vibration - steering rack loose? (1 Viewer)

[2fpower]

We have had our 2014 GX460 for several years now (90k miles) and the front end vibration at speed has become progressively worse over time.

Reading threads, most of the time it is wheels, so just had them road force balanced and rotated, with no perceived change.

I haD @kc_chevota jump under it today to see if a tie rod was loose, and we found that the rack itself was moving back and forth about 1/4". Is this normal? Do you have to replace bushings?

 

[2fpower]

FYI, bushings do not show a part number.....

 

[2fpower]

but Superpro has them...

SuperPro Steering Bush Kit for LEXUS GX 2009-on - GX460 (J150)

SuperPro manufactures and engineers the largest range of suspension bushes, poly bushes, suspension bushes and sway bar bushing kits for performance, 4x4, 4wd, handling and durability. All our products are made in Brisbane, Australia, to ensure the highest quality control. SuperPro also...

superpro.com.au

 

[Acrad]

Note in bottom left of pic from Megazip diagram about those bushings (N01) not being available as a separate OEM part

 

[2fpower]

finding videos of how to replace on other toyota rigs...


bushing on a 100 - looks similar




rack replacement

 

[r2m]

I had to do this on my old 100 series Hundy. It shouldn't be too bad of a job unless you have aftermarket skid's on it. Then you'll need a little more time and muscle.

 

[jcmiro]

Any US suppliers? Or just Toy-Lexus part numbers would be nice.

 

[re_guderian]

I had to do this on my old 100 series Hundy. It shouldn't be too bad of a job unless you have aftermarket skid's on it. Then you'll need a little more time and muscle.

Yep, I did this in place in one of my 100 series, which sucked, and then dropped off a set of SuperPro bushings with a new rack for the other rig.

SuperPro Polyurethane Bushings For LC 100 Series

We have been memebers of this forum for few years now. I would like to bring it to your attention the different bushings we carry for the Toyota 100 series. Just a little background on SuperPro. SuperPro polyurethane bushings are made in Australia and are being distributed in the USA by...

forum.ih8mud.com

I haven't looked at the GX, but the 100 series OEM bushings were built for isolation and vibration absorption, and not necessarily for positional stability. Pictures in the linked post show why.

 

[GXO]

I want to say whiteline makes a rack bushings but if you get new and press in you should be good. It is not uncommon to see a bushing fail in a rack with a lot of use, but sort of strange. Racks do move, but that sounds like a lot. Have you also checked the intermediate shaft? That ujoint can also go bad and cause vibration and binding that translates to the rack.

 

[2fpower]

just got FSM, and this does not look like fun....

for #4, you have to pull A/C compressor out... FUN...

here are steps for #3

 

[r2m]

Sounds like a lot of work/weekends unless you have ALL the correct parts, gaskets etc. AND can power it out without interruptions, e.g. neighbors stopping by just to see what you're up to, kids, wife, phone calls, in-laws stopping by, getting a kink in your back from all the bending over, having to stop work just to eat and/or sleep. You know, the usual stuff.

 

[Acrad]

The TSB for the potential 10-12 steering flutter issue gives tech 4.2 hours

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachments/gx-2nd-gen-2010-present/476849d1537717127-misc-tsbs-free-access-via-nhtsa-l-sb-0020-12-2-.pdf

 

[2fpower]

The TSB for the potential 10-12 steering flutter issue gives tech 4.2 hours

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/attachments/gx-2nd-gen-2010-present/476849d1537717127-misc-tsbs-free-access-via-nhtsa-l-sb-0020-12-2-.pdf

holy cow, what an amazing guide to getting the rack out. 4.2 hours to do this seems crazy fast.... I am sure if it is the 10th time you did it, then maybe.

I am on the fence if this is the bushings, or this flutter thing.... given the time to get it out, do I just buy a new rack???

 

[GXO]

We went a different route and upgraded to 200 series racks with RCLT on our 470s haha. RCLT does work on 460s too though The OEM 470 rack is so tiny compared to the 200 rack. The 150/460 rack isn't that much bigger than the 470.

 

[Rednexus]

I would say that 1/4" of steering rack movement is not normal and indicates loose bushings. My rack was moving around 1/2" when I replaced it (due to worn bushings) and it had some pretty negative effects on steering/handling. It had a sensation of the rear end wagging from side to side when I went over a bump - kind of unsettling - and it went away with a new steering rack.

If you are going through what appears to be a massive effort to replace the bushings, I'd put in a new or reman steering rack. It's actually more labor effort to replace the bushings than just do a R&R on the rack, and it would be frustrating to go through all of that effort and then have to do it all over again later due to a problem inside the rack. My PS fluid was full of metal shavings at 145K when I replaced my rack, so the rack was on it's way out anyway, not just the bushings were bad.

 

[Acrad]

Looks like $700-$800

44200-60223​

 

[lipdogg]

We went a different route and upgraded to 200 series racks with RCLT on our 470s haha. RCLT does work on 460s too though The OEM 470 rack is so tiny compared to the 200 rack. The 150/460 rack isn't that much bigger than the 470.

View attachment 3014623

That's awesome. Is the 200 series rack a direct swap to the 150 or is modification needed to make it fit using OEM spindles, LCA, UCAs (not RCLT)?

 

[GXO]

No direct way to swap without welding and solving for width and tie rods.