Ta22 Steering upgrades/mods

[79GT]

haha, i can imagine your time is worth it's weight in....well money, and although in my perspective i think it would defy the purpose of modding your toy if you pay someone else to do it.

i do see your point, and a replacement of all the ball joints drag links and iddler arms will most like be the next step for me, although i am assuming it is just a matter of trial an error with the adjustment of your steering box, is there a way you can do this efficiently, like certain trials to put the steering through that will indicate wether or not the box is well adjusted.

you say lubricated, where would i start lubricating, should i just start injecting grease into all the open bits. or should i pull it out, dismantly it, lube it up, and then put it back in.

your advice would be most appreciated considering your extensive experience.

i really do appreciate it.

Jamie

[merc-blue]

The steering box is full of oil/grease.
depending on how serious you are about your steering you can tear down the steering box clean it out and reassemble it, which is what i would recomend. i cant remember what grease i used it was a rather fine grease,
someone with a manual will be able to tell you waht toyota recomend.

Check all the parts for excessive wear. if any part is damaged or worn go to a scrap yard and find a few other steering boxes tear them appart till you find the nessicary parts.

[MWP]

The steering box is full of oil/grease.
depending on how serious you are about your steering you can tear down the steering box clean it out and reassemble it, which is what i would recomend. i cant remember what grease i used it was a rather fine grease...

They hold oil, not use grease.
I disassembled mine, cleaned it with petrol, reassembled, then filled it with a heavy diff oil (like a 90W).

[PULSE]

How hard is it to remove, disassemble, and basically put back? I havent really had a look into the steering of my 22 but it definitely needs a bit of a fix up.

Also, instead of making another thread, I'll ask my question here - The nut/stud part on the top of my steering column (where it bolts the steering wheel/boss kit on) is fairly fucked, the threads seem to be stripped as I've got it halfway on and its stuck. The nut needs to be tightened a few more turns until it actually holds down the boss kit properly but it wont go any further. Now I would normally take it off, use a thread restorer on the stud and replace the nut, but.....I can't get the nut OFF either. Its completely stuck now. What can I do? Is my only option to replace the steering column?

Cheers, Matt
PS sorry for the thread hijack

EDIT: I've made my own thread now - http://www.toymods.net/forums/showthread.php?t=32063

79GT - Angle grinder is difficult because of the boss kit surrounding the nut. And googling didnt yield many results at all.

[79GT]

quite a delemna you have mate, best bet is to google your problem. it would be a pretty generic problem i am sure. an angle grinder is my thought but there must be better ways.

but if you think you beat, angle grinder. cut the baster off, and start a fresh.

Jamie - good luck mate

[MWP]

How hard is it to remove, disassemble, and basically put back? I havent really had a look into the steering of my 22 but it definitely needs a bit of a fix up.

Its pretty easy.
The steering boxes are not too complicated.
As for details... sorry, my memory is shocking

[PULSE]

Thanks mate, while your here answering questions, roughly how much oil am I going to need to fill the whole steering box do you think? (I'm just trying to get an idea on the cost of doing this) And is there anything else I'm going to need to do it apart from regular tools?

Cheers, Matt

[MWP]

Ummm, not a lot of oil... i would be surprised if it was more than 1L.
I did it with normal tools, nothing too special required.
I didnt disassemble it all the way, i couldnt get the lower 1/2 out, but you dont need to if all your doing is giving it a clean.

[Cuzzo]

How hard is it to remove, disassemble, and basically put back? I havent really had a look into the steering of my 22 but it definitely needs a bit of a fix up.

Also, instead of making another thread, I'll ask my question here - The nut/stud part on the top of my steering column (where it bolts the steering wheel/boss kit on) is fairly fucked, the threads seem to be stripped as I've got it halfway on and its stuck. The nut needs to be tightened a few more turns until it actually holds down the boss kit properly but it wont go any further. Now I would normally take it off, use a thread restorer on the stud and replace the nut, but.....I can't get the nut OFF either. Its completely stuck now. What can I do? Is my only option to replace the steering column?

Cheers, Matt
PS sorry for the thread hijack

EDIT: I've made my own thread now - http://www.toymods.net/forums/showthread.php?t=32063

79GT - Angle grinder is difficult because of the boss kit surrounding the nut. And googling didnt yield many results at all.

Can you get a air powered hacksaw in there and cut the nut?

[PULSE]

cuzzo - I've solved that problem now, I drilled holes into the nut to weaken it enough to get it out (6 big holes!), then hacksawed off the crap part of the thread, (it was only the first 3 threads) and now the new bolt goes on effortlessly.

MWP - Thanks for the info mate, I'll be tackling this soon with a box from the wreckers, then swapping them over. Did it make a noticeable difference?

Cheers, Matt

[PULSE]

Can someone tell me how to get the pitman arm off the steering box? I have managed to get the steering box mostly out of the TA22 at the wreckers but I'm stuck on the pitman arm. I can't get the pitman arm off the spline from the steering box, nor can I remove the other end - the ball joint end of the pitman arm from the steering linkage. I spent about an hour trying to get it off with no success or progress at all. How can I get it off?

Cheers, Matt

[LeeRoy]

The pitman arm doesnt join the steering box. On the end of the steering box you have the drag link (the long bar that runs across the engine bay, which joins to the pitman arm.

The pitman arm is in the same spot the steering box is but just on the passenger side.

If you cant get them off at the wreckers then youll probably need to buy the whole lot. Last time i changed a pitman arm in a friends ke30 i needed to remove the whole steering assembly and then put it in a press and press the splinded section out. Even with the press it was a mission.

[4SFED]

Hey LeeRoy - i think you have this the wrong way around. The pitman arm hangs off the bottom of the steering box and the idler arm is in the same spot but on the other side of the chassis - all joined by the drag link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitman_arm

And yeah you will need to get it pressed off - i just took mine to the local Pedders and got them to get it off for me. DO NOT let them replace it (as i did) because they put the wrong one back on and i didnt realize till i got it home and installed it back in the car. Only then did i notice that it was different and the drag link was sitting on a god-awful angle and it now bump-steers to buggery. Dodgy bastards.....

[LeeRoy]

Yep, your right, dunno what i was thinking.

If you planned on doing suspension related stuff in the future ie bushes, ball joints, tie rod ends, then maybe its worth investing in a press. Theyre not too expensive and well worth their money.

Either that or as 4sfed said just take it to pedders or even your local mechanic.

[The Green Terror]

Jamie,
I put a whole new steering assembly and rebuilt a steering box and it came up bloody good.

I had a fully rebuilt steering box put in my TA22 and the difference was amazing. I'm in the process of (slowly as funds allow) uprading my bushes to noltec as well. As merc-blue suggested, rebuild (or get rebuilt for you if you're a total mechanical gumby like me) your steering box, make sure all your bushes are in good nick and you'll be pleasently surprised at how well the old girls handle even at carpark speed.
Cheers

Matt