04+ Steering Rack Bushing Replacement (1 Viewer)

[Oakleyguy]

It is possible! I was able to complete this without removing the rack from the truck.

Since I was unable to find any information on the replacement for the newer rack design, I figured I'd share my experiences here.

I decided to replace my rack bushings because I was starting to get some scary handling characteristics in the rutted lanes on I70.

Remove the skid plates and the two bolts holding the rack in place. There is enough clearance to get a wrench on the nut on the top of the rack. Be sure not to loose the washer from the top of the rack.

To boil it down, the bushings rubber with metal sleeves and are pressed into the rack itself. Each side has a top and bottom bushing. Much like you'll see with the Whiteline replacements. What you'll have to do is pry out the rubber center of the bottom bushing, and then using an air hammer, you can drive the top half out as a complete piece.

You'll find on the passenger side that you also have enough room and play in the rack to use the air hammer to drive the shell of the bottom bushing out.

On the driver side we're not so lucky. After driving out the top piece, I then used a dremel to carefully notch the lower shell and used a screw driver to start driving the shell inward. I found that once you have driven the shell, using the hammer and screwdriver (or drift) you can spin the lower shell out of the rack.

Putting the new passenger bushing is very straight forward. For the driverside, I recommend you place the metal core of the new bushing in the rack first, and then place the top bushing half on and work it down into the rack and onto the metal core as far are you can. Then insert the lower half of the bushing. Make sure you get it as far into the rack and onto the metal core as possible. Then use the original bolt and nut to pull it together and into place.

Torque to 90ftlbs, or as indicated in the factory service manual.

EDIT (01/28/2020): At the request of others I used the Whiteline W13208 bushings.

W13208 - Steering - rack and pinion mount bushing

Power steering, aggressive wheel alignment geometry, wider wheels and lower profile tyres have all put radically increased loadings on the steering systems of modern cars. Add to that engine bat contaminants such as oil leaks that also help to degrade the performance of steering rack mount...

whitelineperformance.com

DO NOT FORGET TO USE THE SUPPLIED WASHERS WITH THE NEW WHITELINES

Here's the timelapse with basically zero editting:


DRIVERSIDE:

PASSENGER SIDE:

OLD BUSHINGS:

Top Half, after driven out by air hammer:

 

[agaisin]

Wow - cool video, thanks for taking the time to help others with all the detail. This is on my list, have the parts already. subscribed!

 

[timer00]

Nice job, time lapse's are always cool

Also nice redneck pillow cushion near the end

 

[3D FJ]

It is possible! I was able to complete this without removing the rack from the truck.

...For the driverside, I recommend you place the metal core of the new bushing in the rack first, and then place the top bushing half on and work it down into the rack and onto the metal core as far are you can. Then insert the lower half of the bushing. Make sure you get it as far into the rack and onto the metal core as possible. Then use the original bolt and nut to pull it together and into place.

So based on what you said, am i correct.... When the bushing is seated into the rack, there is no metal collar between the bushing and the rack, but just the rack, bushing, metal tube sleeve, bushing, rack? (cross section) and then the two washers on top and below before the nut and bolt? does that make sense? Also... is there a difference between the whiteline bushings and the superpro bushing? I've seen them talked about in dfferent threads.

 

[PADDO]

Oakleyguy thanks for taking the time to video and post. I've got a set of Super Pro SPF2987Ks to install and here are the instructions that come with the kit.

 

[PADDO]

So based on what you said, am i correct.... When the bushing is seated into the rack, there is no metal collar between the bushing and the rack, but just the rack, bushing, metal tube sleeve, bushing, rack? (cross section) and then the two washers on top and below before the nut and bolt? does that make sense? Also... is there a difference between the whiteline bushings and the superpro bushing? I've seen them talked about in dfferent threads.

No outer collar for SP bushes, just upper and lower bushing sections, inner tube and one (upper) washer for each side, tube of silicon based grease provided also.

 

[Oakleyguy]

So based on what you said, am i correct.... When the bushing is seated into the rack, there is no metal collar between the bushing and the rack, but just the rack, bushing, metal tube sleeve, bushing, rack? (cross section) and then the two washers on top and below before the nut and bolt? does that make sense? Also... is there a difference between the whiteline bushings and the superpro bushing? I've seen them talked about in dfferent threads.

