I did a front-end inspection the other day after getting back from the Argentine Pass run, here's my findings:
My inner tie rod-end on the drivers side has quite a bit of play, causing quite the vibration at 60mph, and the steering rack seals spew fluid any chance they get. Additionally the power steering pump is whining a bit but I'm not sure if that's due to lack of proper pressure due to blown seals or what. Needless to say they steering is pretty clapped out on the 4runner. Luckily the ball joints look to be in good shape.
That being said, I looked into what it takes to replace the seals and inner tie-rod and it seems pretty straightforward except for one recurring theme that appeared to be a consensus to just replace the whole rack and pinion assembly. It doesn't appear to be super costly to do, just time consuming.
Does anyone have input on steering racks on 3rd gen 4runners or similar? I'm confident I can do the work but tapping into the wealth of knowledge here and some before I embark on this project.
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