Do-it-yourself steering rack repair Toyota Rav 4 2007

Consider the design of the Toyota steering rack, the signs and causes of its failure, as well as the repair of the RAV4 steering rack.

The rack design of the Toyota RAV4 does not differ significantly from the racks of other cars equipped with hydraulic power steering. This node has similar problems with its fellows, but individual weaknesses could not be avoided. To understand the device and learn how to identify the first signs of breakdowns of this mechanism, consider what parts the steering rack consists of:

1. The rack housing is made of aluminum, movable mechanisms are attached inside it.
2. Drive gear and toothed bar - ensure the shaft travels in the required direction.
3. Bearings - necessary for easy and silent operation of the gear.
4. Springs - do not allow gaps and backlashes between the bar and the gear.
5. Limiters - ensure the movement of the rack mechanisms in the required range.

The steering rack RAV 4 of 2007 for the entire period of operation did not cause any particular complaints from the owners. With a reasonable operation of the car, problems with this unit do not begin before a run of 100 thousand kilometers. Yes, there have been cases of complete replacement of the rack with much less mileage, but these cases are isolated. This is due to the ruthless operation of the car, or factory defects (it should be noted that the latter rarely occurs).

Therefore, each owner must be able to recognize the first signs of rail failure in order to contact the service station in time. Let's look at these symptoms:

1. One of the most common breakdowns is a power steering fluid leak, this happens due to a violation of the density or integrity of the sealing rings. You can detect this problem when checking the level in the tank, or by noticing a puddle under the car when parking.
2. When driving on rough roads, there is a knock from under the hood, and the steering wheel vibrates noticeably.
3. When driving on a flat road, the car "floats", and there is play in the steering wheel.
4. After turning the steering wheel, it does not return to its original position, or returns with effort.

RAV4 steering rack repair is quite expensive. In order not to have to deal with it ahead of schedule, you should know and avoid factors that negatively affect the “health” of this node:

1. If you like to turn around sharply, then you should know that when the wheels are turned all the way out, there is a strong load on the steering mechanisms.
2. Getting the front wheels into deep pits at speed is fraught with deformation of the housing or rack shaft.
3. Driving over obstacles such as curbs and speed bumps.
4. The seals were not replaced in time, which caused water and dirt to get inside the assembly.

Repair of the RAV4 rail is carried out only after diagnostics in a car service, by the hands of qualified craftsmen. It is strongly not recommended to do this on your own, without experience and the necessary tools. Diagnostics is carried out using special equipment that simulates the operation of steering mechanisms and the hydraulic system of a car. This procedure is necessary to identify faulty parts, with their subsequent replacement or repair.

But most often the problem is wear or mechanical damage to parts that require repair of the RAV4 steering rack or a complete replacement of the rack, in which case a whole range of restoration work is carried out:

1. Damaged parts are repaired, non-repairable parts are replaced with original ones.
2. Rubber seals and seals are replaced with new ones, regardless of condition.
3. The shaft is cleaned of corrosion and checked for runout.
4. The hydraulic system is flushed, new fluid is poured in, pumping is performed.
5. If necessary, tie rods and tips are changed.
6. Wheel alignment is adjustable.

If repair of the RAV4 rail is not possible, it is completely replaced with a new or refurbished one.

All machines have their weaknesses. If we talk about RAV4, then the problem with the steering rack is in the bushings and the needle bearing, inside the steering shaft well. In 99% of the removed rails, these parts are replaced. It should be noted that they are inexpensive.

Summing up the story, we note that the overhaul of the Toyota RAV4 steering rack will take you a lot of time and money. In order not to force these events or avoid them at all, we recommend that you follow a few simple rules for operating your car:

1. Drive through deep and high obstacles at minimum speed on straight wheels.
2. Do not hold the steering wheel for a long time in the extreme position, accelerate sharply only with a straight steering wheel.
3. Check the condition of the seals and seals on the rail to prevent dirt from getting inside the mechanisms.
4. In cold weather, first turn the steering wheel slightly in place to warm up the power steering fluid.

Keep track of the technical condition of your car, do not allow operation with malfunctions! We hope our tips will help extend the life of your car. We wish you smooth roads!

In this article, we will show how to repair the steering rack in a Toyota Rav 4 (3rd generation) car with our own hands, which has been produced since 2007 and is equipped with an EUR (electric power steering). Before starting work, disconnect the negative terminal from the battery.

