Toyota 44200-21123
Gear Assembly

You need to fix the front wheels to an straight-ahead position and empty the power steering fluid before you repair the link assembly. First mark the joint pieces of rack and pinion intermediate shaft assembly No.2 & No.1 before removing them with a bolt while keeping the wheel steady. Start by taking off the steering column hole cover sub-assembly No.1 then the front wheels with the engine under covers LH and RH prior to detaching the tie rod ends (Special Service Tool: 09628-00011). Unplug the tube assembly connection with Special Service Tool 09023-12701 by removing the bolt and taking apart the tube end clamp. Detach front stabilizer links from both sides and split lower No.1 front suspension arm sub-assemblies. Then proceed to remove the floor panel brace front, exhaust pipe assembly center and other sub-assemblies before suspending the engine assembly and unbolting the No.1 hook. Support the crossmember sub-assembly on a transmission jack while disconnecting bolts and nuts to remove it from the power steering rack and pinion assembly. Take out the subassembly No.1 from its steering column position and detach the rack and pinion intermediate shaft. Remember to mark the matchmarks prior to removing the bolt. Uninstall the power steering rack and pinion assembly when you remove its bolts and nuts. Remember to steer the wheel steady when loosening the bolt. Secure the power steering rack and pinion assembly using all required Special Service Tools which include 09023-38201 for left and right turn pressure tubes plus 09612-00012 to keep it safe. Uninstall both tie rod end sub-assemblies from their locations to inspect torque values. Disconnect both steering rack boot flex clamps and clips to take out the No.1 and No.2 steering rack boots. Reinforce the steering rack with both hands before you detach the claw washers through Special Service Tool: 09922-10010 to extract the rack end units. Use suitable instruments to take off the rack guide, power steering control valve and upper oil seal without harming their components in the process. Separate the cylinder end stopper with its O-ring and remove the power steering rack and pinion unit while being cautious not to harm the oil seal area. Insert the new power steering cylinder tube oil seal directly and position it at the right angle to prevent harm. Apply Special Service Tool: 09951-07150 during installation. Watch for irregularities and breakdown in the power steering rack and pinion then fit a brand new one if needed.

The rack and pinion reassembly process requires application of both power steering fluid and molybdenum disulfide lithium base grease, MP grease or silicon grease on the indicated parts. The power steering cylinder tube oil seal requires proper installation at a 15 degrees angle because it protects against damage. Insert the oil seal without tool rotation by using Special Service Tool: 09631-00200. Set aside a new O-ring for the rack and pinion after expanding the new oil seal with caution while lubricating it with power steering fluid. The tricky process requires two steps. The rack teeth ends should get molybdenum disulfide lithium base grease treatment, then the Special Service Tool: 09631-20102 can be positioned on the rack and pinion before its rack housing installation. The cylinder end stopper installation requires vinyl tape on the RH side of the power steering rack and power steering fluid application to the new oil seal followed by proper assembly. The installation of the cylinder end stopper requires applying grease to its inner bush surface followed by using Special Service Tool: 09631-20120 to torque the stopper to 122 Nm (1,244 kgf-cm, 90 ft. lbs.). Test air tightness by using Special Service Tool: 09631-12071 (09633-00010) to measure vacuum pressure stability. To install the power steering control valve upper bearing requires applying grease followed by installing the upper oil seal and bearing using Special Service Tools: 09950-70010 (09951-07150) and 09950-60010 (09952-06010, 09951-00180, 09951-00300). Before fitting new valve spacers into the control valve, expand each of them by applying power steering fluid before installation. The control valve must be inserted into the valve housing without damaging the spacers or the oil seal lip. Secure the control valve housing to the rack and pinion housing through installing 2 bolts while performing torque at 18 Nm (185 kgf-cm, 13 ft. lbs.) with a new gasket. Before installing the rack guide with spring, apply grease on both components and rack guide contact surfaces while using sealant to address rack guide spring cap threads. Tighten the cap with a 24 mm straight hexagon wrench to inspect total preload by retightening followed by cap loosening when the rack and pinion ends are installed. Adjust the force on the rack and steering column through complete rotation by using Special Service Tool: 09616-00011 to reach a preload measurement between 0.9 - 1.6 Nm (9.2 to 16.3 kgf-cm, 8.0 to 14.2 inch lbs.). Mount the rack and pinion end sub-assembly using Special Service Tool: 09922-10010 while applying MP grease to the ball joint and installing it with 73 Nm (744 kgf-cm, 54 ft. lbs.) torque. The installation requires two new claw washers. Use a brass bar along with a hammer to secure stake the washers through the rack and pinion hole until it remains clear. Apply silicon grease on the No. 2 rack and pinion boot then install a new clamp before checking the correct installation without any accidental damage. The same procedure must be applied to install the No. 1 rack and pinion boot along with its clamps. The final step includes installing rack and pinion boot clips followed by using Special Service Tool: 09616-00011 to evaluate the rack boot movement. Screw the lock nut along with tie rod end to the rack end while matching the marks before repeating the same procedure on the right-hand side.

Mark the No. 2 intermediate shaft assembly and the intermediate shaft.

Use Special Service Tool: 09023-12701 to disconnect it.

Molybdenum disulfide lithium base grease.

The maximum runout should not exceed 0.1 mm (0.004 inch).