Parts for your 2004 Toyota Hiace-Rack boots

Does a 2004 Toyota HiAce have rack boots?

Short answer for Aussie and Kiwi vans: most 2004 Toyota HiAce models sold locally don’t use rack boots. That year generally falls within the outgoing H100 series, which runs a recirculating-ball steering gearbox rather than a rack-and-pinion setup. Because there’s no steering rack, there are no bellows-style rack boots to replace. This is supported by Toyota’s service literature for the H100 (Steering—Steering Gear, Recirculating Ball) and the Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue for H100 models, which do not list a “Boot, Steering Rack.”

There is one important wrinkle. The next-gen H200 series (KDH/TRH), launched globally in late 2004 and sold widely in AU/NZ from 2005, does use a rack-and-pinion steering assembly with bellows-type rack boots on each side. Toyota’s H200 repair manual section “Steering—Rack and Pinion” and the corresponding EPC listings show those rack boots as service parts. So, if your HiAce is a late-2004 build that’s actually an early H200, it will have rack boots.

Why the difference? The H100’s steering layout uses a steering gearbox, pitman arm, relay rod, idler arm and tie-rod ends. Protection is handled by small dust boots at each ball joint rather than long accordion-style gaiters on a rack bar. That’s why “rack boots” aren’t a thing on the 2004 H100—there’s no rack to protect.

What should owners service instead? On a 2004 H100 HiAce, it pays to:

• Inspect tie-rod end and ball joint dust boots for splits or perishing.
• Check the idler arm for play and bush wear.
• Look for power-steering fluid leaks at the steering gearbox and hoses.
• Address any free play, clunks over bumps or uneven tyre wear promptly.

Not sure which one you’ve got? Read the build plate and chassis code. H100 models (common through 2004 in AU/NZ) don’t have rack boots. H200 models (often 2005-on here, some late 2004 imports) do, and those boots should be checked for cracking, oil contamination, or tears as part of normal servicing.

FAQs

How can someone tell if their 2004 HiAce has rack boots?
Check the build date and chassis code on the compliance plate. If it’s an H100 (typical for 2004 AU/NZ), it uses a steering gearbox—no rack boots. A quick look underneath also helps: a rack sits laterally across the subframe with bellows boots at each end, while a steering box mounts to the chassis rail with a relay rod and idler arm.

What should be inspected if there are no rack boots on a 2004 HiAce?
Focus on tie-rod end and ball joint dust boots, the idler arm, and the steering gearbox and hose connections for leaks. Any split dust boot can let in grit and water, accelerating joint wear.

Do rack-boot kits for 2005-on HiAce fit a 2004 H100?
No. The parts aren’t interchangeable because the steering systems are different. H200 kits are for rack-and-pinion setups, a 2004 H100 uses a steering gearbox and doesn’t take rack boots.