dlb wrote:... if you're going to have work done on the steering rack, it will only take another 5 minutes to pop the old axle out and a new one in. brand new ones are available and not too expensive, under $100 IIRC.
about a month ago I took advantage of an awesome online sale at Advance Auto Parts and scored two new (not remans) CV axles for just under $100 for the pair
1985 Tercel SR5 4WD wagon, 300K
1987 Tercel DLX 4WD wagon, 6-speed manual, 274K -- got this one running Jan. 2015 (had been sitting for 2 years); this has been my daily driver since 2016
couple questions about some bushings, while we're on the topic
swaybar-to-control arm rubber bushings and steel collars (tubes):
does anybody have any new parts -- not yet installed -- that they can take measurements of?
specifically, I'm interested in the ID, OD, and length of the short bushing, longer bushing, and steel collar
I have a bunch of rubber bushings around from other vehicles (from shocks, struts, stabilizer bars, leaf springs, etc.) and I wanna see if I can modify any of them for T4WD use
1985 Tercel SR5 4WD wagon, 300K
1987 Tercel DLX 4WD wagon, 6-speed manual, 274K -- got this one running Jan. 2015 (had been sitting for 2 years); this has been my daily driver since 2016
I'm thinking that maybe an tire patch would work if I clean the grease off the outside really good? It's such a small hole and it's on the inner boot, which doesn't flex as much as the outer. I don't think they're going to need to take the rack out to get the new bushings in. I guess if they put in new sway bar bushings, then they'll have the wheel off and things taken apart there. I just feel silly replacing parts if they aren't broken. What are your thoughts?
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you might try the patch, use a thin rubber patch from a inner tube patch kit, might work. I tried several ways to to patch the boots and found nothing held up, consider that it flexes with each rotation (and it goes though thousands of rotations each hour you drive). Put some CV grease back inside. You might try a length of car size inner tube with a cable tie at each end, you would have to slip it over one end, but at that point you might as well install a new axle.
You can tell if the cv joint is good by garbing the axle and try to rotate the joint back and forth. If you can feel a clunk or gap with each direction of rotation change, the joint is worn and on its way out. there should be no noticeable gap or play in the joint, it should be tight. once there is any free play it will grinds itself up in short order (might last a couple of months at most). If the joint has any wear just replace the whole axle, it is on its way out anyway.
I am reasonable certain all of the toyota steering racks use exactly the same bushings, at least on the smaller cars like the MR2, Corolla, Celica and Tercel. the racks are all almost exactly the same and can be made interchangeable. Snythdesign was putting in an MR2 fast ratio rack in his Tercel4wd. I had examined several different steering racks from several different model toyotats in his shop, he was also installing the urethane bushings in his Tercel to firm up the steering, however it does allows more noise and vibration to be transmitted to the car.
Unless your steering is really sloppy it not likely a major safety issue to have soft bushings. Also, on the anti-sway bar (stabilizer bar) end bushing (to the control arm), unless these are completely crumbled away, there is a cheap temp fix to tighten that joint up. When they get loose it allows the castly to get below zero and the wheel wobbles at certain speeds like a loose shopping cart wheel. I have cut a 1/4" thick rubber washer and put in under the heavy steel washer, it pushes the control arm forward and really improves the tracking and stablity since the caster is increased. on these cars there is no way to adjust the castor, except to use the rubber washers to push the control arm forward at the outboard end.
I have done this not only on my daily driver, because I like the way the steering feels on rough roads (stay pointing straight ahead better), but on many of the "rescue" tercel4wd I have brought in from out of state. I if these sway bar bushings are cracked, worn and sloppy I will just make a thick soft washer, preferably from firm rubber sheet (I have also used stiff thick leather), to make it safe to drive home. Never had an issue with it, works well and costs less than replacing the bushings. And you can make the spacer washer from local raw stock. I have had these in my daily driver for perhaps 80-90,000 miles, they will also wear out but it is easy enough to make another and replace it. About 1.5 to 1.75 inch dia, 1/4" thick, with a 0.5" hole in the middle.
Got as much grease back in as I could, till it was pouring back out as I was pumping it in. Cleaned it up and put a tire patch on. Might not hold up, maybe it will for a little while. Gives me a slight amount of piece of mind though.
I understand the axles are supposed to be firm, but what about where they go into the transmission? Are they supposed to jiggle around in there?
I emailed rick@toyheadauto.com about some sway bar bushings, but haven't heard anything back from him. Does anyone have experience with ordering from him?
