressure and return line at the rack. Just cut the old lines and order new lines.
Fixitric We definitely feel for the folks who live in the rust belts of the country. It would suck to have to cut off those power steering lines. I've heard they are pretty darn expensive to replace.
Timmy The Toolman it was not that bad i purchased the both lines from Rockauto for $200. it was well worth it because if the nuts are seized you can not remove the rack. i just finished installing a new rack on my 1997 Toyota 4runner and it maded the job easier. But thanks again for your video because i used it during removal and installation.
Thanks for the kind words. Making these videos is quite the process. First we research the job using the factory service manual, forum write-ups and any existing videos. The day we film is usually a long one because we need to make sure we say everything correctly, get the camera at the right angles, get the lighting right and at the same time run into unexpected problems. When the job is done, then the real work starts, the editing. I go through the video first doing all the rough cuts to get the content and flow I'd like to see and then I hand it over to Sean to make it much nicer to watch with all the cool things he does. It's a lot of work but we're having fun and we love the positive feedback from people like you. Sometimes when I'm in the middle of a long editing session I question if this is the way I want to spend my time, but after I get done and get to see the finished product Sean comes up with, I'm stoked. Thanks for taking the time to comment. We appreciate it. Happy Wrenching to my Houston Brothers.
no problem my favorite youtube channel and it is a pleasure to appreciate your hard work and working practically for free to help people and share your experience.
47:11 if that tie rod is a smidgen off, not turned a further few degrees clockwise, leaving the tie rod end exactly parallel to the knuckle, could that cause tight steering or prevent "return to center"? just that fraction of a rotation?
No, that wouldn't cause the steering to act like that. You've probably got the steering shaft too tight and bound. When you joined the too rag joint halves, it put the steering shaft into a slight bind. Loosen the top pinch bolt that secures the upper rag joint half to the steering shaft. If the shaft was bound, it will loosen once that pinch bolt is loosened. You might even tap on rag joint downward with a mallet to get it to slide down.
@@TimmyTheToolman ok, I definitely see what you're saying. There's a lot of "spline" showing between the lower rag joint and the steering rack, the pinch bolt is super tight (wasn't unscrewed during replacement), and the upper rag joint doesn't look like it has changed position at all. I don't have the tools to crack the pinch bolt due to the position. But will show this to the installer. Thanks.
Hey Timmy I am just wondering where did you get the steering rack and pinion from is it OEM or Aftermarket? And also if I can’t afford OEM what would be a good aftermarket steering rack to order?
Gotta go OEM. Buy once and cry once. Yes it is more expensive but how much is your time worth? Do it once, do it right, and use components that are going to last. OEM is proven time and time again to outlast the competition by a long shot. We went OEM, get the beat price online for this component.
Having an issue with the lower nut on my '99 4Runner. Used my impact gun on it and the whole stud and nut spun. Tried putting a 10mm on the hex end and using a box end wrench to hold the stud and spin off the nut but, the 10mm kept slipping. Noticed there is a slot to access a nut on the back side but not sure size anything over 15mm doesnt fit. Thanks for any help!
I just changed my original 2002 Tacoma tie rod ends (inner/outer) and noticed the same problem regarding available threads. To make matters worse the new Toyota tie rod ends have even fewer threads so my drivers side is now all the way to the end of adjustment. It looks like. you just normalized the thread count but wouldn't that throw the alignment off? I'm guessing you just turned out the driver side and turned in the passanger side and equal amount in this case 4.8mm or however many turns that gets close too. Anyway I am watching your LCA video and getting up the courage for that job. I'm wondering if I should normalize the outer tie rods then and let the alignment shop deal with it later.
Yeah, you can equal out the tie rods by taking in the passenger side a few threads and then extending out the driver side to give the alignment tech more room for adjustment. It doesn't have to be perfect, just close enough so you can drive it to the alignment shop after you're all done. The LCA bushing job isn't that difficult unless you have to cut out one or more frozen cam adjusters and then the job gets more involved. Hopefully you'll find none of them are frozen. If you do find some frozen adjusters, be sure to watch Part 2. It's not that hard of a job. You can do it no problem Larry. Happy Wrenching!
@@TimmyTheToolman Yeah I'm gonna tackle the LCA after shops are quoting me 3.5 hrs per side @ $140. Did the job 5 years ago, hired a kid off craigslist at $25 hour. I think it took 5 hours with me "helping". Used Moog and the bushings are shot again. So you noted to torque all the suspension parts with the vehicle weighted onto the ground. I suppose that means to keep the steering rack loose, lower the truck then torque up those cam adjusting bolts.
The instructions with my new rack said it was centered at the factory and not to turn it. So i put a piece of pipe through the windows and taped the steering straight. Then you know when you slide the sleeve back down everything will end up centered when the wheels are straight. The last guy who worked on your 1999 thought he could center the steering wheel by adjusting the tie rod ends. Doing that takes the rack out of center (like yours) and it won't have the same range of motion from side to side.
Well, adjusting the steering wheel via the tie rods is what alignment techs do all day, everyday. They check the toe and then make adjustments if necessary keeping in mind they want a straight steering for the customer when they are all done. The problem with Dave's rig is somehow huge adjustments were done at some point and you're right that they tried to do it all by adjusting the tie rods instead of re-centering the steering wheel via the rag joint and then fine tuning it with the tie rods.
Dam.....so glad i found you, this video is amazing and going to help so much, thanks for all of your help and willing to do this for everyone. Amazing!
You're welcome Bryan. Helping people save money is one of our main goals with making these videos. Shops charge a lot and often screw up the job so why not do it yourself and get it done right while saving yourself a ton of money. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
Your the man! I have what appears to be engine oil all over my steering rack and some darker grimy oil where the cv axle goes into the differential on the driver side. Is there any possibility its coming from somewhere other than my valve cover?
Sure it's possible. I'd clean up all the oil really well and then keep an eye on it. For any oil leak, you need to track from the bottom up looking for potential sources of the leak. Oil leaking down from leaking valve covers is pretty common and most likely what you're seeing.
When you max out the steering all the way to the left or right, you're basically putting the power steering pump up against a brick wall with no where to go and it's straining. It's common to hear the pump make noise like that at full lock and you're holding it there.
Fantastic video as always Timmy. I'm here because of a leak in my 2001 Taco. Wanted to know what tool I would need and the difficulty level involve. Thanks to you video I will do this joy myself. All the best to you.
You're welcome. It's Sean's and my goal to make our videos as comprehensive as possible so we don't leave people guessing. We don't really care if people think our videos are too long because people can just skip what they don't want to watch. However, we know some people will have our video open while they are doing the repair on their vehicle and will appreciate the extra detail so they can be successful. It still makes me laugh when somebody gives a thumbs down to a video we put out and I know our video documents the job better than any other video or write-up out there. I guess there's people who are just hard to please or maybe they're just trolling and will give a thumbs down even though they know the video is good. Thanks for taking the time to comment. We appreciate it!
That's right, everything looks upside down coming from the Dudes Down Under. Another cool thing about making UA-cam videos is all the people you help all over the world. I recently had some dudes who live in Russian speaking country asking me a bunch of questions and if I'd make a video on how to rebuild a front differential. The high majority of the viewers come from the US because that's where most of these 3rd Gen 4runners were sold but it's very cool to see all the people from different countries our videos have reached. Keep Wrenching My Brother From Down Under. One day I'll visit Australia. It's on my Bucket List of places to check out.
Thanks Chad! That's what we're all about, empowering people to do their own automotive work by giving them very detailed tutorials to follow. You're very welcome and good luck with the job.
In the middle of this job last night had to quit. Couldn't get the 17mm flare nut wrench on the bigger nut of the tube going into the rack. For some reason I can get the regular 17mm open end wrench on there but not the flare. Gonna try again now. Also, on my truck, for the power steering pump, the hoses aren't 3/8"! I got a "power steering return hose" from the oreillys that's 3/8 to replace the old cracked one (and also putting in a magnefine filter), took off the old hose and is clearly a bit bigger. Couldn't get the 3/8" hose on there.
A flex head flare nut wrench is what I used in the video. Are you also using a flex head wrench? If not, that might make the difference of you being able to get on the flare nut fitting. As for the hose not fitting, if it is indeed the right size, try lubricating the inside of the hose with a little ATF to aid it to slide onto the fitting. If that hose is clearly not going to fit, see if O'Reilly sells a larger diameter one. If not, you could always just go to Toyota and get a replacement hose though it will cost you a lot more money.
Great video, just one thing about the alignment, if your talking about toe in, toe out if one wheel is out a lot it will split the toe and both will be equal all the time no matter what, one side cannot be more out then the other side.
Yeah, what you say makes sense. But, one tie rod can have more adjustment available than the other like we found on Dave's rig. One side was completely bottomed out with no adjustment left while the other side had a ton of available adjustment. What this tells me is the alignment techs working on this rig didn't know what they were doing or just didn't care.
Thanks for the video. I did one of these at work today by winging it. I didnt even try to mess with the rag joint. It was far to messed up. In the future ill attempt to separate it like you did. I have to do this same job onn my personal vehicle. 96 Tacoma pretty sure its the same rack. in the case the threads on the outer tie rods are way off (one is maxed in the other is like 700 turns out) could i just "reset" the mid point after locking the steering wheel and resetting the lower rag joint like you did?
Hey Ernesto you could reset the midpoint like that but then you give any future alignment shop very little to work with to adjust your toe. I think it's better to have closer to an equal amount of adjustment on both sides.
5:18 Most of my power steering fluid quickly leaked out while driving. I pulled over and looked under the truck "2002 4Runner". It looked as if the fluid was leaking from under the rubber grommet. I bought some fluid from a gas station and kept filling it with fluid to try to get it home. On the way home, I stopped at a service station that I usually take my Honda to and told him about the fluid leaking from the center of the rack and ask about replacing the rack. He was swamped with vehicles to work on so he couldn't look at it or receive the vehicle for repair, but he did tell me that the only places a rack can leak from is on the ends... Not the center. He said it's probably one of the lines leaking. He told me on what day I could bring the truck back so that he could troubleshoot and fix it. I figured that if it's a line that is leaking, I could easily replace the line myself. The next morning I jacked the truck up, removed the under carriage plates, wiped everything down, so that I could look for the leak. I put more fluid in it, started the truck and got under it to look for the leaking line. Under pressure, the fluid is pouring out and still... None of the lines look as if they are leaking. The fluid still looks like it is coming from under the rubber grommet as if the rack casing has a crack in it. I am taking it in to the mechanic for repair and will update this comment with the findings, but has anyone else experienced a steering rack leaking from the casing itself?
