steering rack - internal bushing?

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dlb
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steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by dlb »

i'm finishing up some front end work on the dream terc but have found a new issue that i'm unfamiliar with. hopefully some of you have done work on the internals of steering racks.

i thought the passenger side inner tie rod was bad, but only at a specific angle--when i pushed and pulled straight in and out, there was no play, but when i let the tie rod hang down and pushed and pulled at a diagonal angle, there was play. i had already checked the rack-to-x member bushings and they are good so i replaced the inner tie rod. and as soon as i got the new one in, i pushed and pulled on an angle again, and the play is still there. it appears there is some slop between the passenger end of the steering rack and the rack housing. this is new to me so i looked in the FSM and on page 617 (SR-15) near the top of the diagram, it looks like there is a bushing inside the housing which the rack slides back and forth through. could this be the cause of the play? are these bushings still available? according to the fsm, it looks like the steering gear housing would need to be removed from the car, then the rack removed from the housing, before i could replace the bushing.
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marlinh
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by marlinh »

Do you have any play when everything is assembled? I think I've seen play in the steering racks before but it was minimal. If you want to replace any bushings inside the rack, the parts are probably unavailable. You would have to replace the whole rack.
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dlb
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by dlb »

just got it all reassembled and yup, there is still play. if i reach down through the engine bay and grip the tie rod just outside of the rack end boot, i can shake it up and down just slightly. just did a small road test and it was much improved but i did just replace a bad CV axle and ball joint on the passenger side so i will have to give it more time to note clunks.

it seems to me that this vertical play in the steering rack would present similarly to a faulty tie rod, inner tie rod, or ball joint since any time the offending wheel goes over a bump, the rack is going to bounce around inside the rack's internal bushing. i think other people with clunks they haven't been able to find should investigate this.

also found these two posts on this topic. i totally forgot i had noticed this same issue on my first terc, i don't remember that at all.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5547

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6333
jimcrazy
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by jimcrazy »

I have the same play on the 85 I just got, pass side, as soon as the weather warms up a bit I am going to pull the boot back and measure the rack shaft should be able to get a dry-slide bushing to fit it if not I can spin out a new one. will save the measurements. my fsm says that the bushing is held in by some tabs bent down in to the bushing,had a quick look at it and I think I can get it apart with out taking the rack out of the car
Jarf
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by Jarf »

Sadly, that pass side rack bush, hasn't been available for years.

I think your best option would be to try to make something, maybe machine something out of a phenolic cutting board.
I never use them for chopping food, but for making replacement bushings, their great!
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marlinh
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by marlinh »

If anyone takes on this repair take a photo diary of it and post it here. Maybe make some extra bushings to pass along to other members...
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dlb
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by dlb »

that's a great idea, marlene. i would definitely be interested in a bushing for my manual rack if anyone manages to make some.
jimcrazy
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by jimcrazy »

i have a machine shop been self employed for 32 years, makeing bushings not a problem
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dlb
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by dlb »

whoah!! wicked! that's awesome jim, please let me know if you do get around to making some bushings and i'll buy a few off of you.
jimcrazy
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by jimcrazy »

no problem, I hope I can get a dry- slide to fit or to make it fit they would out last the car
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marlinh
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by marlinh »

I'd be interested in a few too.
jimcrazy
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by jimcrazy »

just ordered a couple of bushings from Toyota parts direct.ca. by looking at the list they only have what they show and the bushings where there, they were $8.12 each and shipping was $17.55 for 38.72 total. now we wait and see for them to get here. o the part number was 45522
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Petros
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by Petros »

it seems to me you can still get rebuilt racks for the toyota (most of the toy racks are identical, or almost identical, so there should be parts for them), so I would think you can get parts. the rebuilding shops get their parts from somewhere, it seems they should still be available somewhere, considering how many models of toyota cars these racks fit.

If you want to make something for us, how about a set of syncromesh rings for the transmissions, contact forum member Xirdneh for details to see if it is possible (he can send you samples). he has located all transmission parts like bearings and bushing and seals, but no syncros.
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'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
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jimcrazy
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by jimcrazy »

I have a couple of spare tranies, ones out of my 86 fwd its pops out of 1st and one out of my 88 was just noisey bearing whine in most gears, just haven't had the time to tear them down. I do a lot of work for a couple of local tranie shops they were going to build one out of the two for me. will have a look at the syncros when they come apart
jimcrazy
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Re: steering rack - internal bushing?

Post by jimcrazy »

well the rack bushings arrived today not much to them. car is going to paint shop tomorrow so it will be next weekend before I get a chance to put one in
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