To carry out self-repair, we need to make a PTFE bushing with a diameter of 26.8 mm. and 34. mm., the accuracy should be maximum with minimum roughness. Only one bushing will need to be changed, it is located on the right side.

We set the wheels straight and begin to remove the cardan shaft in the cabin:

The steering wheel must be fixed in this position, we do this with the help of seat belts:

This was done in order not to break off the airbag snail in the cabin. We hang out the subframe and remove the steering rack:

Clean the surface where the manufacturer's marking is embossed, it should be NSK, as we have in the red circle:

This is what it looks like up close:

We dismantle the right tie rod assembly with the tip:

We disassemble the adjusting unit, unscrew the large nut with a 36 wrench, the smaller one with a 27 wrench:

In the photo you can see under the nuts the stop of the rail with washers in the form of plates, be very careful with them, it is very important to put them also without confusing them with each other.

The next step, unscrew the nut that secures the gear. You can use a special tool or, in our case, use a blunt beard and a hammer:

Our self-made bushing needs to be slightly modified before installation, here is one of these options:

In the picture below you can see the so-called “air” cut, this is done so that the anthers of the steering rods do not create a vacuum when making turns. I remind you that our bushing is made of fluoroplast, it is easily cut with a sharp knife (you can even use a clerical one). As practice has shown, it is necessary to make this air cut, otherwise the anther will tear, lose tightness

Looking at a close-up, you can see that in 3 petals out of 6, a shoulder was cut off, this was done so that the sleeve could be put in as easily as possible:

In order to make it as easy as possible for you to put the bushing in its place, I recommend chamfering the sharp shoulder of the rack housing. In the photo you can see it marked with a red arrow and a circle. I did everything with a penknife, which had a bent blade at the end.

From an ordinary plastic bottle, you can make a mandrel for installing a sleeve:

The bushing is in its place, with a screwdriver we open the petals, do not apply excessive force. We clamp the shaft in a vice, with the help of a grinder we remove the chamfer, then be sure to grind it with sandpaper:

Now we lubricate the bushing and shaft with a small layer of grease and, most importantly, carefully screw the shaft into the bushing, as in the picture below.This is done in order to put the sleeve in place, thereby greatly simplifying our subsequent assembly of the rail:

There is nothing particularly difficult in the subsequent assembly operations. I highly recommend not to use abundant lubricant, apply a small thin layer to the contact point. Some individuals squeeze out the whole package, as a result of which, at sub-zero temperatures, the lubricant begins to thicken and interferes with the proper operation of the rail.

After assembly, tighten the adjusting nut until it stops and release it by 70-80 degrees. After that, the rack shaft can be turned using only hand power. The locknut should not be tightened too much, it should be possible to loosen it on the machine and adjust the rack.

When you install the rack, check that the number of turns of the steering wheel to the right and left is identical. After carrying out this repair, it is worth checking the similarity collapse, if necessary, correct it a little.

Possible reasons performing this repair: knocking, steering rack play, clicks when turning the steering wheel.

Symptoms: knocking in the steering rack, which manifests itself when driving through small bumps (a disease of all Corollas with electric power steering).
The diagnosis of servicemen is the replacement of the rail (in practice, it helps out for a short time and costs a lot).
Solution: replacing everything in the rail that can knock. And there are only two places in such rails - the adjusting unit and in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe sleeve located at the opposite end of the rail (in the case of right-hand drive cars, the left side of the rail). And since nothing needs to be changed in the adjusting unit, the entire repair comes down to replacing the factory bushing with a custom-made one.

Patients: Will VS 2002 1.5 L (electric power steering!)

We climb into the pedal assembly and remove the protection from the steering shaft, it is unscrewed by hand, it can be removed easily:

We completely unscrew the bolt that secures the intermediate shaft to the cross:

IMPORTANT! Put the wheels straight, remove the key from the ignition lock, lock the steering wheel. This is done in order to prevent, after removing the rack, turning the steering wheel by more revolutions than it should be. Otherwise, a break in the wires of the “snail” of the airbag and a malfunction of the latter is inevitable.

We hang out in front of the car and take off the wheels (the front ones are enough).

Next comes the removal of the steering rack. It has been proven from our own experience that it is possible to unscrew the fasteners of the rail without additional disassembly, but pulling out the rail is very time consuming. Do not waste time, twist the stretcher - save a lot of time and effort.