Another great video Timmy. I recently had the steering rack with new outer tie rods replace on my 04 Tacoma. I got it back and when I turn the steering wheel it’s now stiff and not returning back to center on its own. Should it work normal after install or is there a break in period as the mechanic stated? The brand they put on is Master Pro
Thanks Joseph. With the stiff steering problem, I'm suspecting the rag joint is binding the steering shaft. Loosen the upper pinch bolt that secures the upper rag joint half to the steering shaft. If there was any undue tension being applied on the steering shaft, this will release it. Retighten the pinch bolt and see if the steering is now acting normal.
Great video! I'm gonna do this job on my 03 Tacoma next week. But I only have regular flare nut wrenches, do u think that I will be able to get the ps lines off without the pivoting wrenches?
The flex head flare nut wrenches did help to get onto the fittings easier with how far I had the steering rack pulled back to. To get a regular flare nut wrench onto the fittings, you'd just have to have the steering rack pulled back farther than I did. There's several brackets that secure the power steering lines to the frame of the vehicle. There's one on the inside of the driver side frame rail and I believe a couple on the front frame rail. If you disconnect the one on the driver side frame rail, you should be able to move it back far enough. If not, release one or more of the other ones to get more movement with the steering rack.
Just had one more question, so I'm also replacing my outer tie rods, should I just measure the old rack from tie rod end to the rack on both sides to center the new rack? Or is there a better way to center the new rack?
@@diesel_power0046 Match up the old tie rods to the new ones. If the new tie rods are identical to the old ones, you can count how many threads are showing after the jam nut. If they are different, then you need to figure out how far to screw the new outer tie rods into the inner tie rods to get about the same position. It could be as easy as holding up the new tie rod to the old tie rod and make a mark on the new one where the end of the jam nut should end up on the threads. You don't need to be absolutely precise with this. You should be getting an alignment after this job anyway and the alignment tech will be able to get it perfect for you. But, like we discussed in the video, you don't want one tie rod maxed out on one side and the one on the opposite side with a ton of adjustability. It's better to have a similar amount of available adjustability on both ends meaning there's around the same amount of threads showing after the jam nut on both sides.
Is this the same for a 97 tacoma? one of my Tie rods or at least the area is leaking barely through the boot. What should I look into, should I just get a new rack? or is there something I can do to stop the leak, I know I need to replace one of the tie rods
Davis This is the same as your 1st Gen Tacoma but there are slight differences. The Tacoma has different outer tie rods so I would make sure if you do order a steering rack that you order one for your Tacoma. If it’s not a bad leak and your steering is fine, I wouldn’t replace your rack.
@@TimmyTheToolman dang man that was fast! Thanks!!! Its barely leaking, but I do believe one of the tie rods are bad and some dude at leshwab tires just said my lower ball joints are bad so Ill probably be replacing those as well with OEM. Btw I also need to do a Valbe shim adjustment here on my 3RZ-FE or whatever motor the 2.7L is. Is it difficult to do? I have a few questions. I wish I could just talk to you 😄
@@Headfirst-M80 Do the tie rod, lower balljoints and valve adjustment on your own. We have videos for all 3 jobs. ua-cam.com/video/--HcOQlv03U/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/bfLvtEnX9qk/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/f0zzsBhs3iA/v-deo.html
Maybe a good idea would be to make match marks on the rag joint where the 2 plates meet and that would definitely make things a whole lot easier. I’m literally next to do this job. I already ordered the the brand new TOYOTA steering rack and should be here by the 9th, so looking to you guys to steer me in the right direction! The drivers side was leaking like crazy.
Hey Tim! I finally tackled the steering rack replacement yesterday and it was a nightmare! The return/feed line connections to rack were completely seized and rounded out using a 17mm flare nut wrench. I had to cut feed hard line to get rack out. It also took me several hours to get intermediate shaft off top the old rack splines. It's all rusted. Anyway, I ordered a set of Sunsong lines and new Toyota oem intermediate shaft. The lines don't come with the return line fitting into rack. Would you happen to have this Toyota part#? I can't find this little part anywhere. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. YOU always save the day! Thank you
I don't know the part number for the fitting. I don't understand how the return line would be missing the fitting to connect it to the steering rack. That doesn't make sense to me. It has to be made with the fitting on the line.
@@TimmyTheToolman One of the ends on power steering lines comes with a fitting that screws in the rack and the other is just rubber hose with no fitting. Sunsong #3401248. Not sure which one is pressure and/or return. Both of my original fittings were rounded out and stuck in the old rack. I need the fitting from the rubber hose to rack. It's the smaller outer nut of the two where the rubber hose slides on to. I believe Toyota part is #44416-04020
Ok. Your videos are amazing and have made me feel like superman with all the tasks I have accomplished with your tutorials. However, I am now struggling big time. I've done some work with my steering rack like replacing bushings, and moving it out of the way, but thought I'd watch this video again to see if im missing something. I swear I must be missing something because it seems like you have so much more room to work around your steering rack than I do (1998 4runner V6 LTD). I've tried 3 different types and sizes of ratchets with various sockets, and seem to have zero room to work around the vertical bolt in the center of the rack ) i know you reiterate this is the most difficult part, but ya, its difficult. Very difficult. Almost to the point where I'm going to throw in the towel. It takes me forever to tighten that bolt since I can only get a click (if Im lucky) out of a ratchet, and have not been able to get a torque wrench in there no matter what I try. I keep watching your videos and it looks like you have way (+/- 2cm at least) more room to work with than I do. Heck, the pressure lines coming out of my rack are in contact with the undercarriage (near that vertical bolt) and it looks like you have inches of space to work with. What am I missing?!?!? Thanks again for the great videos!
Hey Brenden, for that center bolt, did you follow my lead and first cinch down the long bolt on the driver side and the other two bolts on the passenger side so it would be easy to get the center bolt started? If you've got the bolt holes centered really good, you might be able to have a socket on the center bolt and turn it with you hand to get the bolt screwed in most of the way. If that doesn't work, a ratchet that is flex head and has 120 click points of engagement will allow you to get in there and tighten the bolt easier. The Gear Wrench ratchets I own are worth their weight in gold to make things like this easier to accomplish. Getting the torque wrench in there and getting the bolt to spec is the hardest part. You really only get one click at a time from what I remember so the key to making it less of a tedious process is first getting it as tight as possible first with a 1/2" drive ratchet like the Gesr Wrench ones I mentioned. I provide links to those ratchets in a comment I pinned. I hope this helps.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I took your advice with tightening that long driver's side bolt, then pass. bolts. I'm ordering a gear wrench flex head ratchet today, hoping that will ease some of my troubles! Thanks again for the awesome videos!
@@brendenphillips3013 You're welcome Brenden. You'll get it done. You'll love those flex head 120 click point ratchets. They are a serious game-changer. I couldn't imagine wrenching without them now.
excellent video! at 25:25 my top right 19mm bolt for the passenger side U shaped bushing is completely blocked by those metal power steering lines?! every video have seen everyones are engineered out of the way?? so odd as mine is blocking it, can i remove the metal line from the steering rack without causing an issue to the power steering fluid or pressure?
That's weird your hard line is blocking the bolt. I think somebody bent it or some debris hit it and bent it. You can unbolt those lines but then you will have to refill the system which isn't a big deal. The air in the system will work it's way out to the reservoir.
@@TimmyTheToolman very frustrating! it doesnt look bent or damaged... maybe its not the original steering rack.. is the power steering fluid DEX II like subarus? or is it specific power steer fluid..? thankyou!
Timmy The Toolman is there somewhere I could send you a few pics? Also had a tie rod question. My rack has the funny TOYODA print on it so I think it’s oe. You got a subscribe outta me
12:22 ... what is the procedure when you install new OEM outer tie rod ends to a new OEM steering gear rack and keep the steering wheel near true as opposed to the steering wheel being upto 45 degrees off center ... 37:27 rag joint 50:15
You still make match marks on the old outer tie rods and transpose those marks to the new tie rods so your alignment toe will be very close to being correct. At the end of the video, we cover how to make adjustments at the rag joint to get the steering wheel as straight as possible. When you get an alignment, the alignment tech can dial in the straightness of the steering wheel by making adjustments at the outer tie rods.
@@TimmyTheToolman ok thanks! does the alignment tech need to disconnect the outer tie rods from the LBJs/knuckle part to do this wheel straightening? i am curious!
Hey Timmy, do you have any tips or tricks to fix a loose steering rack piston on a Lexus GX470? My passenger side has a small amount of movement up and down and it is causing a loud clunking when driving over bumps.
