Rack and Pinion Damage

[95tacoma]

Not really sure if this is carnage, but I damaged my rack and pinion on the Wheeler Lake trip. I noticed on the drive home there was alot of excess play in the steering. I didn't really think anything of it as I usually burn through inner tie rods, so I assumed thats what it was. When I got to work and was in the parking garage I noticed a fairly loud clank everytime I turned. When I got home and started looking things over I noticed fluid leaking from the driver's side bellow boot...after removing the boot and watching everything as the wheel was turned, I found that the guide in the rack would lift up about 1/4" when the tire was turned in and vice versa when turned the other way. Each time the guide would lift up it would contact the housing causing the clank sound I was hearing.

Luckily when I replaced the rack the first time (two years ago) I got one with a lifetime warranty so it was free with the exception of two bottles of ATF. On a side note the new rack came with new inner tie rods and bellow boots so that was a nice surprise!:thumb:

Pic of the new one installed,

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x400/95tacoma1/20120613192937.jpg

[glacierpaul]

That is one gnarly, and extremely fun run! I am going to be crawling under mine after today up there. My carnage was ripping the tip off the back tire valve stem just after leaving the lake back down. Definitely going back!!

[Michael4rnr]

I'm surprised everything on my car was mechanically sound underneath being stock ride height. Glad it was an easy fix for you.

[95tacoma]

Its a great trail for sure! I think bowling ball hill may have been the one that took out my r&p.

Good to hear you guys had a good day! Too bad about the valve stem though.

[WDoG]

All I have to say is thank god for skids. My rear license plate has an interesting shape to it now. :D

Glad to see you got everything fixed up! Lifetime warranty's FTW!

[95tacoma]

I'm surprised everything on my car was mechanically sound underneath being stock ride height. Glad it was an easy fix for you.

Its the 33's and the lift that are harder on mine. If you ever have to replace yours, check out O'Reily's for the lifetime warranty one. They last long enough and you don't have to pay for another one!

[glacierpaul]

Its a great trail for sure! I think bowling ball hill may have been the one that took out my r&p.

Good to hear you guys had a good day! Too bad about the valve stem though.

A.J., that whole road took out your r&p :) I find it the quickest way to deflate a tire :rolleyes: I will have pic's up in the morning in Rick's thread. 'Wheeler' Lake, aptly named!

[glacierpaul]

A shout out to you guy's with stock rigs doing that trail especially Chase and Winston! Pic's do no justice!

[Rick]

A shout out to you guy's with stock rigs doing that trail especially Chase and Winston! Pic's do no justice! X2!!!! Good job Guys...All I could think about also was the guy in the Brand new truck going through all those willows!!!!!!

[95tacoma]

Definitely awesome to watch Chase, Winston and Michael conquer that trail...Im pretty sure all of us lower guys smacked or sliders on that same rock almost at the top.

Paul, you are probably right!

[Brody]

A shout out to you guy's with stock rigs doing that trail especially Chase and Winston! Pic's do no justice!

No kidding!

[Squshiee1]

i think the worst part was bowling ball hill. For me it was floor it, and hope that you gont get stuck! i could hear tons of rocks smacking the bottom of the car. no damage to anything important just skids and sliders!

I cant even tell brody thanks enough for those sliders, they saved me from a huge rocker panel dent and my beloved door!

[WDoG]

Thanks guys, We wouldn't have made it through w/o FR's help with the obstacles.

2nd on the flooring it part. Throw it in 4low 1st gear and hit the gas. These zu's preform really well.

Sliders helped just a little for chase ;)
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/355/p1010440k.jpg