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Petros wrote:Unless your steering is really sloppy it not likely a major safety issue to have soft bushings. Also, on the anti-sway bar (stabilizer bar) end bushing (to the control arm), unless these are completely crumbled away, there is a cheap temp fix to tighten that joint up. When they get loose it allows the castly to get below zero and the wheel wobbles at certain speeds like a loose shopping cart wheel. I have cut a 1/4" thick rubber washer and put in under the heavy steel washer, it pushes the control arm forward and really improves the tracking and stablity since the caster is increased. on these cars there is no way to adjust the castor, except to use the rubber washers to push the control arm forward at the outboard end.
I wish my rack bushings were just soft, but one isn't even the correct kind and was mangled by firestone, and the other may be ok, but I really want to be sure. Should get them Friday.
I am familiar with the wobbly shopping cart feeling, that's how it feels now. I've been told when getting an alignment that either my caster or camber was off, and very expensive for them to fix. This rubber you speak of, is it something to be had easily? Can a big rubber hose be cut up and flattened and washers cut out? Wait, can rubber washers just be bought? Like the ones in the end of the water hose? Hmmm... I would like to see pictures of your setup with that, it sounds very intriguing. I wonder if my shop would put them on for me, I lack a little in tools and muscles and a lift.
something like this, easy to install. a breaker bar with a 17 or 19mm socket (you can rent this from any Autozone for free), and a jack is all you need to install it.
Auto parts stores may have something like this in the "help" section, or under generic parts. Or you can google "rubber washer" (that is how I found the image).
I doubt a repair shop would install the washer unless you have a good relationship with them. Do it yourself, it is easy to install. but it sounds to me like they do not know a lot about adjusting the Toyota alignment if they do not know how to adjust the castor, and perhaps do not know the difference between castor and camber. This rubber washer at the back of the lateral arm bushing, under the large steel washer at the end of the sway bar, will increase the castor and tighten up the lower bushing, this will stop the wobble. camber is adjusted where the strut meets the steering knuckle (or hub mount) and is easy to do, it adjusts the angle of the pivot axis of the front wheels, more camber puts the top of the tire/wheel further out from the car. dead vertical wheel is zero camber, you usually want a little camber to accommodate road crown. if this is out you will not get any wobble but will get wear on the shoulder of the tire. unless it is really way out the camber is of little safety consequence, it just wears the tire uneven across the tread, and it can make the steering a bit heavy if way out. best to leave the camber unless they have the proper tools to measure it and adjust it. there is no problem increasing the castor, do it on both sides and see how it drives. If it drives good you are done.
nessanater wrote:I emailed rick@toyheadauto.com about some sway bar bushings, but haven't heard anything back from him. Does anyone have experience with ordering from him?
back in mid-April, I emailed Rick Dormoi, the main guy at Toyhead Auto Restoration Services, inquiring about the availability of SuperPro kit 1064K -- the 4 polyurethane bushings and 2 steel collars for the sway bar to control arm end link...
and he wrote back: "Sorry we do not have these in stock and will not anytime soon."
1985 Tercel SR5 4WD wagon, 300K
1987 Tercel DLX 4WD wagon, 6-speed manual, 274K -- got this one running Jan. 2015 (had been sitting for 2 years); this has been my daily driver since 2016
Just ordered new sway bar bushings from the dealership. $116 before tax. Takes too long to get the from Australia. If I don't have a tight sweet front end after all this, then I will start considering a sledge hammer. Just kidding. I just want my car to take me back to Washington without crashing or breaking.
where in Washington? I have driven a number of high mileage Tercel4wd, of dubious background, across the US to my place in Arlington, Washington. All have eventually made it home, though some needed a number of parts to be installed along the way (including new head gaskets, radiators, replacement transmissions and and other minor parts).
you car should make it, these sway bar bushings should not stop you, but it will make the drive a lot more pleasant. I always bring spares of the items that might leave me stranded, a distributor assembly, alternator, timing belt, fuel pump (used from a wrecking yard these parts are cheap). Most other problems along the way usually will not stop you (even a bad starter or battery, you just have to roll start the car after each fill up..I have done it until I got home).
Naselle, WA, it's near the Long Beach,Wa and Astoria, OR area. Yeah, I drove it cross country last summer and had no problems really except that it turned out I had put a defective steering rack in it. I feel pretty in tune with the car, so I can pick up when it isn't feeling well or needs a rest. I'll have my dad with me, and he can fix just about anything that goes wrong with a car.
The car is good, but I think the VT winter did a number on all the rubber parts.