The only thing I can think of is an adjustment of the steering rack guide. We have a video for a 3rd Gen 4runner that will give you an idea of how to do it. ua-cam.com/video/r4Hhl225E8A/v-deo.htmlsi=FertitsOUwC2J03U
*TOOLS WE USED FOR THIS JOB and ONE SPECIAL NOTE*
*If you're looking for other tools not used in this video, check out Timmy's Master Tool List.*
www.amazon.com/shop/timmythetoolman?isPublicView=true
*Steering Rack Driver Side Long Bolt Torque Value - 141 ft-lbf (I've heard from people this might be a misprint in some FSMs. After working on other Toyota models, I concur there is a misprint in some manuals for this long bolt and nut. The value should be 96 ft-lbf.)*
*6 Ton Jack Stands - (strong stands to support vehicle while you're working underneath it)
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*Heavy Duty Rubber Wheel Chocks - (nice heavy chocks that don't slip)
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*Dewalt 1/2" Drive Impact Gun - (strong gun that's great for removing wheel lug nuts and a host of other fasteners)
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*Dewalt Batteries
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*Dewalt Battery Charger
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*Wheel Lug Nut Impact Socket Set - (nice set for removal of different size lug nuts)
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*Long Magnetic Parts/Tool Tray (Good for holding longer tools like ratchets and wrenches) amzn.to/2m89y0D
*Medium Size Magnetic Parts/Tool Tray (Good Size for keeping track of fasteners/small parts) amzn.to/2ky8Qt8
*Small Size Magnetic Parts/Tool Tray (Good for holding lug nuts or smaller fasteners/parts) amzn.to/2m6kQ5y
*Milwaukee Mi12 Cordless Ratchet - (great for speeding up the removal and reinstallation of fasteners)
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*Milwaukee M12 Batteries (2 Pack)
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*Milwaukee M12 High Capacity Battery
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*Milwaukee M12 Battery Charger
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*3/8” Drive Regular Extension Set
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*3/8" Drive 6 Point Metric Standard Socket Set
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*Flex Head Box End Wrench Set - (very handy for multiple applications)
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*1/4" and 3/8" Flex Head Ratchet Set - (awesome ratchets that will make your wrenching life easier)
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*3/8" Drive 6 Point Metric Deep Socket Set
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*1/2" Deep Metric Impact Socket Set
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*1/2” Drive Impact Swivel
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*Small Digital Caliper - (if you found your tie rods were also way off and needed to figure out how to get them in better alignment side to side)
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*White Paint Pen - (for making match-marks for the outer tie rods)
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*Large Metric Wrench Set - (for disconnecting and tightening the outer tie rod to the inner tie rod)
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*Knipex Diagonal Cutters - (to facilitate the removal of cotter pins and cutting off excess of new cotter pins)
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*OTC Front End Service Kit - (great puller kit for disconnecting the tie rod and balljoint connections)
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*1/2" Drive Flex Head Gear Wrench Ratchet - (awesome ratchet you'll fall in love with. The flex head capability and 120 click points of engagement make life easier)
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*1/2” Drive 6 Point Deep Metric Socket Set
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*1/2” Drive 6 Point Standard Metric Socket Set
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*Mayhew 5 Piece Prybar Set - (nice set. you might use a small one for prying the passenger side steering rack grommet bracket away from the cross member)
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*1/2" Drive Breaker Bar - 24” Long - (you'll need one for breaking free that center bolt for the steering rack)
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*Flex Head Flare Nut Wrench Set - (these makes disconnecting and retightening the power steering lines much easier)
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*Oil Drain Pan
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*Silicone Plug Kit - (in case you also wanted to plug the fluid lines to lose less power steering fluid)
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*Crowfoot Wrench Set - (to use with a torque wrench in case you wanted to get the power steering fluid lines to the exact torque spec)
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*Brake Cleaner - (to clean up parts before reassembly)
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*CDI 1/2" Drive Foot Pound Torque Wrench - (nice affordable torque wrench for larger fasteners)
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*CDI 3/8" Drive Foot Pound Torque Wrench - (nice affordable torque wrench for medium size fasteners)
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*Cotter Pin Set - (for tie rod castle nuts)
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*Oil Funnel 2 Pack - (to refill power steering system)
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**As Amazon Associates we earn from qualifying purchases.
Is that rack and pinion the '01 to '04 version? Not a lot of information on that Amazon page.
@@joyvonguerard9653 The steering rack itself isn't different per say between the years. At some point, they updated the steering rack guide. I just did a check on an online parts seller website and the part number we advertise in the video is the same part number for all the 3rd Gen 4runner model years and it should then be the same for all the 1st Gen Tacoma years as well. 3rd Gen 4runners and 1st Gen Tacomas have essentially the same front end.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thank you so much for what you do! Do you have a Patreon?
@@joyvonguerard9653 thanks for your support. we don't have a Patreon but we DO have a tip jar. www.paypal.me/timmythetoolman?locale.x=en_US
@@joyvonguerard9653 Hi Joy, we have a Tip Jar link on our page. If you look at the photo on our page in the right hand corner, you'll see links to the Tip Jar which will enable you to donate money to us via PayPal. We added this link because many people were asking if they could send us money but our favorite form of payment is hearing back from people sharing their success stories using one of our videos. The fact you appreciate our channel is payment enough in our opinion.
Video is over 3 years old so you may or may not read this but if you do I'd want you to know that you're inspirational and deserve nothing but respect. Rare video with 0 profanity and 100% educational demonstration.
Thank you sir :-)
Sean and I usually read and respond to every question and comment on our channel but sometimes they do squeak by us. Thanks for the kind words. We truly appreciate it. I don't want you to get the impression I'm a saint though. I swear plenty when I get frustrated during a job, but we usually don't feel any need to put that in the video so it's edited out. We've left a few swear words in videos but for the most part but that's an exception to the rule. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
@@TimmyTheToolman Oh man, I truly appreciate you not only writing back, but also being so thorough. What you do off camera is up to you but what content you share to me and many others is just exceptional. I thank you once again and will do my best to support your channel in every way I possibly can.
:-)
@@narbdagger7170 Thanks! We again appreciate the kind words and your support of our channel.
I use your videos for my 3rd gen 4Runner and I can’t say how much I appreciate guys like you who take the time to video the repairs.
Same
Same
Not all heroes wear capes... some wear coveralls. Thanks a million Timmy!
We appreciate that Carter. You're very welcome!
Well I’m at the alignment shop and everything turned out great. Thanks Tim , who knows how much I saved in labor costs. I even found the Toyota steering rack for a little over $500 bucks online. So thanks again guys for all the incredible work you do to help the rest of us out!
Great to hear Israel. Good job getting it done. You are saving tons of money doing your own work and the best part is your learning and making sure things are done right. Thanks for the comment and you're very welcome. Happy Wrenching Bro!
the # i was able to finally pull out of a Toyota dealer shop was 4.5 hours for this rack replacement (I asked several and they refused to give me the hours it would take) ... so its more than 700$ labour at most places... BUT I honestly do NOT see how its supposed to take trained monkey slopshops with all tools and training anywhere NEAR 4.5 hours to do this ?!?!?!
@@efil4kizum Yeah, a guy who has done this job before should not take 4.5 hours to do it. It became very apparent to me over 7 years ago, that the supposed "Experts" aren't all that great because they screw up with a high frequency. There are very good Professional Mechanics, but there's also lots of bad ones. The best person to work on your rig is you. No doubt.
@@TimmyTheToolman two local Yota shops refused to quote me the hours on this... I was told I had to bring my rig in to them and pay a 135$ ~160$ diagnostic fee to tell me the rack is leaking out of the top where the steering shaft connects
@efil4kizum Yep, because they want to hook you on using them for the job. They charge you that diagnostic fee, basically telling you what you already know, and then try to sell you on the repair stating they'll apply the diagnostic fee towards the repair. They should be able to tell you what they will charge for the labor and parts over the phone. It's for reasons like this that, for the most part, I don't like auto shops or dealerships. They are driven more by their profits than providing a good service to their customers. If you're a competent and honest shop, the customers will always be there and you'll make plenty of money. There's way too much dishonesty in the automotive industry.
Sway Bar bushing, Control arm bushing, upper and lower ball joints, valve covers, steering rack, rear axle seal, and trailing arms! Thanks for all the videos. Couldn't get those jobs done without you man!
You're very welcome. Great to hear our videos have helped you out a bunch. Thanks for the comment. We appreciate it! Happy Wrenching!
Just wanted to leave a thank you on this video. I was able to do the rack replacement myself and I saved so much money. I really appreciate the videos you guys make. 🙏
You're very welcome, Jurelle. I'm happy to hear our video helped you replace your steering rack. Great job doing it yourself and saving a ton of money. Happy Wrenching!
2002 tacoma 4x4, 300K plus miles, new power steering pump at the same time. Surprised at the amount of gunk in the screen and how difficult it was to clean it out. Great video, really appreciate your efforts and the completeness of the coverage and the additional information.
Yeah, that reservoir screen was a chore to clean. Glad our video helped you out. Good job getting it done. Happy Wrenching Terry!
Fantastic quality video as usual Timmy. This video allowed me to replace the rack on my 2001 Taco. Everything went smoothly.... Until I stripped the intake hole of the rack😢. Murphy's Law😂. Anyways the guys at the machine shop in my area retreaded the hole. No leaks so far. I succeed today because of you Timmy. Much thanks. Keep em coming.
Thanks for the compliment. As they say (whoever they are) Shit Happens. That's great that a local machine shop was able to re-tap the threads for you. You got the job done and that's what counts. Great Job!
I just finished using your videos to completely replace all the suspension components and steering rack on my 1st gen Tundra. I never would have been able to do the job without your channel. You've explained everything so thoroughly even a backyard wrenching Jabroni like me can get the job done. You guys are unreal,Thank you my man!
Hey Will, that's great to hear you did all the work on your rig using our videos as a reference. We appreciate you taking the time to comment and share this with us. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
Timmy and Sean, I wanted to thank you again for all your videos but specifically, this steering rack video.
Over the weekend, I removed, degreased and resealed my steering rack.
It was a success.
I degreased my engine and reinstalled my Relentless skid plates.
I can call my drive train bulletproof now.
I will never have to worry about changing bushings because everything there now is Energy Suspension.
With your video, the alignment guys took 15 minutes to align my truck.
I hope to meet you in person soon.
Thanks you so much and keep on trucking!!!
You're very welcome. I'm happy to know our videos are helping you out. Good job doing your own work. Happy Wrenching!
I can’t thank you enough for all the work you do making these videos. I’ve done my valve cover gaskets, timing belt, steering rack and a whole lot of other maintenance jobs all with your help!
It's great to hear our videos have helped you out a lot. You're very welcome. Our goal is to empower people to handle their own automotive work so comments like yours let us know we're achieving that goal. Happy Wrenching Brother!
Toyota wanted to charge over $90 for just for the rubber grommet on the passenger side. Centering the adjustment on both sides was a great idea! Oil does leak from the valve covers but don't forget to check the oil cooler for leaks. I had a leak for years & finally removed the driver front wheel & skirt to access the oil cooler. Cleaned the block under it and sure enough that was my leak (o-ring cracked) because I did the valve covers twice thinking I missed something. I only changed the grommets because the leaking oil turned them to gel. FYI- Toyota does not sell the middle & driver side grommets, they only come pre-installed on the new rack. Another great video brother!
