Billet Tundra Steering Rack Conversion Kit - Review & Installation Overview
We finally had the opportunity to get our hands on the new billet rack from Toyo Steering. It's an absolute masterpiece. From the ground up, this billet Tundra rack has been redesigned and re-engineered to work like an OEM swap on the Tacoma chassis. You won't find a better solution when it comes to steering on the 2nd Gen/ 3rd Gen Tacoma.
Modified Tundra racks and LC200 swaps work, but they come with trade-offs: eccentric bushings, housing alignment issues, VSC/VSS/ABS headaches, and housings never designed for our chassis. Some shops stopped offering those swaps altogether.
The Toyo Steering Billet Rack was built from scratch to fit Tundra internals into a Tacoma chassis correctly. Made to order, spec'd around your setup. For a more in-depth review/overview on this rack, check out the Trail4Runner.com review.
Find it on TacomaForce.com:
3rd Gen Tacoma
2nd Gen Tacoma
What Changed From Legacy Modified Tundra Steering Racks?
Bore Axis Location: Positioned correctly relative to mounting points. No eccentric bushings, no relocating mounts, proper tie rod clearance at the coilover.
Pinion Location and Angle: Moved closer to center, angled slightly upward. Cleans up u-joint alignment and eliminates frame interference. No frame notching.
Rack Width: The billet housing is machined to the correct width for the Tacoma. Full usable stroke, correct geometry.
Bronze Bushings: At both ends of the rack to prevent deflection under load. Keeps seals from taking damage during technical use.
Housing and Hardware: 6061-T6 aluminum, tolerances within thousandths of an inch, mil-spec cadmium-plated fasteners, 5,000 PSI-rated hydraulic lines, OE-grade seals.
Built to Order: Tie rod options include Tundra, LC200, OEM-spec Tacoma (Apex Tie Rods), or clevis-style kits. Call Toyo Steering before ordering to confirm fitment.
VSC, VSS, and ABS Issues?
Any rack swap requires a zero-point calibration of the steering angle sensor.
Because this rack maintains OEM-equivalent geometry, no VSC, VSS, or ABS issues have been reported when properly calibrated.
Some guys have skipped the zero-point cal entirely with no problems, though we still recommend doing it.
Fluid and Heat Dissipation
It is not the rack that overheats. It is the hydraulic fluid. When temps climb under repeated stress, seals soften and fail.
To get the most out of this rack on larger tires, pair it with:
- A higher-capacity steering pump
- An inline cooler with a fan (natural airflow is not enough at slow crawling speeds)
Toyo Steering has an intercooler kit available and is working on an upgraded pump solution.
Installation
Pictured is the Billet Steering Rack after we installed it on Stellar Built's personal 3rd Gen Tacoma shop truck.
100% bolt-on. No eccentric bushings, no forcing a housing that was not designed for our chassis. A lift makes it easier, but it is doable in the driveway.
A shortened lower intermediate shaft is included for Tacoma applications.
Steps
For the full installation guide, head over to this post:
TrailTacoma.com full steering rack installation guide.
- Remove skid plates and factory steering rack
- Pull the oil filter for clearance
- Remove passenger side motor mount bolts and lift the motor slightly with an under-hoist jack stand
- Slide the billet rack in, driver side (pinion side) first, then passenger side
- Open the driver side mount hole with a 1/2" drill bit for the supplied hardware
- Temporarily mount the rack with both long bolts to locate the 3rd mounting tab
- Weld the locating tab to the crossmember (optional but recommended; rivet nuts work too if you drop the diff)
- Bolt on the 3rd mounting point
- Transfer the factory low-pressure line fitting to the new rack
- Reconnect high-pressure lines and confirm routing and clearance
- Center the rack gear, equal distance both sides (~2.5" from housing end to rack gear end)
- Connect the steering column linkage to the pinion gear
- Final torque everything down, reinstall oil filter and skid plates
Before driving, verify all hardware is tight, hydraulic fittings are seated, and steering moves freely through full range.
Final Thoughts
The most refined steering upgrade on the market right now for 2nd Gen and 3rd Gen Tacoma owners running bigger tires.
Correct housing width, correct bore axis, correct pinion angle, bronze bushings, billet aluminum construction, and a clean bolt-on install.
Legacy modified Tundra steering racks were always just a band-aid for poor steering on the Tacoma. This one was built to fix that.