[JorgeGM]

Hello, my steering gear is leaking, does anyone knows what parts have to be replaced or what can be done to stop the leak?

 

[FJExpat]

Pretty sure that's the inner tie rod boot. It's badly torn so it will need to be replaced.

 

[Kaiju]

Still, there shouldn't be fluid inside the boot. It's only there to keep dirt and water away from the steering rack seal and I'm guessing the boot tore awhile back and dirt eventually got into the seal and damaged it. The seal on the steering rack needs replacing as well as the boot.

 

[Iconic_]

Most people just replace the rack in its entirety. Keep the fluid level topped off and it should keep running for awhile but I wouldn't drive it too far out of town.

 

[FJExpat]

Still, there shouldn't be fluid inside the boot. It's only there to keep dirt and water away from the steering rack seal and I'm guessing the boot tore awhile back and dirt eventually got into the seal and damaged it. The seal on the steering rack needs replacing as well as the boot.

Is that area, say the inner lip of the section where the boot clamps onto, supposed to be bone dry? When I replaced my inner and outer tie rods, I had a tiny bit a fluid that seeped out of the driver's side inner tie rod boot for a couple days, then it stopped. Is this too be expected when opening up that area to replace the tie rods? Or is any, even a small amount, of seeping liquid a sign that a seal should be replaced.

And this fluid, is it the same fluid as the front diff? I mean, when you replace the front diff fluid, is this the fluid used in the steering rack? I rebooted my CV axels at the same time, so I know those operate with that same fluid, but I don't know if that continues on to the steering rack.

 

[Kaiju]

The power steering fluid Toyota uses is called Toyota Automatic Transmission and Power Steering Fluid. It's not gear oil (it's ATF) and it's not used in the diffs or the auto trans. Toyota WS automatic fluid is used in the A/T. You'll probably see some fluid in the boot if there's a lot of mileage on the rack. But not the amount the OP is seeing. The seal is gone on that side and is probably failing on the other side as well. Iconic_ probably has the best suggestion, replace the entire rack assembly.

 

[norm356]

By the way, depending on how handy you are with tools and making your own repairs, if your FJ is an '06~'09 you have an option beyond replacing the rack ($500~600), and that is rebuilding the rack (the OEM rebuild kit is about $150).

The kit part number is: 04445-35190

Here is a great video which shows every step, including how to prepare any needed tools:

I used this to rebuild a very rare quick ratio rack from an early '90s Toyota (which is otherwise NLA) and it went incredibly smoothly.

After about 2010 Toyota stopped selling repair parts for their steering racks, leaving later models with no other option but to replace the whole thing.


Norm