I did an oil cooler gasket replacement on my buddy Wei's 3rd Gen, but I wasn't in a filming mood and didn't document the job.
I forgot Toyota doesn't sell the other 2 bushings and only include them with the new racks.
Thanks Timmy. The flex head flare wrench was key. I had to leave the low pressure line attached to the rack, I disconnected the hose line from the fitting and managed to get it off while the rack was on the bench. Also couldn’t get my slip joint to slide up the intermediate shaft, but made it work. Thanks again for the videos, I’m extremely jealous of your rust-free rides...
Glad you got it done. Dealing with rust is something I don't envy.
Same here! Do you know which hole on the rack is for the high-pressure line? Mine didn't come off ended up breaking the lines and taking the nuts out with socket
Maybe the best repair video ever. To the point and not much fluff at all. Didnt skip over anything. Thank you. I think my leak is coming out the seals of the body
Thank you for the nice compliment. If your steering rack isn't leaking too bad, maybe just occasionally check the fluid level in your power steering reservoir and top it off when necessary. My steering rack has been leaking for years.
Recently replaced my steering rack, tie rods, upper and lower ball joints with toyota parts after I suffered a LBJ failure on the road in my 2000 sr5 4Runner. Cannot thank you enough for your excellent and thorough instructions on these repairs; I'm back on the road now!
Hey Tom, sorry to hear you had a LBJ failure but great to hear our videos helped you get everything replaced and your rig back on the road. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
Why did the lbj fail? Did you have big tires?
@@jerryp2433 Previous owner installed aftermarket LBJ's (Detroit Axle brand from Amazon). They failed after 36k miles. I have photos of the broken parts.
@@TomBuikema oh I believe it. I bought that brand before for my stab bar end links and it fractured after a year.
Thank you very much for informative video. I did this job yesterday on a '97. More room to negotiate lines etc on 2wd fortunately. You can follow this video to a tee and be happy with the result!
You're very welcome Simon. Good to know the 2wd model is easier. Good job getting it done. Happy Wrenching!
Such a good teacher! Most men I’ve been around fixing trucks are angry and swearing, negative. Lol wish I could do this work to my 4Runner, but at least I learn from you and know what they are doing and how long it should take. Wish I could hire you instead. 😍
Plenty of swearing goes in behind the scenes, trust us. But in general, if you follow our lead, you should be able to do any job we show on our channel with the right tools. Refer to our video descriptions for helpful links to tools.
Thanks Timmy! I replaced my 2000 Tundras steering rack with this video. Didn’t have to take out the stabilizer bar cause had just enough access. I tied down the steering wheel and also did new outer tie rods too by just counting the turns. Took me less than four hours. 👍👍
You're welcome, and great job getting the job done.
By far, the BEST and most detailed video i have found on this procedure. Thanks
Glad you found our video helpful. You're very welcome.
thanks again for the videos, My new rack and pinion arrived here last night off of the UPS truck around 6 pm, so after a bite of supper I went out to the shop and at 2:30 am I staggered back to the house with the new rack in place, then today after a through flush job and reservoir clean out, my 2000 4 runner is back on the road. Took it to a shop for re-alignment, so hats off to you for the helpful videos
You're welcome Tim. Glad you got it done and our videos helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to share this. We enjoy reading success stories. Happy Wrenching!
Timmy, I have to tell you that of all the UA-cam videos I spend my time watching, yours are probably the best! You are thorough, you do not rush, you do a fantastic job! Being a diy shade tree mechanic myself, I really appreciate all that you do. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Mark. We appreciate the nice compliment. We want people to succeed using our videos and we try to put ourselves in the shoes of an absolute beginner who's never turned a wrench before. We want everybody to succeed and not just experienced guys and gals who've been turning wrenches for years.
@@TimmyTheToolman Is there a particular brand of aftermarket rack and pinion you like or would suggest?
@@Oldfordsfan Not really Mark. I personally would only run an OEM rack. I've heard of too many issues with aftermarket ones.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks again!
@@Oldfordsfan You're welcome!
Just completed another job thanks to Timmy The Toolman! And Shawn! Pretty straightforward following your video. Major complications I had were due to a non OEM return line installed that gave me hell upon reinstallation, a broken nut on the right bracket for which I had to get some help from a nearby mechanic and OEM tie rods not fitting due to non OEM lower ball joints installed. A few curve balls, but I was able to deal with them. The one thing that was interesting was that eventhough I measured a million times to avoid having the same issue you had with the steering wheel ending up not straight, I also ended up with a slightly turned steering wheel. However, the guy on the alignment shop was able to straighten it up from the cabin (I don't know how he did it as he was up on the lift) without having to adjust the splines the way you did it. Thanks for all these awesome videos you make!
Hey Marx, good job getting it the job done. The alignment techs are able to straighten the steering wheel by making the proper adjustment to the outer tie rods while dialing in the toe. An alignment tech can make up for a steering wheel that's a little out of adjustment, but if you give them your rig with it way off, that's not a good idea because then they would need to max out the adjustment on one of the tie rods like we found when doing this job. It's best to do your own adjustment at the rag joint or via the steering wheel and get it as close as you can before taking it to the alignment shop. This way the tech doesn't have to perform a major correction to get your steering wheel straight. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
Keep these videos rolling in Timmy. This is all going to come in handy as I am doing all suspension work on my 2001 and cleaning up the bottom of the few rust spots with rubberized paint etc. I currently have a 2013 and I love the way it drives, but the 2001 I really want to keep as a reminder of when I thought I could never own a 4runner. This is the reason I am working on it as a hobby to get that new drive feel again.Looking forward to the next video as you mentioned below.
Thanks Sledge. We're gonna keep the video train rollin!
Tim after replacing my 3rd member my steering feel tight and sort of binds when turning, any ideas? Jjitty1@gmail.com
You're definitely keeping my truck going. As long as I can control the rust (which I've spent hours grinding and painting) and replacing parts I'll be good for at least 10 more years!
Great videos man! Just gotta take care of the leaky valve covers and rear main seal haha
Hey Jesse, we're starting today pulling Sean's transfer case and transmission. Sean's transmission totally imploded a while back and he's finally got the funds together to get it rebuilt at IPT Performance in New Jersey. IPT rebuilds the transmission to a superior spec and addresses the weakness in the trans which is a bearing for the planetary gear. He puts a better bearing in, heavier duty clutches and an upgraded valve body. But, long story short, one of the things we plan on doing is replacing the rear main seal so we might have a video for you sometime soon.
Thanks for this guide, which was a great assist to me for the rack replacement on my '04 Tacoma. While my Taco is pretty clean, the job was quite time consuming due to salt belt conditions; a few frozen fasteners led to new sway bar retainers and end-links, new PS pressure and return lines, and the requisite toiling beneath the rig - that was fun! This video helped me overcome those challenges, thanks again!
Stoked you were able to benefit from this video and get the job done. Although it seems like everything goes perfect for us, there is also usually a snag when we tear into these things.
Thanks for the detailed video. It helped me get the job done. Took it in for an alignment and the shop called me back and said it wouldn't align and they think I got a bad rack. Ahhhhhh! Took it in to a different shop the next day and they got it aligned perfectly. Got my $ back from the 1st shop and I didn't have to the job twice. Thanks again.
Good to hear our video helped you out. Yeah, sounds like the first shop didn't know what they were doing. If the second shop had the same problem, I was going to suggest you check to see if one or more of the cam adjusters in your lower control arms were seized. It's pretty common the cam sleeves gets rusted into the bushing sleeve and then when the alignment tech tries to make an adjustment to the camber, he's fighting the bushing and no adjustment is really happening. But, for your application, the camber and caster should have been fine. The main thing they would have had to adjust is the toe since your replaced the rack and the tie rods might have needed some adjustment. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
Just did my first ever steering rack swap on my 95 Surf (4runner) thanks to this awesome video. Thanks Tim, your videos are the best!
That's great to hear Jan. You're very welcome and thank you for the compliment. Happy Wrenching!
Finally replaced all front rear bushings, bearings, seals, springs, ball joints (except upper). I never want to do this again :) but thank you so much for all the suspension videos and torque specs. Not everyone posts torque specs!!
You're welcome Stiffmeister. Glad our videos helped you out.
Awesome video as always, I hope anyone who needs help or wants to see how the job will look like finds this video. Thanks a lot Tim! Keep up the awesome work!
Thanks Brother. Glad you like the video.
Mujhe quelis ki power steering rack chahiye jaldi
Timmy says some of the same stuff last year in his comments above regarding the rag joint, ie flex joint and how to slide it out of the way. I elaborate on this so I hope I don't bore you.
Warning: Disconnect your battery when performing the steering rack replacement. When the steering rack is disconnected from the steering wheel do not turn the steering wheel fully to the left or right. Leave it in the locked position until you are ready to install the rack.
Starting at time 21:00 in the video Timmy has us taking the flex joint apart to facilitate the removal of the steering rack. This is not necessary and just makes life difficult. All you have to do is spray some penetrating fluid on the ends of the flex joint where the two shafts (spleens) are connected. There is a top and bottom bolt that tightens the collars that hold the respective spleens in place. Remove both of these bolts. You can't just loosen the bolts and not remove them because they go through the collar and enter machined grooves in the shafts. Once the bolts are removed slide the flex joint up off the steering rack shaft. You may have to take a screw driver and hammer and tap up on the flex joint to get it to move. There is up and down movement in the steering wheel shaft also. Once the flex joint is slid up off the steering rack shaft push the flex joint, still connected to the steering wheel shaft, off to the side and proceed with removing the steering rack.
When the new rack is in place lining everything up is much simpler than what Timmy has us doing because of the way he took the flex joint apart.
There is approximately 3.5 turns in the steering gear going left to right or right to left. To center the steering rack, BEFORE INSTALLING, place some vice grips on the steering gear shaft and turn if all the way to the left. Now, counting the turns, turn it overall the way to the right. Should be about 3.5 turns. Turn it back 1.75 turns or half of your turn count and you have centered the rack.
Take measurements from the end of inner tie rods to the respective boot end to double check both left and right inner tie rods are sticking out the same distance. Turn the steering rack shaft to make minor adjustments so both ends are perfectly centered. Remove the vice grips Now you can start your install.
