Anyone have a photo of the Supra Steering Rack Bushing?

[exe36m3]

Hey guys, I’ve been chatting with a member on this board who was asking about the steering rack bushing.

He just pulled his, and it looks like the attached photo. This bushing looks REALLY WORN. (I’m trying to get his mileage and model year.)

The steering rack bushing has been a known issue with previous-generation BMWs, like the F30, and I personally did the bushing fix on my BMW 435i for the same clunking issue.

It’s also becoming a known issue with many Supras and BMW Z4s. The good news is that, in a lot of cases, it appears these bushings simply didn’t get enough grease during assembly. After some miles, a clunking noise starts to appear.

I personally thought mine was rattling brake pads or worn suspension components. But when I pulled the bushing at 25k miles and added A LOT of grease, the clunking completely disappeared.

However, if this issue is ignored, I theorize that not only will the clunking get worse, but the bushing itself will eventually become worn. When I pulled mine at 25k miles, it definitely didn’t have wear anywhere near this bad.

I personally haven’t been able to find a part number for the bushing or a repair kit.

So I’m asking the community: If you’ve pulled this bushing and have a photo of it, please post it here. It would be interesting to compare the condition of these bushings at different mileages.

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[aboodalam]

 

[aboodalam]

Don’t mind my finger

 

[aboodalam]

85K Kilometres

 

[J29DB03]

Don’t mind my finger

Ok, Christian Horner.

 

[exe36m3]

Thank you brother!
85km is about 53,000 miles.

 

[big_d]

What is the three finger torque spec on the cap for these puppies?

I bought one of those three prong adapters a while back and haven't gotten around to this.

 

[exe36m3]

No real torque spec as the cap serves as a spring tensioner against the bushing to steering rod.

I've done this twice rack bushing twice (BMW and Supra). Essentially mark where it is now and replace flush with the rack housing. Take short drive. If too loose, tighten cap 1/16 turn clock-wise. Too tight, loosen cap 1/16 turn

 

[big_d]

No real torque spec as the cap serves as a spring tensioner against the bushing to steering rod.

I've done this twice rack bushing twice (BMW and Supra). Essentially mark where it is now and replace flush with the rack housing. Take short drive. If too loose, tighten cap 1/16 turn clock-wise. Too tight, loosen cap 1/16 turn

Part of me wants to get quick-jacks for this, and the other part just wants me to drop it off at the dealership and ask them to do it for a couple hundred bucks.

 

[exe36m3]

Ha ha ha. I get you. It is a PIA job. You will spend more time removing the splash tray (I think 2 dozen bolts than doing the actual service). But worth the 2 hours (remove and grease) because that bushing is not offered as a spare part yet it seems. And the added bonus, it'll quiet the suspension down a lot.

 

[big_d]

Ha ha ha. I get you. It is a PIA job. You will spend more time removing the splash tray (I think 2 dozen bolts than doing the actual service). But worth the 2 hours (remove and grease) because that bushing is not offered as a spare part yet it seems. And the added bonus, it'll quiet the suspension down a lot.

Does the star void in the saddle have a grease channel in the middle that ports through to those voids in the bushing around the spring?

Edit: I went to the dealership with the vehicle under warranty for a few more miles, seeing as it is one of the very few manufactured parts that is failing and they turned me away...not sure if this violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act or not.

 

[exe36m3]

Does the star void in the saddle have a grease channel in the middle that ports through to those voids in the bushing around the spring?

Edit: I went to the dealership with the vehicle under warranty for a few more miles, seeing as it is one of the very few manufactured parts that is failing and they turned me away...not sure if this violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act or not.

Sorry this took me a few days to reply. Aside from the asterisk grooves in the bushing, there's no grease channel.

At this point, the only way to get this bushing is from a wrecked Supra or MAYBE from BMW as I assume all the new 2020+ Z and 2-3-4 series cars use the same rack.

FWIW, I've cross checked the part, some parts diagrams show it BUT no part number.

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