I'm beginning to suspect that my steering rack is bad . Anyone have any experience changing these out on Mavericks or newer cars? The car with the problem is a '91 Toyota Supra Turbo. I guess I'll be learning a lot about steering and suspension with this little obstacle .
Never done one on a Toyota, but I have done some GM and Fords. It is pretty straight forward on the ones I have changed. A lot of times the high pressure line and return lines are different sizes, so there is no chance of hooking it up backwards. Usually just two bolts holds the rack onto the chassis. The only trick is when you turn back the tie rod adjuster to seperate the tie rod from the rack --- just count the number of turns until to remove it. Then, when you install the new rack, put the same number of turns back to re-attach the outer tie rod. This way your toe-in setting will be good enough that you can drive your car to the alignment shop without totally screwing up your tires or driving off the road. Cleaver
It's pretty cheap to get a "loaded" rack that already comes with new inner and outer tie rods. Being a 1991...I bet you need them.
Well, you're right Craig...it would be cheap...if it were a different car. Unfortunately the racks for Mk. III Supra's are terribly expensive (a friend of mine has one and she was quoted $800 for a used one, $1200 for a new one). Supposedly the fox-body mustang racks are a near-direct bolt in for the car, and much more affordable ($100 rebuilt). Other than that, replacing them is a breeze, just remember to bleed it (turn wheel to one side and then to the other, going ALMOST to the locks about 35-40 times with the car on the ground). My favorite trick is to take a caliper or any other fairly exact instrument and measure the distance that the outer tie rod end is screwed onto the inner tie rod. Hard to explain, but it eliminates the need to get the car re-aligned afterwords.
Oops, scratch that. Looks like Autozone has started carrying reman'ed units. Still not what i'd consider affordable, at $371.99, but might be worth it to save the hassle. Wish they had been around when my friend needed them....
oomphh The biggest thing I remember about replacing the rack on my Nissan Maxima was that in order for the rack to be removed (without removing half shafts and cv joints) was that I had to "enlarge" the triangle shaped opening behind the front wheel in the fender well. This was tricky and scary for about 1" more of clearance, but it couldn't be done w/out it. The car went for another 60,000 miles with the new rack and was working fine when we traded it. In other words, there might be some things that you will have to do that don't seem right in order to replace that part, but then again you must remember that when the car was built, that could have been the first part put on and the rest of the car was "built around it"!! .......Robert now go get 'em......
Well, I guess Toyota pumps take Dexron II Automatic Transmission fluid. Being the smart guy that I am, just I assumed that it took normal power steering fluid , so i filled her up with that after I flushed the system. And like I said, no power steering, and it seems to start bubbling up air in the reservoir once it heats up. Maybe this could be caused by the wrong fluid, I dunno. I'm doubtful. If the new fluid works, great, if it doesn't, the rack is coming off this weekend . Blown76 and others...I can definitely trace a lot of the noise to the pump itself. If the rack was bad, wouldn't the rack be making all the noise, or wouldn't it at least be leaking? I think what happened was the high pressure line developed a leak and the previous owners let the pump run dry, which damaged it (although I took the pump apart and I couldn't see any problems with it). Maybe the rack took a dump too from running so long with gear oil in it.
uuggghh Blown76, man, that would have helped. But this R&R was done a few years back(say 93-94 or so) . But like I said, all I really remember was the cuttin'............... so I could have missed something for sure, even though I did spend a full day off just looking at the $%&#$ thing, anyway, learn sumthin' every day ..........Robert
Mavman, I could be wrong but i think you'll be okay with the power steering fluid. ATF and power steering fluid are pretty much the same, just have different additives. If you have air bubbling up in the reservoir it probably means that either you have a leak somewhere or you need to bleed the system (which needs to be done anyways, if you haven't already).
Vetran Toytoa Dismantler Hey MavMan I work in a wrecking yard that does only import cars. Those racks are a piece of cake. I recently pulled like 10 of them in the same day and we shiped them to Africa or some place like that. So that means that where I work is sold out. If you don't already have one or can't find one send me an email and I will see what I can do about hooking you up.
I'm not sure it's the rack that is the problem. Maybe it is, I dunno. Not a whole lot left other than a potential leak in the return hose (even though now fluid is leaking) or the rack. I'm a little scared to mess around with the tie rods though as I'll have to get it aligned and all sorts of happy things. Plus the thing about these Supras is some have Progressive power assist, some don't, etc. I'm not sure what to do.
Well if it is the rack that is the problem I can get you a used one for about $150 plus shipping to where ever you are at.
Ok boys, I have a new theory, check it out. The pressure hose going to the rack, the rack, and the return hose are all under pressure. If a fluid under pressure has a way to go to a lower pressure (a leaky seal or O-ring or whatever), you bet your ass it will. Just like when you blow a head gasket, you have water and/or exhaust shooting out of the hole, because it's going to a lower pressure, an easier path than going through the engine. So on that thought, I don't think I could have a leaky seal or O-Ring at the steering rack because it's not leaking fluid. So, what I'm thinking now is completely different. I'm thinking that either there is a leak on the hose from the power steering reservoir to the pump, or that the screen on the reservoir is restricting flow enough to make the pump cavitate, or form little pockets of power steering fluid vapor. So, with such restricted flow, it takes a long time for the pockets of vapor and/or air to work it's way out of the system, so the pump cavitates for 5 mins or so and then stops. But with such low flow, there isn't enough pressure to give me power steering. It could be wrong, just another theory.
Yeah I replaced the pump, still have problems. Pump makes a boatload of noise for five mins and then stops. Air bubbles out of the reservoir constantly (more so after it warms up), and the fluid is completely aerated, lookslike shook up soda. I have no fluid leaks anywhere. And I have zero power steering. The thing really boggles my mind. I even clamped and sealed all of the lines and connectitons to make sure they weren't drawing air into the system. Maybe there is a pinhole that I can't see in the line from the reservoir to the pump, or maybe it's cavitataing like I said from the fluid vaporizing. I'm just not sure.
New (used) Gear Are you ready for a new gear? hehehe Really they are a piece of cake to change out the worst part about it is the price and the fact that they have manufacturing flaws. That is why they are so rare. They drop like flies.
