Rack and pinion rebuild failure

[derangedfords90]

Hello,

I'm first time posting, after long-time lurking.  I am an experienced shade-tree mechanic (formally professional, but have been military for a decade).  

As some of you may know, 98-00 LS400 remanufactured rack and pinions are apparently unobtanium at the moment.  So I undertook rebuilding mine, to which I thought I was successful.  

After rebuilding the rack, I bled it as best I could with the instructions on ALLDATA, and immediately drove it to be aligned. When they returned the car, the rack was dumping all of the fluid out of both sides.  

Now, I'm not doubting that I'm somehow to blame, but I am wondering if somehow the system caught some dirt in the pressure control, blowing out the new seals I installed.  

Does the solenoid valve located on the pressure control unit of the rack control pressure to the rack?  Could it cause overpressure?  Is a common failure of the control valve to blow all the rack seals? 

I'm confident I made a best-effort rebuild.  I've rebuilt automatic transmissions that have withstood 500+hp engines under similar circumstances (no special tools, rebuilt in my home garage, zero experience with rebuilding said transmission prior to attempt).  I could have messed up the seals but it is hard for me to believe I messed ALL of the seals up during installation. 

Thanks in advance. Pictures included of exploded rack and my minty clean 99 ls400.

[paulo57509]

Why did you rebuild the steering gear in the first place?

You have access to AllData; I'll attach the reassembly procedure from the Lexus service manual for additional reference.

SR-48 Power Steering Gear - Reassembly.pdf SR-3 Power Steering Fluid - Bleeding.pdf

[derangedfords90]

Thanks!  It had a minor leak on the passenger side, which caused boot damage causing the inner TRE to fail because loss of grease.  Shop wouldnt warranty an alignment without rack replacement, but no reman racks exist in the US from all the usual aftermarket suspects.  The driver side had plenty of grease, though it seemed slightly thinned out due to fluid contamination.  I figured that to be expected since it appeared original OEM.  

Monday, I may call around to see if there's a reman to be unearthed in the back of someone's warehouse.

[paulo57509]

Lexus reman gears are $600 (!!)

I wonder if this shortage is due to lack of rebuildable cores?

I seen this years ago with Raybestos master cylinders.  They were actually selling new units as rebuilds, just to build up a stock of rebuildable cores.

[Sherman Bird]

What was the source of the parts? Inasmuch as I'm a professional with 48_ years under my belt, I'd see if a genuine Toyota/ Lexus kit is available. Forgive me if you did use OE parts. My experience in rebuilding racks back in the day when a rack was a grand, I would wrap greased up electrical tape on the shaft gear teeth to protect the seals upon assembly.

I find it unlikely that you damaged them both (seals), but, as Forest Gump said "Sheet happens"!!

[paulo57509]

I too would lean towards OEM parts.  But Toyota/Lexus doesn't provide a "kit".  You have to buy each piece individually.  If it's available.

Phoenix Rack and Axle get mentioned a lot on Club Lexus.

https://phoenixrackandaxle.com/

Give them a call.  Their website appears broken.

[derangedfords90]

Called the lexus dealership yesterday afternoon to see if it was even possible to order their reman.  Their response was unenthusiastic, saying that all were backorder in the country.  So I said "order one, maybe one will come in before I try to reattempt rebuilding mine."  Got a call at 10am this morning, saying that my rack and pinion is THERE ALREADY.  Not en route, already there.  According to parts counter guy somehow I got the last Lexus reman in the US lol. 

[derangedfords90]

Price isn't too bad, about $200 more than the going aftermarket rate of $370. (Both minus the core charge).  So $560 or something.  I guess moral of the story is if lexus said it's backordered and likely unavailable, go ahead and try to order it.