Rack and Pinion Mount Bushing

jay webb · September 12, 2019

ok the bushings are pressed in, looking at your picture it dont look like the bushing is missing. these trucks/steering gears have 4 bolts that go through to front cross member /frame into bushings of the steering gear. two on the left /driver side and two on the passenger side. the passenger side ones are shorter and are recessed into the cross member cant see them unless you look with a light from the front through the access holes. the driver side are longer and go through the whole frame and into the bushings. that is the driver side so if the upper one is missing i would just get the bolt and put it in to secure it. if you had work done recently maybe the tech didnt reinstall. lift kit? engine/oil pan / front end work. where either the gear had to be removed. if you have 4 wheel drive , the gear has to be lowered to remove transfer case.

Trixie · October 9, 2020

I was reading your post and i am not that knowledgeable about all this and have a question as well. I have a 2018 silverado z71 with a lift. (never had any problems with lifts before) The rack and pinion went out at 5000 miles - i had to jump through all kinds of hoops to get chevy to replace under warranty and they did only because i had brought it in pre lift with this issue and they said nothing was wrong. 1500 miles later ( I only drive it back and forth to work 15 miles a day easy road travel) It is worse than before - I get under and the rack and pinion mount bushing is completely gone. This truck has not been off road or even on a bad road in that time - There is no sign of a bushing - and now it has twisted everything underneath. I took it back to chevy and they are now trying to blame it on the lift. ???? Same lift installed correct - They are trying to say it broke the bushing out. When they replaced it the first time the lift had been on for 13,000 miles and the bushing did not come out. So now its just gone?? Appreciate any input.

JimCost2014 · October 9, 2020

8 hours ago, Trixie said:

I was reading your post and i am not that knowledgeable about all this and have a question as well. I have a 2018 silverado z71 with a lift. (never had any problems with lifts before) The rack and pinion went out at 5000 miles - i had to jump through all kinds of hoops to get chevy to replace under warranty and they did only because i had brought it in pre lift with this issue and they said nothing was wrong. 1500 miles later ( I only drive it back and forth to work 15 miles a day easy road travel) It is worse than before - I get under and the rack and pinion mount bushing is completely gone. This truck has not been off road or even on a bad road in that time - There is no sign of a bushing - and now it has twisted everything underneath. I took it back to chevy and they are now trying to blame it on the lift. ???? Same lift installed correct - They are trying to say it broke the bushing out. When they replaced it the first time the lift had been on for 13,000 miles and the bushing did not come out. So now its just gone?? Appreciate any input.

Welcome to the site.

Is Chevy saying this, or is it the dealership that installed the lift along with the new rack and pinion saying there is nothing they can do?

Trixie · October 9, 2020

So the rack and pinion was not completely out but it had a crack and leaking. They took the truck to the guys that install their lift and it was stated that the lift was installed properly. We took it to 2 other shops and they both stated the lift was installed properly - Chevy finally replaced the faulty rack and pinion at 15500 miles. Well it has been maybe 5 months 1800 miles later if that, truck is hardly driven and has not been off road in that time and then i notice the same problem and look under there and there is no bushing in the one side. I take it to Chevy and now they are saying the lift is crooked and a piece installed wrong. I said it is crooked because there is no bushing - and it has shifted. None of the pieces under are crooked except the bushing gone. I am wondering now if they even put it in when they replaced the other part. It is worse now than when i drove it for 15000 miles bad. ???

Edited October 10, 2020 by Trixie
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