Thankfully the separation happened in a parking lot and not on the highway. It was making some strange noises before it happened. Any insights on what could have caused this? Car sat for five months before I used it again and this issue came up. Rack and pinion was a cheap Detroit automotive one, will be replacing with a Toyota remanufactured from their website. Any additional parts I should order? What about the part that integrates the steering shaft from into the rack and pinion? Also looks like I'll need a new spring wire as well, I seemed to have twisted mine to the point of damage as well, since the steering wheel no longer responds to button pushing,
Was specific part failed? There was a recall for Gen2 Prius for the gear where the steering wheel shaft connected to the rack. They simply added some bolts to that mount because it would come loose over time. If that's where you think it failed, you may be able to confirm via uneven tire wear.
Any more details on a part number for that? I'll throw it on while I'm replacing the rack and pinion.
So that rack & pinion has already been replaced???? I've never heard of this as a high failure item, and there should've been signs that it was going bad.
there was a feelable clicking/thud when the steering wheel was fully articulated to the side. I left the car on jack stands for five months while on a deployment and it started doing that immediately upon being placed back on the ground. I bought a cheap nice person rack and pinion to replace the OEM worn out one, and I’m committed to replacing it with a Toyota part anyway. I’ll let you guys know what I find once I tear into it. No more non-OEM parts when it comes to anything that touches the ground or is a steering component.
It was an in-house repair via a couple of additional bolts... So I doubt there's a part number. Your best bet would be to do a deep dive into finding the service bulletin related to the recall. I think it came out around 2008, or there abouts. Another option would be to see enough gen2 steering racks in real life that you can tell the difference between the ones that had the recall vs. ones that didn't. Maybe @SFO or @ChapmanF could help with that?
You're talking a manual Toyota rack the Detroit is a rebuilt Toyota rack I believe as is AI cardone.and what fell apart? I think wen ya tear into it it's not going to be much . probably not the rebuild. The manual rack is well pretty basic . It'll be interesting to see pics of racks don't usually come apart just get sloppy and that's usually ends and joints not the rack and or pinion itself . They used to be externally adjustable the rack to tube guide that is . The big nut and locking ring went away in some year .
I ordered a rebuilt rack and pinion from Toyota, and will be pulling an intermediate shaft from a junked Prius. I'll also be using some Loctite on the bolt for the intermediate shaft. What I think happened is that when I jacked the car up and left it on stands for 6 months during my deployment, that the intermediate steering shaft partially separated from the rack and pinion. When it was lowered earlier this month, it may have had some mechanical issues being not aligned properly or something. This is all speculative at this point. But I fly airplanes for a living, and I'm not going to take any chances with a control input issue. The whole damn thing is going to be replaced because I do not tolerate any mechanical wear for stuff like that. I'll report back here once I find out what's going on with the vehicle.
Makes plausible sense if it was sitting there at full droop and what have you I guess that could happen especially if the bolt actually I'm thinking that's not the case because when the bolt goes in tightened or not it's not coming out unless the bolt can be pulled out or falls out isn't that right check it and see if you got it opened up I have to walk a hundred yards to go look but I think if the bolt is in any of those yolks just the bolt being there I think will hold the business in but I could be wrong it may not be that way and if it isn't in the bolt solution they can just vibrate loose or be pulled out then yeah you're golden make good sense because he's racks are pretty stout you know The newer ones are non-adjustable and they usually last the life of the car or people change racks because they need enter and outer tie rod ends and they can get a rebuilt rack from A1 cardone which is a Toyota rack for about $139 hell the TRW or Moog enter and outer joints on each side will total $165 plus probably so change the whole rack killed the whole business all that stuff is replaced in one fell swoop seems to make good sense.
