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Steering Rack Bushing Help!!! Atlanta

3K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  Brit6 
#1 · (Edited)
So I bought the two little TRD bushings from Carson Toyota on a special order. I cannot find anyone in the Atlanta Area that knows how to install these besides someone that wants to charge me $350.00. WOW!!! I am told that the whole rack and pinion will need to be dropped to press the bushing out and get the new one in. These bushings look stock. They are supposed to have a harder rubber. Any info on dropping the rack and any leads to shops or friends in the Altanta area would be greatly appreciated. I need someone that knows what they are doing with a rack. I did the suspension but I am not certain about digging into the rack. Anyone find a DIY on another site? Searched here... nada.

Thanks in advance.

- Trent
 
#3 · (Edited)
Actually the problem is that it is a TRD bushing kit; where the rubber is attached to the metal sleeve. These bushings must be pressed in. Meaning you need some special tools or a press after taking the steering rack out of the car. I am waiting on someone to make a better bushing kit. Daizen and Figs are in the process. Wait for their kits to hit the market. Email Daizen requesting this for our cars...
 
#13 ·
Nice way to be a dick, dick.


Don't even try to keep singing praises for TRD's hard(er) rubber bushings. They're shit, better than stock, but still shit.

It's absolutely comical that IS's don't have one fucking company to offer poly bushings for everything.

I've had a company make a complete set for a car with zero aftermarket support and maybe a few thousand still on the road, they even offered multiple choices in the durometer. Total cost for a complete suspension kit? $180, they also made mounts(diff, trans etc), where you could replace every single mount in your car with 85, 90, or 95 durometer poly for less than 450-500 or so.
 
#5 ·
Yeah, I am. Considering that there are better kits made for other cars than the rubber TRD one that I might have to replace once again after installing. I would way rather spend 350.00 on a poly kit to install. Rubber deteriorates over time due to chemicals from the engine and road. I don't want these bushings softening again. I don't want to have to spend more money fixing a problem that I could fix myself with the right kit. As mikey300zx pointed out... Daizen makes one that we can install ourselves for the GS and now they are starting on the IS300. Just my opinion. Yes, I am cheap. I don't light my cigarettes with dollar bills either.
 
#6 ·
What youre TOTALLY not getting is the whole point of TRD parts. They achieve higher levels of performance while still delivering OEM fit, finish, and reliability. TRD Parts still leave a small level of sacrifice in there to achieve those goals.
 
#7 ·
I understand what TRD delivers. I don't care to debate. I want something that has better reliability than rubber with a higher durometer. I want poly or something equivalent that chemicals and road substances cannot break down for a steering rack bushing. That's why I believe that paying $350.00 to put in a TRD bushing that is made of rubber and must be pressed in is not worth the purchase. I believe paying 350.00 to put in a poly or straight solid aluminum sleeve would be worth it because I would never have to do it again. Although I would sacrifice comfort in the steering. That's what I can live with as long as my car drives straight. I believe that is just being smart with money.

Nothing ever engineered can beat TRD in your opinion? By the way, we are speaking of a steering rack bushing. Steering racks do not need any play for performance. They only do for comfort. If you were speaking of other parts I might say TRD is the way to go but not on this IMO. Do you have a TRD steering rack bushing in your IS?
 
#9 ·
Toyota has kinda screwed us on this. The only way you can get replacements for the small bushings is through TRD. Lexus has told me the that the stock bushings only come with a new steering rack. Unfortunately for us, the stock bushings are fairly easy to replace. I'm starting with the main bushing; hopefully that will fix my problem. Otherwise, I too will be dropping $350.
 
#10 ·
Also the REGIONAL forums would be better for trying to find a good shop to work on your car. Oh and if it took say 100k miles for the stock steering rack bushings to wear out on your car, two things;

1. Do you plan to put another 100k miles on the car?
2. Harder bushings wont wear out as fast so say you get 160k from them....will you have your car at 260k miles?
 
#11 · (Edited)
Your not getting it. Putting a TRD bushing in the car would be great if you just wanted a harder bushing. You are correct that a harder bushing would in fact last a little longer. The MAIN THING you are missing is the fact that it is RUBBER. RUBBER deteriorates over time. I have the TRD bushings from Japan. I know exactly what they are and what they look like. I am ONLY saying that I would only pay $350.00 for a permanent fix. Figs and Daizen are both working on this so why not wait for a solid sleeve or a Poly one? I do plan to put more miles on the car. I plan to drive it into the ground, so the components I put on the car need to have the longest life possible. What form of rubber is more resistant to the weather, climate change due to seasons, car chemicals, as well as road chemicals? IMO rubber wont cut it for this application. Like I said before, the steering rack does not NEED play. Minimizing this to the absolute minimum would be prime. Poly is harder than rubber and for something that does not NEED play I would do poly. I also plan to track the car after buying another.
 
#14 ·
Just wondering why you bought the TRD knowing they are rubber in the first place? I mean you knew they had to be pressed in right?

My only suggestion to save money is to take out the rack yourself and take it to a machine shop to have the bushings pressed in and then re-install the rack yourself.....otherwise 3.5 hours in labor ($350) doesn't sound outrageous.
 
#18 ·
Honestly, when I bought them I did not know what they looked like and if you could pull the metal sleeve out or not. Some of the old mopar bushings sleeve came out, so install the rubber then push the sleeve through. I never knew that they had to be pressed in. Read the forums and it never states that they have to be pressed. Also, try calling a Toyota or Lexus dealer in Atlanta and they will not know what the hell your talking about because they don't sell the part in the US. Thanks for the advice but now that two manufacturers are on the track to building a poly version I think I will wait and use that. I will be able to save money and do it myself. I will also have a more worthy bushing that wont be affected by chemicals softening it's integrity.
 
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