Be careful not to move the steering rack shaft from its centered position. Once the rack is installed except for the rag joint or flex joint unlock the steering wheel and make sure it is straight. Now move the intact flex joint back over the steering rack spleen and slide it down over the steering rack spleen. You might have to turn the the flex joint just a little to line up the spleen but not very much. I had to tap on the flex joint with a little hammer to get it to go down. The flex joint needs to come down so none of the steering rack shaft spleen is showing. Replace the two bolts in the spleen collars. If the bolts do not go in move the flex joint up or down until the the collar holes lines up with the grooves in the shaft and the bolts go in easily and can be tightened.
Timmy's 4runner had an off center steering rack which he had to take into account. You can forget most of what he did with the measurements.
With the centered steering wheel connected to a centered steering rack the outer tie rods screw into the inner tie rods about 18-19 turns and should give you a fairly reasonable alignment to get you to the alignment shop regardless of what they were in the beginning.
Attach the outer tie rods to the the LCA and install the castle nuts but don't tighten just yet. Eye ball the alignment to make sure it is close. If it is not close you can do what the alignment shop does. You can remove the boot clamps and turn the inner tie rods equally in or out to correct the alignment or you can spin the outer tie rods in or out to get the alignment close.
Fine tuning the alignment can only be done by turning inner tie rods since the outer tie rods have to be turned a full turn each time, which may be too much. Once you get the alignment close tighten the castle nuts and insert cotter keys Tighten the lock nuts down on the inner tie rods locking the outer tie rods in place. Reinstall the boot clamps.
Of course a professional alignment is necessary So there you have it, a centered steering wheel, connected to a centered steering rack with a close enough alignment to get you to the shop.
Rick Woolverton Jesus Christ Rick, I think you just wrote a novel. Just remember, there's more than one way to do a job. The way I showed people worked perfectly fine and should work for them as well.
@@TimmyTheToolman Gotta take the Lord's name in vain?
@@beavisroadhog9629 No, I didn't. It was just my choice of words at the time I read the novel Rick wrote.
I did it Rick's way on the rag joint - very smooth. To remove the hose fittings I used a 17mm crowsfoot flare nut wrench. There was just enough room to get a socket wrench on the crowsfoot prior to loosening the rack. Thanks Timmy for taking the time and effort to post all of your great videos. I've consulted many of your videos which have helped to keep my '99 SR5 with 330,000 miles on the road.
My buddies' 2002 Sequoia has a really bad leak from the steering rack on the passenger side, where the big rubber grommet lives. I suspect corrosion underneath that bracket assembly has eaten away the metal- it is the original rack also. When we change the rack, we will utilize your video as a guide, because of your great detail brother Tim! Will keep you posted.
The steering rack on my 2000 leaks as well. I disconnected the plastic boot on the passenger side and ATF came pouring out. The seals have obviously deteriorated but my steering is still good so I'll just add fluid for now and prolong it's life. Good luck with the swap Brother Jake. Make sure not to strip those power steering line fittings. A flare nut wrench is your friend for this job. A flex head flare nut wrench is the way to go if you guys have one.
i also like to add if you have problem with the intermediate shaft just buy a new one at the dealership. The Toyota p/n 45860-34020 and I purchased it for $74. It made the adjustment centering the steering wheel and wheels that much easier. Thanks again!
Fixitric Good info. Thanks for sharing.
Timmy and Sean, you guys are simply amazing. Another great video for my 4Runner. I just sent you $10 as a thank you!!
You're very welcome and we appreciate the beer money donation.
You have more faith in Jack stands than me! I always default to placing wood under the frame out of paranoia.
Awesome video, and I may tackle this now since you've provided such a great tutorial.
Jack stand failures are very, very, very rare. Glad you like the video and good luck with the job.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thank you sir!
@@dr.emilschaffhausen4683 You're welcome.
I’m a little joules on how easy you got that upper rack bushing mount bolt out..
It's not easy, but I've done it a few times.
Keep them videos coming! I use your videos more than anybody else because you go more in depth and do your best to show that you are doing while explaining it. I have used many other videos of yours to do repairs and it has always turned out in the end. Thank you!
Hey Vinson, Sean and I live for comments like yours. We love hearing how our videos have helped people and we like to hear how people appreciate the detail we offer. We want people to be successful and not be intimidated to wrench on their vehicles. We try our best to cut our videos down to keep them as short as possible but we refuse to cut out important content just to make a video shorter. We really appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
Good afternoon, before I watch the whole video. My question is will this video also work on a regular rear wheel drive 97 4runner
Yes
Thank you for a great video, it helped a lot when I did my rack. Something that people might find helpful is that my outer nut was seized on good and tight and I could not get it to move. What I ended up doing was this. The outer pipe is a short 4 inch piece of pipe that feeds into a rubber hose with just a pressure clamp. I disconnected this hose which allowed me to get at the inner nut which I was able to get loose. I removed the whole rack and once out I then took the outer nut off and got the job done. I had to use a pipe wrench to get it off.
You're welcome Mike and good job getting the job done. Thanks for sharing your experience and tips.
Can't tell you how helpful your videos are. I have a new rack I'm installing soon - THANK YOU.
Hey Jeff, glad you've found our videos helpful. You're very welcome and good luck with the steering rack swap. Happy Wrenching!
Thanks for the video doing the steering rack this weekend on my 2001 Toyota Tacoma with 286k miles. Very informative and thorough video.
You're welcome. Good luck with the swap and let us know how it goes. Happy Wrenching!
Timmy The Toolman so I actually pulled the old steering rack last week and the return line fitting wouldn’t come off for dear life. So I pull the clamp/hose off it and put in the new steering rack with the new fitting today. So far going well. I had a major failure when my passenger side upper ball join sheered off while I was driving. Just found out that Toyota had a recall on the tundra/sequoia/4Runner/Tacoma upper joints but I guess I never got the letter 12 years ago.
Wow, I've never heard about an upper balljoint issue. The lower balljoint issue is well-documented. Now you got me thinking. Maybe I'll replace my upper balljoints for preventative maintenance.
Ah sorry meant to type lower ball joint on the recall* but I’ve been looking on UA-cam and forums and a lot of people are having problems with both. When I pulled the steering assembly(rotor, lower ball joint assembly and upper vertically running control arm) and the and lower assembly was very worn but didn’t sheer off like the upper ball joint.
Ok, gotcha.
U guys are awesome! Replacing my daughters right now on her 2000 4Runner.
Thanks Guy! Hope the swap went well for you.
Went well thanks guys
I have a 98 Tacoma that I'm going to do the same job to. Your video is a great tutorial. THANKS
You're very welcome William and thanks for the compliment. Good luck with the swap. Happy Wrenching!
nice video tim. With these......i feel like i can keep my 4runner for another 20 years! Keep the repair vids coming!
Thanks Minh. We're definitely going to keep pumping out the videos. Hopefully our videos will be partially responsible for keeping people's 3rd Gens on the road longer. There's still tons of 3rd Gens on the road, at least in my area of California. I see them everywhere I go.
There's a ton here in central cali also (Fresno). These engines seem to last :).
I just looked it up, and here's some stats on how many 3rd Gens were made by year:
1996 - 100,000
1997 - 128,000
1998 - 118,000
1999 - 124,000
2000 - 112,000
2001 - 90,000
2002 - 77,000
Total = 749,000
With how well these 3.4 liter engines last, there's got to be a pretty good percentage still on the road.
I see tons of these 3rd gen 4Runners everyplace I go. People put lots of miles on these and they keep going. Mine's a 2000 with 250,000+ miles, burns no oil and runs perfectly. Like Tim said the valve covers tend to leak after this many years and miles. I wouldn't say they are 'notorous', they are leaking after many, many miles.
Thanks Timmy I watched all three videos I’m going to check steering shaft for play and the inner bushing in the rack. rack bushings already done.
Ok, I hope you can solve the play without replacing the rack. Good Luck!
Thank you so much for these videos. Everyone has helped me do these projects just as you described down to the size socket needed and torque specs to go back together.
Kenneth Fike was everything successful?
I have a '99 Tacoma and a '97 4Runner; I'm an instant sub!
Welcome aboard!
Tim, thanks for your advice recently on my pwr steering. Looks like the trouble is something I never gave a thought to. There's a u-joint at the end of the steering column which allows an almost 90 degree turn to the pwr steering rack. Looks like that's the problem. Who'd have guessed. Not available new, but I have a lead on a good used part. Figured this out by lifting the front end with the engine off, and turning the wheel has the same lumpy feel as with power. One for the books. Don't know if 4runners have this joint or not, but you might want to store this one in your head somewhere.
You're welcome. Yes, the 3rd Gen 4runners have that same steering u-joint. Good job figuring out the problem. Let me know how the repair goes. If you could take some pictures while you're doing it and email them to me if you remember. Here's my email address: mtbtim@sbcglobal.net.
Tim - you da man...what more can we say brother?! Just wanted to add this - I was able to loosen the hydraulic lines into the rack and pinion with a normal 17mm wrench. I agree though - if you have the style wrench Tim does, it makes more contact. Luckily I didn't strip the nut. If that nut gets stripped, you're basically going to have to buy a whole new line. Also, getting the 22mm and (2) 19mm bolts loose was a total B using regular ratchets. I almost had to break down and buy the same big ass Dewalt impact gun Tim uses, but I went medieval on it and hit my ratchet with a small sledge hammer. After already spending over $4,000 on a JDM engine and Magnaflow Overland exhaust, the wife was NOT going to allow a purchase of a $300 impact driver. :) Thanks again for all you do Timmy. Toyota truck owners everywhere owe you and your team a debt of gratitude!
Good job getting it done Cameron and thanks for sharing your experience. Great to hear you appreciate our channel. Happy Wrenching!
