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I've never gone thru this, but I would imagine that if the pump can maintain adequate hydraulic pressure as the wheels are turned side to side, then it is likely the rack is bad. If hard steering is not the same for both wheel directions, then it is likely the rack. It can still be the rack though even if both directions are hard since the rack piston seals could be shot. Since you've already had rack leaks, my money would be on a bad rack. To measure hydraulic pressure (~1400PSI), you will need an oil pressure gauge with a valve and will have to insert it into the pressure line going into the rack. From the Toyota service manual, it seems that you would need to access that from below. With rust, etc, it may be impossible to unthread that pressure coupler in the line without destroying it and necessitating the replacement of the line at a minimum. If that happens, you would of course just replace the whole rack.
I just saw your comment about the steering being hard even with the front wheels raised. If that is the case, then maybe it is your steering column or its u-joints which are binding? There is very little steering assist required of course to turn the wheels off the ground, so that kind of eliminates the pump somewhat. It could still be a bad value or binding piston in the rack, but I would now suspect the steering column also.
dave mc
Last edited by davemac2; 02-09-2009 at 12:11 PM.
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