Looking for rubber steering rack bushings, too much feed back in steering from polly

[cruiserfj45]

I just installed a set of whiteline polly steering rack bushings on a 2000 Cruiser and now I an feeling every bump in the road. It's like bump steer but the truck isn't moving around, its just the steering wheel that is giving a ton of feed back. It doesn't appear that the bushings are available separate from the rack from the dealer. If anyone has a part number or link it would be very appreciative.

 

[2001LC]

There is no part number.

I called CVJ in Denver last week. They have for set for the 98-02, $45.

I've purchase two sets for 03-07. One set from CVJ and the other from a CA rebuilder listing them on ebay, both are the same.
I also inspected Febest, which are junk I sent baCK!

If you look at The Unicorn OP you'll find and index which will take you to rack bushings replacement on an 07. I may have put some links to sellers in there (IDR).

I've done both ploy and rubber, and I do like the rubber.

I'm considering rubber for a 00LX I'm working on now. Not sure how difficult they'll be to press-in or if possible with rack in vehicle.

 

[cruiserfj45]

I was able to replace them without removing the rack but I was lucky that the old ones pushed up and out very easily. I went out and was looking at the old ones and found part number 45522-60010, however that doesn't come up for any oem part from Toyota. Were you happy with the ones from CJV?

 

[re_guderian]

Are the aftermarket rubber from CJV the same design, as in only portions of the cylinder making contact with the rack, or are they solid like the poly ones?

 

[hoser]

AFAIK, only the "D" one is available.
45517-60010

 

[2001LC]

I was happy with the one's I installed in The Unicon. Steering was soft close to factory, perhaps a little softer. HWY driving was as it should be, free from wonding.

The CVJ bushings themselves were exactly like the ones from CA. Not exactly the same construction as the OEM, but good quality.

Center four are the OE's I did used, and are what the "Steering Rack" rebuilders (CVJ in Den, Delt in CA) are using. Outers are mix of used OEM ones from The Unicorn (07 w/127k, installed rubber) and Snowy (06LC w/200K, installed poly)

Here's the Febest's I sent back. This company beats the drum of being a "German Co." But lack quality control, manufactured in China. The center was tack welded off center, speaks poorly of manufacture process. I can't speak from personal experience, but read a review that the febest rubber doesn't hold up. I can say the rubber felt hard, and so may give a frimer driving experience.

In Snowy (06) I installed ploy's while in the vehicle. A must to have air tools for the removal of old bushings. Easy to pop in.

I've done a few pre 03 racks with "D" bushing on RH. Both front and rear LH bushing popped out easily. Seems I'd always have issue pressing in the upper rear poly bushing. Just hard time getting started as I recall.

The Unicorn's rack, was done on the bench. Which made pressing in the halves a "snap".

I'm now considering the difficulties of pressing on rubbers while in the rig.

@cruiserfj45, are you planning on using a long bolt technique and pulling in rubber bushing?

 

[cruiserfj45]

Those are different than the 2000 model I'm working on. Removal was a breeze but pulling in the top half was a little difficult especially on the rear one because of how close to the oil pan it is. Bottom ones went in fairy easy but the uppers took some pry bar action followed by using the original hardware to pull it in the rest of the way in. I'm just not happy and want to replace them with rubber.

 

[2001LC]

Yeah, the top rears ploy install always test my patients in pre 03.

I suspect the 98-02 bushing CVJ & Delta have are manufactured by same company and will look about the same 03-07 pictured above.

One issue I had with post 02. Was after pressing in one side, then while pressing in the other, the center steel bushing made early contract before cup seated. Reason for this was: As I tighten the pressed, the rubber squished in about a 1/8" on both side. So center steel bushings made contact, prevented me from seating outer cup that last ~1/4". I had to use a attachment that didn't press on one bushing (squishing rubber) to finish seating.

I'm thinking this may be a bit of and issue with the post 03 as well. It will definitely take some MacGyvering to do while rack in the rig.

These picture may help to visualize what I mean.

Cup at bottom side of press in this picture fit around outside of bushing, just catching enough of rack to hold it. The center steel bushing making contact with opposing center bushing now wasn't restricted by the press.

I think with a short cup that fit around the rubber, just catching the outer lip of cup. A cup only ~1/2 deep that had the same cut/flat side as bushing, would be perfect.

 

[cruiserfj45]

The post 02 is a completely different design.

 

[2001LC]

I'm aware they are different, the change was in 2003. I've done 3 sets of poly in 00/01's, one set of poly in 06 all on vehicle and one set of OE rubbers on a 07 rack out of rig in last two years.

I was wrongly thinking the 98-02 rubber OE (Original Equivalent) bushing would come in two part a top and bottom like the poly's and like the 03-07. But found out today when I picked up a set, they are one piece.

I see two difficulties installing these one piece while rack in vehicle, with rubber washer molded on each end:
1) As it's pressed in the washer will fold back, making very tight. Toyota rubber grease will help here!
2) Getting it washer out other end as bushing pressed in (pull down with bolt).

Which washer should be on bottom thick or thin?
I'm thinking thick, top with it's metal wash and thinner rubber should yield less lifting of rack.

I see two dot on one end. I'm assuming they are alignment dots/marks. That dots go parallel to rack. Close attention to old bushing orientation during removal will be key. This would put raised portion perpendicular to rack, yielding a softer feel in steering. As open area would create a void allowing rack to move side to side ~1/8" freely. I know on the 03-07 they have oval shape in steel cent shank bolt goes through, allowing rack to move side to side ~1/8". Brings interesting idea to mind; If raise porption turned to aligned to length of rack this would stiffen steering.