@@TimmyTheToolman UPDATE - I found that the older your truck is, the harder this job may be. I've owned my '97 since 1999. I've had it in mud, rivers, sand dunes, etc. (That was back in the day before kids...I'm way less hard on it now). However, everything about this job has been a B (other than getting the hydraulic lines off). The tie rod ends did not want to come out, even with the same puller you used. On the passenger side, it slipped when cranking down and gash the threads up a bit. SO, when I go to put the tie rods back in and put the crown nut back on --- THE POST JUST SPUN. No way to stop it from spinning even with hitting from below to get it seated tight. Also - the pressure hydraulic line's nut was so tight on the metal hose, it was trying to twist the whole hose. So...I disconnected the pressure hose from the power steering pump, from the 2 clamps on the frame, and pulled the hose out about 6 inches. Then grabbed it "gently" with pliers to hold the line while I gently screwed it into the new steering rack. What a bitch of a job. But that's what happens when you're working on an older truck sometimes. Anyhow, the tow truck is on it's way. I'm having my alignment shop install new tie rods and complete the alignment. It will be interesting to see what the position is of the steering wheel when it's done. GOOD LORD! :)
So - I figured out the trick to get the tie rod post to stop spinning. The tire shop puts a bottle jack under it to seat it tightly. That prevents the spinning. Also, the shop said "someone other than us installed the steering rack, so we aren't going to adjust the steering wheel. Adjust it to center and bring it back". I was hoping they would do it since the lower rag joint is so rusty that it is basically a B to get off...but out to the garage I go. I can do this! -GROAN-
@@cameronwright2754 Yeah, sometimes you have to jack up under the tie rod to get the shaft from spinning so you can get the castle nut on. If the steering wheel wasn't too far off, they could have centered it for you when they dial in the toe by making adjustments with the tie rods. If it is way off, I agree it should be brought closer to center first and then dialed in by the alignment tech while he's performing the alignment.
@@TimmyTheToolman Yep, that's what they told me to do. I was able to loosen the top and bottom bolts (above and below the rag joint) and slide it up...move the steering wheel to center and bring the truck back to them. $99 later, I'm back on the road. The steering is money now. Thanks again for all the videos you post!
Great video. By far the dirtiest job I ever done.
Thanks. Try doing an engine swap. You'll be covered head to toe in dirt and oil.
Very thorough! Thanks! Replacing the rack on my little sisters 2002 4runner now. This has been a huge help!
Thanks Tom. Glad to hear our video is helping you out. Good luck with the rest of the job.
The wheel trick worked perfectly for centering the wheel! Made it super easy. Really wasn't a bad job as I feared at first lol.
That's great to hear Tom. A lot of auto mechanics is just like this. It seems like a hard job but if you have the right information, the right tools and a little patience, you can handle a ton of stuff on your own.
Great detail, awesome work!! Refreshing to have almost no rust on the vehicle in the West Coast.
Yeah Jake, seeing pictures of rigs where they salt they roads makes me cringe. I would hate to work on a vehicle where every fastener is going to fight you, break or strip. The West does have rust issues for those who live where it snows and they salt the roads and also for the coastal areas due to the salt content in the air that rusts the shit out of everything. But, for the most part, us folks on the West Coast are spoiled when it comes to having rust free vehicles.
I have great success using PB Blaster for stuck hardware.
jake ounce Yep, I have a couple cans in my garage. Just don't have to use it all that much.
Thanks for sharing. I am sure you already know this, but when I work on my FJC's alignment I use the seat belt and wrap on the steering than click it into place. Wheel will stay centered.
No, we didn't know about that trick. We usually just lock the steering wheel. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the walkthrough man, didn't know if I could do this job, but because of y'all I got it done. Thanks!
Hey Dakota, that's great to hear our video helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to comment and let us know. Happy Wrenching!
In depth and specific. It's a gnarly job. I'll be watching this few times. Thanks for the video!
You're welcome Derek. If you have the right tools, you should be able to do this no problem. Just take your time. Let me know how it goes for you.
Great video. But I do have a question about the intermediate shaft. I am having a very hard time getting the part on the intermediate shaft to slide up and down in order to adjust my steering wheel position. But I noticed you had no problem sliding that thing. What could possibly be wrong? Just to make sure we are on the same page, I am talking about the part that slides up the shaft with splines. If you fast forward to 1:01:30, you fingers are on it.
Maybe you just need to spread the end of the rag joint out a bit. Take the pinch bolt out, put a small pry bar or large flat blade screwdriver in the slot and twist the end of the pry bar or screwdriver to get the end of the rag joint to spread out more. This should allow you more play to slide the upper half of the rag joint up the steering shaft. It could also be a case of some corrosion on the shaft that's hindering the free movement of the rag joint up the shaft. Maybe a little persuasion with a plastic mallet will allow the joint to slide up the shaft. Tap it up and down the shaft back and forth and that might be all it needs to allow the free movement you require to make the final adjustments to get your steering wheel straight.
How do you know when it's time to change the steering rack what are what are the symptoms on any vehicle??
A lot of guys change them out when the seals are leaking really bad. Rebuilding them looks to be a pain in the butt. The other thing is if the steering has significant slop and other things to address it have failed like steering rack bushings, replacing worn tie rods, replacing a worn steering rack guide.
If you had a brand-new OEM rack, would you upfront replace the rubber bushings w/poly or, not mess with the rack bushings and keep the poly’s for some point down the road?
fantastic vid man, I may tackle this with my son, but first, need to buy some more tools (grunt grunt)!
Glad you like the video. Tools are a good investment. They'll pay for themselves quickly with the work you're able to do with them.
Timmy; I have a steering wheel that's about 40 degrees out of whack after a front wheel alignment. I'm wondering if I can loosen that coupling at the 24:14 mark, turn the steering wheel to the correct position, then tighten that coupling up to fix the issue I'm having. Will that work?
Yes, that would work. I responded to your comment on T4R. Just make sure you can turn the wheel 2.5 time to the right and 2.5 to the left to make sure you are indeed centered.
@@TimmyTheToolman: Thank you. If the steering wheel removal, turn 40 degrees, and put back on doesn't work, this will be my plan B.
Hey Timmy, thanks to you I finished my lower ball joints and now have the rack off. My old rack (probably the ITRs) is/are really sloppy, the new one is very stiff, and I want to make sure I match them up correctly. I marked the old OTRs at the nut but am replacing those too. Shall I just match the length from the end of the tie rods, or ??? What's the best way to make sure I'm matching these up correctly? PS I locked the steering by attaching some hose clamps to the steering wheel and to a rod going across between the open windows, it works great.
I measured the two steering racks and they are not quite the same length, that's why I'm thinking to match up the lengths at the end of the OTRs. Or would I need to adjust the ITRs first?
@@lhughescca The steering racks should be the identical length. The adjustment should only be at the outer tie rods. If you match the length of the outer tie rods using your match marks, you should have the alignment very close. But, you should get an alignment afterwards to make sure your toe is correct so you don't get uneven tire wear.
Another outstanding video with excellent teaching points. Thank you.
Thanks for the compliment. We appreciate it. You're very welcome and Happy Wrenching!
Timmy, Thanks for this video. I really like the way that you are pretty thorough with your explanation of the jobs your show. I'm going to attempt to replace the rack on my 03 Tundra this weekend. It looks pretty similar to the 4Runner rack. Thanks!
You're welcome Dave. Glad you appreciate the detail we offer in our videos. Good luck with the swap.
Thanks for the great video! I just wanted to add if you live in the northeast and deal with the winters with the salt you might have seized 17 mm nuts on the high pressure and return line at the rack. Just cut the old lines and order new lines.
Fixitric We definitely feel for the folks who live in the rust belts of the country. It would suck to have to cut off those power steering lines. I've heard they are pretty darn expensive to replace.
Timmy The Toolman it was not that bad i purchased the both lines from Rockauto for $200. it was well worth it because if the nuts are seized you can not remove the rack. i just finished installing a new rack on my 1997 Toyota 4runner and it maded the job easier. But thanks again for your video because i used it during removal and installation.
Yeah, $200 is better than I thought. Glad our video helped you out. Thanks for taking the time to comment. We appreciate it.
Do you happen to know the fluid capacity for the power steering system?
I don't know the exact amount. It's somewhere around 2-3 quarts.
@@TimmyTheToolman thanks
@@howtodoit1779 No problem.
As always I say Timmy thank you for your time to share amazing videos to the 4runner fans here and best regards from Houston
Thanks for the kind words. Making these videos is quite the process. First we research the job using the factory service manual, forum write-ups and any existing videos. The day we film is usually a long one because we need to make sure we say everything correctly, get the camera at the right angles, get the lighting right and at the same time run into unexpected problems. When the job is done, then the real work starts, the editing. I go through the video first doing all the rough cuts to get the content and flow I'd like to see and then I hand it over to Sean to make it much nicer to watch with all the cool things he does.
It's a lot of work but we're having fun and we love the positive feedback from people like you. Sometimes when I'm in the middle of a long editing session I question if this is the way I want to spend my time, but after I get done and get to see the finished product Sean comes up with, I'm stoked.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. We appreciate it. Happy Wrenching to my Houston Brothers.
no problem my favorite youtube channel and it is a pleasure to appreciate your hard work and working practically for free to help people and share your experience.
Wow, we're your favorite. That's a hell of a compliment knowing all the good Automotive UA-cam channels out there. Thanks! This made my day!
Timmy The Tool man team, keep up the good work. You guys are heros in the UA-cam world😊 📽️🎬
Does this mean Sean and I need to be wearing capes now? Wait, that's superheroes. Never mind.
47:11 if that tie rod is a smidgen off, not turned a further few degrees clockwise, leaving the tie rod end exactly parallel to the knuckle, could that cause tight steering or prevent "return to center"? just that fraction of a rotation?
No, that wouldn't cause the steering to act like that. You've probably got the steering shaft too tight and bound. When you joined the too rag joint halves, it put the steering shaft into a slight bind. Loosen the top pinch bolt that secures the upper rag joint half to the steering shaft. If the shaft was bound, it will loosen once that pinch bolt is loosened. You might even tap on rag joint downward with a mallet to get it to slide down.
@@TimmyTheToolman ok, I definitely see what you're saying. There's a lot of "spline" showing between the lower rag joint and the steering rack, the pinch bolt is super tight (wasn't unscrewed during replacement), and the upper rag joint doesn't look like it has changed position at all. I don't have the tools to crack the pinch bolt due to the position. But will show this to the installer. Thanks.
@@TimmyTheToolman that worked. Steering is no longer tight and it "returns to center" after turns. Thanks!
