Just Do It
Dude,
I did this very same thing in the garage a few weeks back for the same problem. Take a look here. I gave details the manual left out. No Pics, but the tool selection I grave is fairly comprehensive. If you have sockets, wrenches, and a SAFE place to do it (jack stands ect). Knock it out yourself.....
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t108185.html
A tank a week - Don't Kill the pump by letting it run dry......
Also - cost was like a $160 bucks for a remanufactured ("ARI" was the manufacture) LONG RACK (that includes the inner tie rods and boots)
Rack & pinion and 2 Axels Replaced!
All,
Just wanted to add my 2 cents to the manual just incase you decide to knock it out yourself.
Ride: 95 V6 Auto leaking from the rack boots, 152K.
Here are a couple of things I did different to get the rack out and get it back with out messing around inside the car, screaming profanties or bleeding under the car......
Lowering the back of the engine cradle ~3/4" / 20mm allows easy access to the sway bar bolts. I think it made the job much easier. Below you will also find a quick method to dial in the new rack so the Toe-In is back the way it was (or pretty darn close).
1) Before you jack it up, pull the rear O2 sensor (V6).
2) Jack it up and support body (not engine cradle), pull wheels off.
3) Position the steering wheel straight and centered. Secure with seat belt.
4) With a 24" extension and a 12mm wobble, remove the pinch bolt at the steering column coupler. Turn the wheel to the 11:00 o'clock position if you don't have a wobble.
5) Remove 2 10mm bolts holding the rear fender apron at the bottom (both sides).
6) Remove the 2 14mm bolts connecting the body to the cradle under the apron and
loosen the 19mm bolts holding the cradle. Do this on both sides.
*** NOTE *** Support the cradle in case you run the bolts out of threads and drop the cradle. There is approx 20mm of threads before it departs - BE CAREFUL -
7) Remove the 4 12mm bolts holding the swaybar to the cradle. I also removed the 4 14mm bolts holding the swaybar ends to the lower control arms.
8) Remove the line set and plug the top line with a Golf "T" to keep the mess smaller.
9) Remove the 12mm bolt supporting the lines (R-side).
10) With a 19mm wrench, break the tie-rod adjusting nuts loose. Seat them back on the tie-rod end gently.
11) Remove the cotter pin and tie-rod end castle nuts (17mm). If you don't have a puller, no worries IF YOU CAN HIT WHERE YOU AIM! With a 16oz hammer take 2-3 good wacks at the
End Of the Steering Arm where the ball stud pokes through. I AM NOT SAYING POUND on the THREADS! Hitting the castings end will momentarily distort the tapered hole and drop the tie-rod end. Mine popped easy. 2 swings each -- one to aim, one to smack it.
12) Remove the 19mm bolts holding the rack in. Yes, the factory tightened them REAL GOOD. Don't slip!
13) Twist pull and slide the leaky old rack out.
14) Center the rack, Turn input shaft all the way one direction. Count back 1.5 turns. This is center.
15) Align the tie rods so the whole rack assembly is straight to the eye with the ball joints pointing at the ground (this is from tie to tie rod - this thing needs to be straight).
USING A CARPENTERS SQUARE and a felt pin align the square to the inside of the Jamb nut and draw a line on the ground. DO NOT MOVE THE RACK.
With the square, align it to one of the tubes feeding the rack piston. Draw a line on the ground. Go to the other end of the rack and place the square against the jamb nut. Draw a line.
These three lines now represent your vehicles "TOE-IN" and the basic position of the rack since you centered it and made a reference line to the rack body. I suggest you move the old rack, relaign it too the marks and see if all three marks line up (within a 1/16" is good)If so, good job, move on.....
NOTE: If installing new t/r ends and nuts, do some measuring and see if the parts are identical. If they are different it will change your toe-in!
Pull the the tie-rod ends and jamb nuts from the old rack.
Center your new rack (1.5 turns from full lock). Install the jamb nuts and tie-rod ends on the new rack.
Align the rack body to the mark on the floor. Adjust the jamb nuts to the lines on the floor, install t/r ends and snug the nuts. Doing this alone should place the toe-in back very close to where it was. You should still have the toe and alignment checked at the shop.
[NEW INFO 12.10.05]
After you center the rack, don't move it by turning the input shaft. If you moved the steering wheel from center to get at the bolt, turn it back to center now.
After the rack, lines, sway bar, tie rod ends are all in place ALIGN THE SLIP YOKE to the input shaft. NOW, once started, begin tightening the 2 19mm bolts holding the cradle. Once they are seated and in place, work the slip yoke down all the way and install the pinch bolt.
Reverse all the them steps and youl'l be back in business. Follow all the flushing and purging instructions to bleed the system. Test drive!
Good Luck,
/randy
PS - It took longer to clean up the mess from the torn boots and leaky rack than it did to do the work.
Its time for some of these.....:chug: