OEM steering rack rebuild s

As far as the first post goes for a lurker here, I've got a question that I haven't found a good answer to, and maybe someone here can help out.

I'm in need of a new steering rack, and so I decided to go OEM and order from a dealer closish to me to get it here sooner. Listed on their parts.toyota.com site is a rack for $530 and I order it. I then get an email from them saying the rack I ordered is the remanufactured one, which is actually $510 with a core charge. Dude who emailed me says they've used these for 3 years and had no problems. I'm skeptical since I could buy any old reman one for half the price with a yearly exchange policy for when it starts leaking.

So, does anyone happen to have experience with OEM reman racks? Could someone put my mind at ease?

 

I just ordered a new steering rack off of Amazon for $246

$254 New Power Steering Rack & Pinion For Toyota 4Runner Tacoma 4WD & PreRunner 6-Lug - BuyAutoParts 80-00697AN New

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YJHHKBW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

OEM reman should be fine. I would avoid anything non-OEM with the steering rack...the cheap aftermarket ones are notorious for blowing seals early. Even if the cheap ones come with lifetime warranty, replacing the steering rack isn't exactly a fun job

 

Yeah, I know about those. I've just had previous bad luck using a rando/part sore rack... I don't particularly want to have to replace it in a year or two.

 

Yeah I see, the one off Amazon has a 3 year warranty unlimited miles.

 

Yeah I've done it a couple times and it sucks. Particularly when your "new" one fails in quickly after an install. Just seeking reassurance with an oem reman.

 

You "can" rebuild them yourself.. rockauto has a rebuild kit for 15 bucks or so. There's a user on here than posted a great walk through he did but it's definitely not for the faint of heart.



Give me an hour or so and I'll post the link if someone else doesn't beat me to it

 

Oh no not going in for a rebuild. Sounds like more trouble than it's worth. Wondering about OEM rebuilt racks, from Toyota.

 

Make sure whatever you get, it's the "new" design. I forget all the specifics since its been a couple years since I did mine, but there was a correction to the design a while back.

IIRC you can tell by the center guide cylinder. Notice one is in and one is out. The 'in' is the correct one (top).

 

Yeah that's the rack guide. The newer ones have a better part for it

 

Ironically it made adjustment impossible for me since nobody sells a wrench large enough to loosen the lock nut. I wanted to see if I could tighten up the wheel a bit.

 

The newer one takes a 22 or 24mm hex key, I had to order it on Amazon. Just stick it in a 24mm socket and you can adjust it that way.

The torque spec on the rack guide is very low, like 18lbs or something like that. If it's over tightened even a tiny bit it will cause your steering to be really stiff and not let the wheel return to center. I learned this the hard way and nearly jumped a curb lol

 

but there's an outer lock nut that's punched... you saying that'll move with the hex key?

 

so is the bottom one no good? or how long will it last you think

 

I don't know about any lock nut, you just stick the hex key in the circled part and tighten or loosen to adjust. Unless you mean taking that off and getting inside, I've never removed it just adjusted it's torque because it started weeping fluid.

 

They'll both last long but in theory the top one will have a longer life all else equal. Just find a similar price for one that looks like the top. I got mine from a shady company called Detroit Axle.

Also, I think you're supposed to use tranny fluid when you do the fluid refill, not power steering fluid (like I did), but someone correct me.

 

Yeah the Toyota PS pump takes ATF

 

See how there's this collar nut here?

 

Ah yeah I see, this part turns independently though. At least mine does, maybe it's not supposed to lol

 

Hmm guess I'm buying a hex bit soon