@@n0sr3t3p Good to hear.
Hey Timmy I am just wondering where did you get the steering rack and pinion from is it OEM or Aftermarket? And also if I can’t afford OEM what would be a good aftermarket steering rack to order?
Gotta go OEM. Buy once and cry once. Yes it is more expensive but how much is your time worth? Do it once, do it right, and use components that are going to last. OEM is proven time and time again to outlast the competition by a long shot. We went OEM, get the beat price online for this component.
Having an issue with the lower nut on my '99 4Runner. Used my impact gun on it and the whole stud and nut spun. Tried putting a 10mm on the hex end and using a box end wrench to hold the stud and spin off the nut but, the 10mm kept slipping. Noticed there is a slot to access a nut on the back side but not sure size anything over 15mm doesnt fit. Thanks for any help!
@@kylefeatherston6723Are you talking about the U-bracket connection on the passenger side?
I just changed my original 2002 Tacoma tie rod ends (inner/outer) and noticed the same problem regarding available threads. To make matters worse the new Toyota tie rod ends have even fewer threads so my drivers side is now all the way to the end of adjustment. It looks like. you just normalized the thread count but wouldn't that throw the alignment off? I'm guessing you just turned out the driver side and turned in the passanger side and equal amount in this case 4.8mm or however many turns that gets close too. Anyway I am watching your LCA video and getting up the courage for that job. I'm wondering if I should normalize the outer tie rods then and let the alignment shop deal with it later.
Yeah, you can equal out the tie rods by taking in the passenger side a few threads and then extending out the driver side to give the alignment tech more room for adjustment. It doesn't have to be perfect, just close enough so you can drive it to the alignment shop after you're all done.
The LCA bushing job isn't that difficult unless you have to cut out one or more frozen cam adjusters and then the job gets more involved. Hopefully you'll find none of them are frozen. If you do find some frozen adjusters, be sure to watch Part 2. It's not that hard of a job. You can do it no problem Larry. Happy Wrenching!
@@TimmyTheToolman Yeah I'm gonna tackle the LCA after shops are quoting me 3.5 hrs per side @ $140. Did the job 5 years ago, hired a kid off craigslist at $25 hour. I think it took 5 hours with me "helping". Used Moog and the bushings are shot again.
So you noted to torque all the suspension parts with the vehicle weighted onto the ground. I suppose that means to keep the steering rack loose, lower the truck then torque up those cam adjusting bolts.
The instructions with my new rack said it was centered at the factory and not to turn it. So i put a piece of pipe through the windows and taped the steering straight. Then you know when you slide the sleeve back down everything will end up centered when the wheels are straight. The last guy who worked on your 1999 thought he could center the steering wheel by adjusting the tie rod ends. Doing that takes the rack out of center (like yours) and it won't have the same range of motion from side to side.
Well, adjusting the steering wheel via the tie rods is what alignment techs do all day, everyday. They check the toe and then make adjustments if necessary keeping in mind they want a straight steering for the customer when they are all done. The problem with Dave's rig is somehow huge adjustments were done at some point and you're right that they tried to do it all by adjusting the tie rods instead of re-centering the steering wheel via the rag joint and then fine tuning it with the tie rods.
I love my 4runner, do you recommend replacing all the bushings as well with the rack and pinion?
What's all the bushings? Are you talking about the control arm bushings front and rear?
Do you have any suggestions on how to replace the rack on a 2001 toyota Prius, and how to calibrated thx
I'm sorry. We don't have any experience working on the Prius model.
Very useful video. My 2014 4Runners steering is very stiff and i already did a power steering flush. Can you recommend any other troubleshooting?
Have you determined if your reservoir screen is unclogged?
@@TimmyTheToolman i have not. thank you for the advice
@@pog4life89 Hopefully a cleaning will be the fix.
Hey! What are those plugs you used to stop the lines leaking PSF at 32:50 ?
Silicone Plug Kit amzn.to/34Joap7
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Great video for learning automotive engineering course.
Thanks for the compliment.
Dam.....so glad i found you, this video is amazing and going to help so much, thanks for all of your help and willing to do this for everyone. Amazing!
You're very welcome Kevin. Thanks for taking the time to comment and we hope the job goes smooth for you. Happy Wrenching!
awesome video!!! love my 3rd gen and this video is saving me money! Thanks man!!!!
You're welcome Bryan. Helping people save money is one of our main goals with making these videos. Shops charge a lot and often screw up the job so why not do it yourself and get it done right while saving yourself a ton of money. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Wrenching!
Your the man! I have what appears to be engine oil all over my steering rack and some darker grimy oil where the cv axle goes into the differential on the driver side. Is there any possibility its coming from somewhere other than my valve cover?
Sure it's possible. I'd clean up all the oil really well and then keep an eye on it. For any oil leak, you need to track from the bottom up looking for potential sources of the leak. Oil leaking down from leaking valve covers is pretty common and most likely what you're seeing.
Is that grinding sound normal when he has the wheel held in the far right or left locked position? At 59:00
When you max out the steering all the way to the left or right, you're basically putting the power steering pump up against a brick wall with no where to go and it's straining. It's common to hear the pump make noise like that at full lock and you're holding it there.
Fantastic video as always Timmy. I'm here because of a leak in my 2001 Taco. Wanted to know what tool I would need and the difficulty level involve. Thanks to you video I will do this joy myself. All the best to you.
Are you asking about the tools needed to rebuild your steering rack?
again another awesome video, 1:03 mark, thanks alot for explaining the centre position adjustment
You're welcome. It's Sean's and my goal to make our videos as comprehensive as possible so we don't leave people guessing. We don't really care if people think our videos are too long because people can just skip what they don't want to watch. However, we know some people will have our video open while they are doing the repair on their vehicle and will appreciate the extra detail so they can be successful.
It still makes me laugh when somebody gives a thumbs down to a video we put out and I know our video documents the job better than any other video or write-up out there. I guess there's people who are just hard to please or maybe they're just trolling and will give a thumbs down even though they know the video is good.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. We appreciate it!
keep up the good work, you have helped me a lot... you got the thumbs down wrong man! its a thumbs up from Australia! :P
That's right, everything looks upside down coming from the Dudes Down Under.
Another cool thing about making UA-cam videos is all the people you help all over the world. I recently had some dudes who live in Russian speaking country asking me a bunch of questions and if I'd make a video on how to rebuild a front differential. The high majority of the viewers come from the US because that's where most of these 3rd Gen 4runners were sold but it's very cool to see all the people from different countries our videos have reached.
Keep Wrenching My Brother From Down Under. One day I'll visit Australia. It's on my Bucket List of places to check out.
Just 1 ? It looks like you reused your outer tie rods? When do you recommend replacing those? Thanks for all your help 🎉
You replace the outer tie rods when there's either detectable play in the joints or the boots are ripped. Other than that, keep running them.
Thanks man! Im using this to do it by myself. I hope.
You're very welcome Peter. You'll be successful. I have faith.
Holy damn mate, I never comment on youtube but this was great. I might even be able to do it without messing up. Thanks Tim you rock!
Thanks Chad! That's what we're all about, empowering people to do their own automotive work by giving them very detailed tutorials to follow. You're very welcome and good luck with the job.
Thank you again Tim.
Awesome video, I learned a lot.
Keep up the good work👍
And I’ll see you in the next one 👌
You're welcome. We're glad you like the video.
In the middle of this job last night had to quit. Couldn't get the 17mm flare nut wrench on the bigger nut of the tube going into the rack. For some reason I can get the regular 17mm open end wrench on there but not the flare. Gonna try again now.
Also, on my truck, for the power steering pump, the hoses aren't 3/8"! I got a "power steering return hose" from the oreillys that's 3/8 to replace the old cracked one (and also putting in a magnefine filter), took off the old hose and is clearly a bit bigger. Couldn't get the 3/8" hose on there.
A flex head flare nut wrench is what I used in the video. Are you also using a flex head wrench? If not, that might make the difference of you being able to get on the flare nut fitting. As for the hose not fitting, if it is indeed the right size, try lubricating the inside of the hose with a little ATF to aid it to slide onto the fitting. If that hose is clearly not going to fit, see if O'Reilly sells a larger diameter one. If not, you could always just go to Toyota and get a replacement hose though it will cost you a lot more money.
Great video, just one thing about the alignment, if your talking about toe in, toe out if one wheel is out a lot it will split the toe and both will be equal all the time no matter what, one side cannot be more out then the other side.
Yeah, what you say makes sense. But, one tie rod can have more adjustment available than the other like we found on Dave's rig. One side was completely bottomed out with no adjustment left while the other side had a ton of available adjustment. What this tells me is the alignment techs working on this rig didn't know what they were doing or just didn't care.
Thanks for the video. I did one of these at work today by winging it. I didnt even try to mess with the rag joint. It was far to messed up. In the future ill attempt to separate it like you did. I have to do this same job onn my personal vehicle. 96 Tacoma pretty sure its the same rack. in the case the threads on the outer tie rods are way off (one is maxed in the other is like 700 turns out) could i just "reset" the mid point after locking the steering wheel and resetting the lower rag joint like you did?
Hey Ernesto you could reset the midpoint like that but then you give any future alignment shop very little to work with to adjust your toe. I think it's better to have closer to an equal amount of adjustment on both sides.
19:15 helpful UA-cam ad. Thanks Tim for all your help😎🏁🚗
You're welcome.
5:18 Most of my power steering fluid quickly leaked out while driving. I pulled over and looked under the truck "2002 4Runner". It looked as if the fluid was leaking from under the rubber grommet. I bought some fluid from a gas station and kept filling it with fluid to try to get it home. On the way home, I stopped at a service station that I usually take my Honda to and told him about the fluid leaking from the center of the rack and ask about replacing the rack. He was swamped with vehicles to work on so he couldn't look at it or receive the vehicle for repair, but he did tell me that the only places a rack can leak from is on the ends... Not the center. He said it's probably one of the lines leaking. He told me on what day I could bring the truck back so that he could troubleshoot and fix it. I figured that if it's a line that is leaking, I could easily replace the line myself. The next morning I jacked the truck up, removed the under carriage plates, wiped everything down, so that I could look for the leak. I put more fluid in it, started the truck and got under it to look for the leaking line. Under pressure, the fluid is pouring out and still... None of the lines look as if they are leaking. The fluid still looks like it is coming from under the rubber grommet as if the rack casing has a crack in it. I am taking it in to the mechanic for repair and will update this comment with the findings, but has anyone else experienced a steering rack leaking from the casing itself?
