2003 LX Steering Rack - same as LC?

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rohitash

rohitash

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Nov 13, 2006
Threads
18
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164
Location
Sunnyvale, CA
Hi all,

On a recent trail run I busted my Steering rack mounting bushings on my 2003 LX 470. This caused the wheels to move wrt each other and a lot of toe in under steering pressure. These bushings are not replaceable and the solution from Lexus/Toyota is to replace the steering rack. I was pointed to the SuperPro poly bushings by some mudders and on researching their site I see different bushings listed for the 2003 LX 470 and the same year LC.

They list the following
1. SPF2470K: 1998-2002 IFS Toyota Land Cruiser, 1998-2004 LX 470
SPF2470K.webp


2. SPF2987K: 2002+ IFS Toyota Land Cruiser
SPF2987K.webp


However I suspect its either a type on their website or the Aus spec LX is different from the US spec. My steering rack does not have the big passenger side bushing that's part of the 1st kit above. It also seems to be that in the US the 2003 LX and LC have the same steering rack. Hence I think I need the 2nd bushing set.

Can anyone comment whether the 2003 LX and LC have the same steering rack? I really would love to get those poly bushings on else I suspect I'll tear up bushings on a new rack soon enough.
SPF2470K.webp
SPF2987K.webp
 
I know those steering systems are different, but I cannot comment on the rack in particular. My '03 LX steering feels totally different than my '03 LC. Also, the LX steering recall is not applicable to the LC.

From there, I don't know specifics.
 
Thanks Super90. Would it be possible for you to photograph the passenger and driver side bushings if you can do it easily without taking off the skid plate etc?

Cheers
Rohitash
 
super90 said:
My '03 LX steering feels totally different than my '03 LC.
Click to expand...

I believe the VGRS steering came out on the 03 LX. I know the 03 LC rack is different to the 02 rack, not sure if the 03 LX rack has different mounts.
How much is the 03> on kit?
 
2003 LX Steering rack

Here's a picture of what the 2003 LX steering rack looks like. This is different from the one I had on my 1999 LC. The 99 LC had a 'big' bushing on the passenger side that looks like the one in the first SuperPro kit in my first post. SuperPro does list a different kit for the LC from 2003 so we know atleast on the LC the steering rack changed between 2002 and 2003. Question is whether the LX steering racks are identical to the LC and whether they changed at the same time. Or did the LX have or go to a 3rd steering rack design.

Slee's site does say the LC got VGRS in 2003 as well.
 

Attachments

04 LC Rack from FSM for comparison. Looks the same as the LX pdf to me for those years.

PagesfromSteering.jpg
 
I should just jump in and clarify a few things:

Rohitash and I have been working on clearing some of this information out of the proverbial thicket, but there isn't enough information without basically comparing 2 identical year LC/LX vehicles to see the differences ( and similarities) between the racks and the bushing system.

The bushings are not supported by Toyota. It's the rack or nothing according to the EPC which is why Rohitash found the Oz parts.

There are different part numbers for the LX and LC racks. I confirmed this with my LX connection. But beyond this, I don't have any other information between the two racks considering I cannot confirm specs. side-by-side which is what is needed here.
 
OregonLC, thanks for the pdf. It does indeed look the same as mine. I think I'm going to go ahead and take the risk and order those bushings. If they don't work out I'm back to getting a new rack. Its not the cost of the new rack that bothers me so much as the fact that I'm likely to damage the bushings on the new rack over time as well.

Onur, Thanks for all the help!

Will post up once I get the new bushings.
 
rohitash said:
OregonLC, thanks for the pdf. It does indeed look the same as mine. I think I'm going to go ahead and take the risk and order those bushings. If they don't work out I'm back to getting a new rack. Its not the cost of the new rack that bothers me so much as the fact that I'm likely to damage the bushings on the new rack over time as well.

Onur, Thanks for all the help!

Will post up once I get the new bushings.
Click to expand...

Rohitash: Apart of removing the rack to get the DS bushing installed (and maybe the PS bushing too?) you'll need to remove the oil cooler. Apart of that, depicted in the PDF above from OregonLC, is the figure 8 gasket/"o-ring". However NOT shown on this diagram that caused me a little delay when I did mine is another round o-ring for the oil filter assembly; its listed on another parts diagram.

Just an FYI that might save you time.

Dan
 
Dan,

Thanks for the tips - can use all I can get!

Cheers
Rohitash
 
I ordered the SPF2987K bushings today and will see how it goes. If it doesn't work I'll have to order a steering rack.
 
SuperPro Bushing success!

I got the SuperPro bushings from AZ a couple of days back and just finished installing them. Bottomline - they fit perfectly and work great. Suddenly my steering feels a lot more tight. I guess the old bushings had been failing for some time and the Barrett Lake trip was the last straw.

So the SuprePro sight is wrong. The 2003+ LCs and LXs (at least in the US) use the same bushing ie Part no SPF2987K.

The install was easier than I had initially anticipated as I had thought I need to remove the steering rack. However the cryptic instructions that came with the bushings said you did not need to remove the steering rack. In brief the steps were:
1. Jack up the car and remove the wheels.
2. Remove the front skid plate.
3. Drain the engine oil and remove the oil filter. This is needed to access the top nut of the drv side bushing and to access the bushing itself.
4. Remove the bolts on both the passenger side and drv side bushing. I use an impact wrench. There is a nut on the top so you do need to hold that as well.
5. Now the difficult part - removing the old bushings. This took me a long time (almost 3 hours for both). The bushings are pressed in from the top and bottom. I remover the ball joint for the tie rod on the passenger side to enable the steering rack to move forward a little bit. I used a chisel to get under the flanges of the bushings and slowly worked them loose. It takes a lot of well aimed blows to work them loose. You have to do the top and bottom separately. I finally got an air hammer from Lowes and used the chisel bit - worked somewhat faster.
6. The Driver side top bushing is very difficult to reach. I finally had to remove the coolant hose attached to the Oil Filter assembly just above the bushing. You can see it in the picture below. My hose pincher did not work too well so I ended up draining a lot of the coolant.
7. Once the old bushings were removed the putting the new ones in was quite easy. Use the white lube that came with the bushings.
8. Put everything back together!

I would say it'll take a total of 5-6 hours if planned properly. I took longer as I took breaks and a trip to Lowes for the air chisel.

Driver side bushing
LXStRackBush_Drv.webp

Passenger side bushing
LXStRackBush_Pass.webp
LXStRackBush_Drv.webp
LXStRackBush_Pass.webp
 
Good job Rohitash! I installed the Super Pro bushings on my new rack back in January and they are still tight. I noticed very, very slightly more road "feel" at the steering wheel compared to the softer OEM rubber but barely noticeable.
 
So does this thread confirm that the older design the '98-'02 require the rack to be removed in order to install the big bushing?
 
The "big bushing" is on the passenger side of the rack and can easily be installed with the rack in place. However the two smaller bushings on the driver's side of the rack can not be installed without removing the rack.
 
My rack is leaking too. And the bushings are shot. I wonder if I should save a little money and do bushings only or let it eat until it's undrivable and get the whole assembly. Also, would something like stainless, or aluminum be a good thing to use as bushings?
 
Any updates to this thread?
Noticed I am leaking PS fluid when I changed my oil today.

Steering still feels the same as before leaks... (I have been keeping the PS fluid reservoir filled adequately)
 
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