But first - the steering tips: we take out the cotter pin, unscrew the nut, with a sharp biting blow of the hammer we hit the place indicated below, and the finger falls out by itself (we do it with both sides

We unscrew the subframe, 4 bolts to the body, 3 bolts in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe rear engine mount and 3 nuts in the same place.

After that, the subframe, along with the rail, gently (if you planned to unscrew the last bolt correctly) lowers and hangs on the levers and anti-roll bar. Everything - the rail is in full view: unscrew:

We remove and carry to the workbench

Let's start disassembling it:
1) Remove the rubber boot.

2) We take the key for 12 and unscrew the bolt indicated in the photo.

3) Remove the intermediate shaft.

4) Unscrew the locknut (we used a gas wrench)

5) Unscrew the clamping glass of the rack shaft.

6) Then we put on and fix the intermediate shaft again, then with a light blow with a copper hammer on it we take out the entire shaft with the bearing.

7) Turning the rail over, disassemble the adjusting unit: with a 41 wrench, unscrew the lock nut

8) Then we unscrew the adjusting cup using any flat object, take out the spring and the clamping piston.

9) Remove the left anther, very carefully so as not to tear (we draw inside the circumference of the anther with a non-sharp object)

10) We unscrew the left rod from the rail using the keys 29 and 22.

11) On the reverse side, relax the large clamp and unfasten the boot.

12) We take out the rolling pin from the rail, put it aside.

13) We look at the rail from the left end - we see an aluminum pressure washer, behind it - the notorious bushing.

14) We hook the washer with a hook and knock it out, then take out the sleeve.

Here it is - the sleeve, because of which all ailments. )

For left hand drive

We are modifying a prefabricated PTFE bushing according to the attached drawing.

15) On the new sleeve, we make a longitudinal cut, which is necessary for its compression and putting into place. We orient the cut in the direction of the direction of movement of the car - in this direction the rail experiences the least load.

16) Lubricate the sleeve and carefully straighten the sleeve, check the fit of the sleeve with the free end of the rolling pin.

17) With a suitable head, we press in the aluminum washer. We put the rock in place. We insert the shaft into place, for this, with a key of 22, we swing the rolling pin around its axis and at the same time push the shaft - at a certain moment the gears are combined and the shaft falls through. We twist the clamping cup of the shaft until it stops, lock it with a lock nut. We assemble the adjusting assembly, tighten the adjusting cup until it stops and release it 90 degrees, lock it with a lock nut. Subsequently, the tightening torque can be adjusted on the car after a test drive with a certain skill, the mechanism must be tightened to a state where, when exiting a turn, the steering wheel itself returns to a straight position. Thrust into place, anthers into place, tighten. Rail on the subframe, subframe to the car. Near the rear (in relation to the rear of the car) fastenings of the subframe to the body there are holes on the body and on the subframe, the combination of which excludes the removal of the caster. (holes in the photo)

Tips to the levers, set the wheels straight, the steering wheel is straight from the very beginning. We attract everything and climb into the salon. There we weaken the upper cross, move the shaft between the crosses up and put the lower cross on the intermediate shaft. We are tightening everything. Subsequently, you can similarly align the steering wheel if, when driving straight ahead, the steering wheel looks slightly to the side.

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Group: Users
Posts: 139
Registration: 24.5.2010
Town: Donetsk, Ukraine
Auto: RAV4 (3) left hand drive
Gender: Male
Thanked: 43 times

Group: Users
Posts: 3904
Registration: 7.9.2011
Town: Yekaterinburg
Auto: RAV4 (3) left hand drive
Gender: Male
Thanked: 1053 times

Group: Users
Posts: 139
Registration: 24.5.2010
Town: Donetsk, Ukraine
Auto: RAV4 (3) left hand drive
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Thanked: 43 times

$ 19 I didn’t want to go to another city. How the rake will lead, of course I’ll unsubscribe, only to the point, the material from which the bushings were made is most likely of Martian origin.

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I changed my rail, lubricated the cardan. now no crunch.
The only question arose. After the collapse of the car pulled to the right. Razvalschiki said that most likely the rail is not installed correctly. that you need to “share the rail” or, after installation, train the electric amplifier. They advised me to swap the wheels (the tires were new, they could eat up while driving to the collapse) and, lo and behold, it helped (although the scuffs are not visible). the steering wheel is straight, does not pull anywhere, turns in all directions.