Never heard of the steering rack developing a crack in the casing but I guess it's possible. Let us know what you find out.
Another great video Timmy. I recently had the steering rack with new outer tie rods replace on my 04 Tacoma. I got it back and when I turn the steering wheel it’s now stiff and not returning back to center on its own. Should it work normal after install or is there a break in period as the mechanic stated? The brand they put on is Master Pro
Thanks Joseph.
With the stiff steering problem, I'm suspecting the rag joint is binding the steering shaft. Loosen the upper pinch bolt that secures the upper rag joint half to the steering shaft. If there was any undue tension being applied on the steering shaft, this will release it. Retighten the pinch bolt and see if the steering is now acting normal.
@@TimmyTheToolman I’ll give that a try, thank you for the response
Great video! I'm gonna do this job on my 03 Tacoma next week. But I only have regular flare nut wrenches, do u think that I will be able to get the ps lines off without the pivoting wrenches?
The flex head flare nut wrenches did help to get onto the fittings easier with how far I had the steering rack pulled back to. To get a regular flare nut wrench onto the fittings, you'd just have to have the steering rack pulled back farther than I did. There's several brackets that secure the power steering lines to the frame of the vehicle. There's one on the inside of the driver side frame rail and I believe a couple on the front frame rail. If you disconnect the one on the driver side frame rail, you should be able to move it back far enough. If not, release one or more of the other ones to get more movement with the steering rack.
@@TimmyTheToolman Ok I'll try it and go from there, thanks!
Just had one more question, so I'm also replacing my outer tie rods, should I just measure the old rack from tie rod end to the rack on both sides to center the new rack? Or is there a better way to center the new rack?
@@diesel_power0046 Match up the old tie rods to the new ones. If the new tie rods are identical to the old ones, you can count how many threads are showing after the jam nut. If they are different, then you need to figure out how far to screw the new outer tie rods into the inner tie rods to get about the same position. It could be as easy as holding up the new tie rod to the old tie rod and make a mark on the new one where the end of the jam nut should end up on the threads. You don't need to be absolutely precise with this. You should be getting an alignment after this job anyway and the alignment tech will be able to get it perfect for you. But, like we discussed in the video, you don't want one tie rod maxed out on one side and the one on the opposite side with a ton of adjustability. It's better to have a similar amount of available adjustability on both ends meaning there's around the same amount of threads showing after the jam nut on both sides.
Is this the same for a 97 tacoma? one of my Tie rods or at least the area is leaking barely through the boot. What should I look into, should I just get a new rack? or is there something I can do to stop the leak, I know I need to replace one of the tie rods
Davis This is the same as your 1st Gen Tacoma but there are slight differences. The Tacoma has different outer tie rods so I would make sure if you do order a steering rack that you order one for your Tacoma. If it’s not a bad leak and your steering is fine, I wouldn’t replace your rack.
@@TimmyTheToolman dang man that was fast! Thanks!!! Its barely leaking, but I do believe one of the tie rods are bad and some dude at leshwab tires just said my lower ball joints are bad so Ill probably be replacing those as well with OEM. Btw I also need to do a Valbe shim adjustment here on my 3RZ-FE or whatever motor the 2.7L is. Is it difficult to do? I have a few questions. I wish I could just talk to you 😄
@@Headfirst-M80 Do the tie rod, lower balljoints and valve adjustment on your own. We have videos for all 3 jobs.
ua-cam.com/video/--HcOQlv03U/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/bfLvtEnX9qk/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/f0zzsBhs3iA/v-deo.html
Maybe a good idea would be to make match marks on the rag joint where the 2 plates meet and that would definitely make things a whole lot easier. I’m literally next to do this job. I already ordered the the brand new TOYOTA steering rack and should be here by the 9th, so looking to you guys to steer me in the right direction! The drivers side was leaking like crazy.
Try out your match mark plan and let us know how it went for you. Good luck with the swap.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thank you! If it’s a success it’s because of you guys! Keep up the great work!
@@israelrodriguez6986 We will, we will! Stay tuned for our video series swapping out heads on Sean's 2002 3rd Gen. It's going to be a good one!
Hey Tim! I finally tackled the steering rack replacement yesterday and it was a nightmare! The return/feed line connections to rack were completely seized and rounded out using a 17mm flare nut wrench. I had to cut feed hard line to get rack out. It also took me several hours to get intermediate shaft off top the old rack splines. It's all rusted. Anyway, I ordered a set of Sunsong lines and new Toyota oem intermediate shaft. The lines don't come with the return line fitting into rack. Would you happen to have this Toyota part#? I can't find this little part anywhere. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. YOU always save the day! Thank you
I don't know the part number for the fitting. I don't understand how the return line would be missing the fitting to connect it to the steering rack. That doesn't make sense to me. It has to be made with the fitting on the line.
@@TimmyTheToolman One of the ends on power steering lines comes with a fitting that screws in the rack and the other is just rubber hose with no fitting. Sunsong #3401248. Not sure which one is pressure and/or return. Both of my original fittings were rounded out and stuck in the old rack. I need the fitting from the rubber hose to rack. It's the smaller outer nut of the two where the rubber hose slides on to. I believe Toyota part is #44416-04020
Ok. Your videos are amazing and have made me feel like superman with all the tasks I have accomplished with your tutorials. However, I am now struggling big time. I've done some work with my steering rack like replacing bushings, and moving it out of the way, but thought I'd watch this video again to see if im missing something. I swear I must be missing something because it seems like you have so much more room to work around your steering rack than I do (1998 4runner V6 LTD). I've tried 3 different types and sizes of ratchets with various sockets, and seem to have zero room to work around the vertical bolt in the center of the rack ) i know you reiterate this is the most difficult part, but ya, its difficult. Very difficult. Almost to the point where I'm going to throw in the towel. It takes me forever to tighten that bolt since I can only get a click (if Im lucky) out of a ratchet, and have not been able to get a torque wrench in there no matter what I try. I keep watching your videos and it looks like you have way (+/- 2cm at least) more room to work with than I do. Heck, the pressure lines coming out of my rack are in contact with the undercarriage (near that vertical bolt) and it looks like you have inches of space to work with. What am I missing?!?!? Thanks again for the great videos!
Hey Brenden, for that center bolt, did you follow my lead and first cinch down the long bolt on the driver side and the other two bolts on the passenger side so it would be easy to get the center bolt started? If you've got the bolt holes centered really good, you might be able to have a socket on the center bolt and turn it with you hand to get the bolt screwed in most of the way. If that doesn't work, a ratchet that is flex head and has 120 click points of engagement will allow you to get in there and tighten the bolt easier. The Gear Wrench ratchets I own are worth their weight in gold to make things like this easier to accomplish. Getting the torque wrench in there and getting the bolt to spec is the hardest part. You really only get one click at a time from what I remember so the key to making it less of a tedious process is first getting it as tight as possible first with a 1/2" drive ratchet like the Gesr Wrench ones I mentioned. I provide links to those ratchets in a comment I pinned. I hope this helps.
@@TimmyTheToolman Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I took your advice with tightening that long driver's side bolt, then pass. bolts. I'm ordering a gear wrench flex head ratchet today, hoping that will ease some of my troubles! Thanks again for the awesome videos!
@@brendenphillips3013 You're welcome Brenden. You'll get it done. You'll love those flex head 120 click point ratchets. They are a serious game-changer. I couldn't imagine wrenching without them now.
excellent video! at 25:25 my top right 19mm bolt for the passenger side U shaped bushing is completely blocked by those metal power steering lines?! every video have seen everyones are engineered out of the way?? so odd as mine is blocking it, can i remove the metal line from the steering rack without causing an issue to the power steering fluid or pressure?
That's weird your hard line is blocking the bolt. I think somebody bent it or some debris hit it and bent it. You can unbolt those lines but then you will have to refill the system which isn't a big deal. The air in the system will work it's way out to the reservoir.
@@TimmyTheToolman very frustrating! it doesnt look bent or damaged... maybe its not the original steering rack.. is the power steering fluid DEX II like subarus? or is it specific power steer fluid..? thankyou!
@@echosierraenroute It's most likely Dexron 2 or 3. Your owners manual will tell you but a Dex/Merc would work for either Dex 2 or 3 applications.
@@echosierraenroute Maybe it is an aftermarket steering rack.
Timmy The Toolman is there somewhere I could send you a few pics? Also had a tie rod question. My rack has the funny TOYODA print on it so I think it’s oe. You got a subscribe outta me
12:22 ... what is the procedure when you install new OEM outer tie rod ends to a new OEM steering gear rack and keep the steering wheel near true as opposed to the steering wheel being upto 45 degrees off center ... 37:27 rag joint 50:15
You still make match marks on the old outer tie rods and transpose those marks to the new tie rods so your alignment toe will be very close to being correct. At the end of the video, we cover how to make adjustments at the rag joint to get the steering wheel as straight as possible. When you get an alignment, the alignment tech can dial in the straightness of the steering wheel by making adjustments at the outer tie rods.
@@TimmyTheToolman ok thanks! does the alignment tech need to disconnect the outer tie rods from the LBJs/knuckle part to do this wheel straightening? i am curious!
@@efil4kizum No, the alignment tech just turns the inner tie rod and makes the adjustment lengthening or shortening the outer tie rod.
@@TimmyTheToolman that is quite interesting I had no idea how that is done thank you for the education
@@efil4kizum No problem.
Hey Timmy, do you have any tips or tricks to fix a loose steering rack piston on a Lexus GX470? My passenger side has a small amount of movement up and down and it is causing a loud clunking when driving over bumps.
The only thing I can think of is an adjustment of the steering rack guide. We have a video for a 3rd Gen 4runner that will give you an idea of how to do it. ua-cam.com/video/r4Hhl225E8A/v-deo.htmlsi=FertitsOUwC2J03U
@@TimmyTheToolman Thank you Timmy.
@@thetruth8095 You're welcome.