Only the OEMs have the metal collar.

The Whitelines do not have a metal collar either. Just the upper, lower, metal core, upper washer, and lower washer.

I do not believe there is a difference between the two. Maybe color, I think the Super Pro are purple? The Whitelines are black.

 

[maxse01]

Great details. What is the correct part numbers?

Steering Rack Bushings - Toyota Landcruiser 100 Series

 

[PADDO]

If you have a vehicle made after Aug 2002 (model year 2003+) then you need bushings that look like these which happen to be Super Pros.

 

[maxse01]

Thank you.

 

[PADDO]

You're welcome. Some websites aren't entirely accurate wrt the differences between the pre and post 2003 model year change in rack. Possibly this stems from Super Pros catalogue a few years ago that (correctly) broke down parts and their applicability by build year/month and model year and its misinterpretation.

 

[PADDO]

Changed out the PS rack bushing last night with SuperPro 2987K, surprised at just how much elongation there was in the OE split sleeves. The rubber had pretty much collapsed too, I was surprised to see that the OE rubber bushing isn't a solid section of rubber fully bonded to the shell and sleeve but that it's only bonded at two points. Tightened the steering up nicely, will get the DS done tonight time permitting. The SuperPro bushing with one piece sleeve in full contact with the polyurethane appears to be a superior design to OE.

 

[super90]

What are thoughts on Whiteline versus Super Pro bushings on this application? I just want something that lasts a long time without needing maintenance.

 

[Oakleyguy]

I don't have any direct experience with the Super Pro, but from what I've seen both kit look to be identical with exception being color. If installed correctly, there shouldn't be any maintenance required. Just make sure you use the supplied grease in the recommended manner.

It'll probably boil down to which kit is cheaper for your to order.

 

[dwh13]

Thanks @Oakleyguy for the awesome write-up and pics! I got the PS rubber bushings out no problem, but I'm stumped on how to get the metal outer sleeve part out of the rack. We've tried cold chisels, air chisels, screwdrivers, etc. with no luck. Anyone have any tips on how to get these things out? In the picture, we've beaten off the front half of the flange part and are stuck here.

PS bushing core

• dwh13
• Jun 24, 2018

 

[PADDO]

Thanks @Oakleyguy for the awesome write-up and pics! I got the PS rubber bushings out no problem, but I'm stumped on how to get the metal outer sleeve part out of the rack. We've tried cold chisels, air chisels, screwdrivers, etc. with no luck. Anyone have any tips on how to get these things out? In the picture, we've beaten off the front half of the flange part and are stuck here.

Prying between the flange and rack with a pair of good size screw drivers after removing the sleeve and bushing rubber worked for me, make the screw drivers do the work. Looks like you’ve pretty much destroyed that bottom flange so leavering the shell out will be next to impossible - try getting an edge on the shell and collapsing it in. Here’s what you’re looking at.

 

[dwh13]

Prying between the flange and rack with a pair of good size screw drivers after removing the sleeve and bushing rubber worked for me, make the screw drivers do the work. Looks like you’ve pretty much destroyed that bottom flange so leavering the shell out will be next to impossible - try getting an edge on the shell and collapsing it in. Here’s what you’re looking at.

View attachment 1729522

That did the trick! I literally shouted when I finally got that thing out! I ended up just doing the PS bushing - there's no way I was going to dig into the DS AND keep my sanity. My rig corners like a dream now though!

 

[krispykritter]

Of course I came across this after I already bought the wrong whiteline bushings and went to install them and realized they weren't right somehow!

Thanks for the info though, guess I'm off to find the right ones.

 

[2manycruisers]

Of course I came across this after I already bought the wrong whiteline bushings and went to install them and realized they weren't right somehow!

Thanks for the info though, guess I'm off to find the right ones.

Did you find the right whiteline bushings? I need bushings for an '03 and I can only find one part Whiteline part number for earlier models.

 

[krispykritter]

Did you find the right whiteline bushings? I need bushings for an '03 and I can only find one part Whiteline part number for earlier models.

I haven't looked, tbh. Once I finally crawled under there and really paid attention, I realized my bushings were fine and haven't tried to figure out replacements yet. I know I saw a post of someone who had replaced then but didn't save a link.