I connected the scanner and saw that when the wheels are right, the EUR motor angle sensor does not show 0, although the steering wheel is level. Here is where my question came up. Is 0 EUR somehow related to the direct direction of the wheels. and was it possible to mess up somewhere?

By the way, at 0 EUR, the steering wheel is slightly turned to the right, as in this topic link

Toyota RAV4 alone today

one of the leaders in sales in the European market, in Russia, sales of this car are not so high. But in the Russian secondary market, this car is leading by a wide margin. Our compatriots appreciated the high resource and performance of this car and are not afraid to purchase RAV4 even with impressive mileage.

This compact crossover was originally positioned as a youth car (hence, by the way, its name - the abbreviation RAV stands for recreation active vehicle, that is, a vehicle for outdoor activities). But either because of its rather high cost, or for some other reason, the main buyers of this car were people of the middle generation.

Initially, the RAV4 was not without flaws. So, for example, many owners of its first version complained about hydraulic fluid leaks through the upper oil seal - it wore out by the beginning of the second hundred thousand km. run. And although this problem is small - the replacement of the oil seal can hardly be called an operation that causes complexity - the second generation of the RAV4 was already devoid of this drawback. Which, however, does not mean that the owners of RAV4s manufactured after 2000 cannot monitor the condition of the rail seals. The tightness of all elements of the steering of the car is the main guarantee of their high resource and accurate work.

It is impossible to underestimate the importance of the car rail: it is this mechanism that is responsible for the convenience of driving the car and its “obedient” behavior on the road. The rail device is quite simple, which to a large extent ensures both its high (relative to other, more complex vehicle systems) resource and maintainability. The rack and pinion replaced the worm gear at the beginning of the last century, and most cars produced today are equipped with this type of steering gear.

By turning the steering wheel in one direction or another, the driver thereby turns the steering shaft, at the end of which the control gear is fixed. By means of a gear, the gear moves the rack left and right (depending on which way the driver turns the steering wheel). The same acts on the tie rods attached to its ends, which ultimately cause the wheels to turn. The accuracy of this entire structure is determined by the accuracy of its adjustment and the reliability of all movable joints.

From here you can do two

output. First: the occurrence of even a small backlash in any of the rack nodes can greatly impair the efficiency of the entire mechanism. And the second conclusion: after even the most minor repair of the rail, it makes sense to check its adjustment - this is a guarantee that the car will continue to perfectly obey the steering wheel.

There are several reasons why the rail can become loose and play can form in its various nodes. It is impossible to completely and permanently protect your car from the need to repair the Toyota RAV4 steering rack, but it is very possible to extend the life of this device for the longest possible time, thereby saving time, money, and nerves.

The main reason for the wear of rail parts lies in its insufficient lubrication or the high content of foreign impurities in the oil used for this. To prevent this trouble, regularly check the oil level in the car and replace it in a timely manner.

The second reason why backlashes can form in the rail is the ingress of foreign objects into its mechanism - sand, small stones from the road, as well as fragments of worn oil seals. If you monitor the tightness of the rail casing, you can minimize the risk of such a breakdown.

Rack breakage - deformation

one or another of its components, for example, one of the rack teeth of any gear, requires the immediate intervention of a specialist. You can recognize this trouble by a sudden knock in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe front axle of the car or a crunch and rattle while turning the steering wheel while driving. Sometimes even the steering wheel can jam. But even if this did not happen, then the further operation of a car with a faulty steering becomes dangerous.It is only the car service master who can determine exactly in which of the rail nodes the breakdown occurred, and how to fix it, after diagnosing the entire mechanism.

To do this, so that nothing interferes with the free rotation of the wheels of the car, it is installed on a lift. The master, rotating the steering wheel from one of its extreme positions to another, observes the uniformity of their rotation. Thus, it determines the presence of backlash in the rail mechanism. If at the same time a knock or rattle is heard, then most likely these are signs of a gear failure. In this case, all deformed and

worn parts must be replaced.

If the malfunction consists only in the resulting backlash, then at an early stage of its occurrence, you can get rid of it by tightening the loose knots. If the backlash is caused by worn parts, then replacing them is indispensable. The master will be able to accurately determine the scope of repair work and, accordingly, the cost of repairing the RAV4 steering rack only after disassembling it and visually inspecting the components.

At the end of the repair, the rack is adjusted: first on the test bench, and then on the car itself. Only after making sure that the repaired mechanism is functioning properly, the master returns the car to the owner.