PhilipMidd

Hello guys.
I just realized why my Celsior steering has heaps of play in it. The steering rack mounts are non-existent. The rack MOVES about 20mm (3/4 inch) from side to side when i rock the steering wheel back and forth.
I started hunting for new bushes for it. Nop. Cant find.
If push comes to shove, I can either turn up a set myself, or 3D print a set in Nylon but I would sooner find a manufactured set (in polyurethane would be nice, but not necessary). Its the 2 main internal mounting sets of bushes I need.
Anyone know where I can get them?
I'm in Australia, but i'm willing to get them sent from anywhere.
As far as I can tell, the mounts should be the same as the Lexus LS400 90-94.

Yamae

Are you looking for a 45516 and a 45517 in the drawing?

PhilipMidd

OK. Now I'm confused. I saw 2 mounts that are not shown here. They were like 2 internal rubbers with a steel collar bolting the steering rack to the body.
Let me see if I can find a picture...


This is not my rack, I dont have it out the car, but it looks a lot like this.
It looks like your pic only shows the surround and clamp type mounts, but not the main mounting points.
Mmmmm Looks like the surrounding mounts (45516 & 45517) are positioned over the top of the main mounts, but I cant remember if that was the case on mine. I will have to have a look again tonight.
Anyway, its the 2 sets of grommets that I am pointing to here that I need. I have checked with local parts shops, they cant find a listing for the part. Toyota? No longer in production - sorry.
It looks like the person that had the car before me also had this issue as the remnants of the mounts show string in there, like reinforcing used in some rubber sheeting. I think someone tried to cut new mounts out of several layers of reinforced rubber sheet (like conveyor belt material)
I'm looking into turning up some Nylon mounts, but Nylon is VERY hard,and I dont know if road vibrations would be transmitted all the way back to the steering wheel. I suspect it would making driving the car less than enjoyable.

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

PhilipMidd

OK. Its now confirmed, this picture (above) is pretty much (probably exactly) how my rack looks.
I've ordered some Oiled Nylon round bar (50mm x 300mm from ebay for about $30AUD) I have a metal working lathe so I'll turn up some grommets up for it.
Nylon is slightly hydrophilic (attracts and absorbs water), Oiled Nylon does not suffer from that as much.
Oiled also lasts up to 4 times as long in hard wearing situations (or so they say)
Oiled should also mean no nylon type squeaks (again, so they say).
I'll let you know how well it works once I have it installed and I've taken it for a trip with some hard corners etc.

EDIT - Scrap this pic. it was completely wrong. I only looked at it from a bad angle and only in the 1/2 light. It turns out on closer inspection, it does not look like this - it looks exactly like Yamae's diagram. Part numbers 45516 and 45517.
I stuffed up. Sorry. I thought that part of the Alloy support structure that holds the rack was part of the rack. It isnt. Now I know.
I'm also now the not so proud owner of a bit if Oiled Nylon. I guess I'll find a use for it somewhere down the track. On the plus side, once I had pulled the mounts out, I fabricated a new set of them out of Nylon on my now modified Nylon capable 3D Printer.
They are installed, doing the job fine for now. I'm keeping an eye on them to see if they last. I had to print them in 2 pieces as they dont bent like rubber. Painted them black, they now look the part.