Here's your PN #, but doubt it does much good in a search.

 

[cruiserfj45]

Good eye noting the difference in washer thickness, I would want to look at one that hasn't been touched. Too bad those aren't available from the dealer.

 

[2001LC]

Did you happen to notice when you pulled yours, what the orientation of raised portion was?

 

[cruiserfj45]

No, I was just trying to get them out.

 

[2001LC]

Yeah, me too! I'll pay more attention next time.

 

[2001LC]

I had to move onto other projects and let these bushing take a back set for now. I do see a challenge in getting them in, being one piece with rubber washer on each end.

Lets us know if you get these in while rack inplace and how it goes please!

 

[re_guderian]

All considerations of in-use functionality aside, the thin side washer will be easier to pull through "folded", FWIW... Or maybe match the thickness that sits the rack level with the large grommet on the other side? I'm just guessing...

 

[2001LC]

"D" bushing would be a good indicator, which is thicker by the looks of it,,,.. Good thinking!

I also think the two alignment marks would be on top. If we assume rack sitting on beach top side up, this put thicker washer at bottom. Playing with bushing, I notice the thinner washer would fold a little more over raised inner portions than the thicker. If washer gets caught between raised portion and rack it may bind make pressing in more difficult or even tear.

My plan was to install large washer down.

I was undecided on raised protion being perpendicular to rack, which what I believe is intended design and is how the 03-07 bushing fit (see above). Or setting parallel to rack stiffing up steering.

I "sized" up bushing on back side of rack. It looks like getting a steel washer & nut on top to pull/press down will be challenging, it will be tight. Then to pull/press lower rubber washer through the rack. The steel washer under nut, but would need removing to keep pulling/pressing rubber washer out the bottom end. Then my thinking was to slip a wedges under rack and continue pulling/pressing, until rubber washer came out bottom. My concern was at this point is that top rubber washer may get stuck in rack, as lower rubber washer slipped out bottom. Then I'd need to press it back up. This would be a challenge, trying to clamp down the rack with various size washer/nuts under bushing on frame to press center up to get upper rubber washer back out and not get lower stuck back up in rack.

 

[re_guderian]

...I "sized" up bushing on back side of rack. It looks like getting a steel washer & nut on top to pull/press down will be challenging, it will be tight. Then to pull/press lower rubber washer through the rack. The steel washer under nut, but would need removing to keep pulling/pressing rubber washer out the bottom end. Then my thinking was to slip a wedges under rack and continue pulling/pressing, until rubber washer came out bottom. My concern was at this point is that top rubber washer may get stuck in rack, as lower rubber washer slipped out bottom. Then I'd need to press it back up. This would be a challenge, trying to clamp down the rack with various size washer/nuts under bushing on frame to press center up to get upper rubber washer back out and not get lower stuck back up in rack.

an excellent essay on precisely why the poly bushing comes in two pieces... As to the orientation of the pads, I didn't pay attention when I took my rubber bushings out because I didn't know there was pads. But upon seeing the pads, and why they were there v. just a cylinder, I just "assumed" it was to dampen feedback to the wheel. If positional stability was important, wouldn't they go with 100% contact? But then again, I had never considered the installation headache of a one-piece bushing with integrated rubber washers... So in summary, ... good luck...

 

[2001LC]

In part it's why I held back doing install at this. When time permits and I address this again, I'll have two choices if proves to difficult. 1) pull rack (PITA) 2) poly (easy)

After doing my last rack bushing job (07, The Unicorn) on the bench with rubber OE, which I liked the outcome of (SWEET). I'm interested to seeing if we can do these with rack in rig, without much more effort than poly install. Poly coming in two piece makes a big difference to DIY install. It's why I was thinking these rubbers for the older style would be two pieces (wishful thinking), until I picked up a set. I then realised why would they, they're not a DIY product, they are and OE product for rebuilders like CVJ

I am now 99% sure the raised portion go front to back (not a 100% side contact). This leaves an air gap on each side in bore, allowing steering rack to move side to side a few mm before contacting solid rubber of bushing.

Here is why I think this:

If you go back (above) and look at 03-07 bushings, you'll see air gap go on side parallel with rack. You'll also see on the PS/RH side, it has and oval shape in steel center bushing where bolt goes through. When I first saw this on old rack bushing, I thought it was a sign steel center bushing worn out out, which it was not. It is to allow side to side movement just a little, just as the older style "D" bushing on RH allows side to side movement. The clamping force on the rubber between cup and top washer (newer racks) or rack of upper & lower rubber wash (older racks) dampens this side to side moment until 100 % contact is made. Once 100% contact is made there is very little moment as rubber is not very thick and is somewhat hard. This reduce road feel to hands and shock to components of steering. So as the rubber between top of cup and inner steel bushing or rubber washer on top/bottom becomes worn out, we get that slight HWY wondering.

This is why when we look at new OEM, new rebuilt or racks of rigs with hundreds of thousands of miles, we see about the same side to side movement. But the poly bushing are solid fitting in rack (100% on all sides), and don't allow for any movement other than compression on poly. So viewing a racks movement after poly's install we see very little movement..


I'm right until I wrong

 

[liveoak]

Did you happen to notice when you pulled yours, what the orientation of raised portion was?

thicker part was on top on mine. arrows pointing left and right allowing for left/right rack movement