What to do and where to go

Fellas I went to a mechanic today and he says I need all kind of stuff for my 2000 Toyota 4Runner limited with a 6 cylinder engine. Now mind you I am not a mechanic but I am sort of mechanically inclined and got basic tools. So please be gentle with me and your responses and clear at describing or suggesting what I should and should not do.
Mechanic said that I need to replace my bushings on my sway bars. I checked and yeah I'm going to replace the bushings.
He said that my u bolt is broke. What the hell is that?
Here is a biggy and I'm scared as all hell.
He said my steering rack is shot. I looked and leaks bad and I checked these bushings or covers and there are totally shredded. It's leaking but it's not on the ground. I don't know if it's because of the skid plates stopping it?
So I don't know how to take that out or apart and plus I would like to do the brake upgrade but that's not here or there right now.
Previous owner was pretty good about the little stuff like oil change and I seen in the records that he replaced the pads every year and the rotors every 2yrs. Is that a sign to or for the upgrade?
Trans and radiator arer good so far so is there anything else I need to do or look for?
Oh yeah where do you guys go online to get the best deal for parts for your 4Runner? I know I may have to go here and there but I would like to put everything in one shopping cart and get a big discount and have everything shipped here at once.
Thanks in advance
any grammatical errors is caused by Google because I'm doing the voice to text

 

I highly recommend searching for timmy the toolman on youtube. He has video guides that are very comprehensive. Pretty much every job you need to do is covered by him. With his video guides and reading the forums I have been able to do every job I needed doing my self. Prior to this I had zero mechanic experience in the last 20 years. I've in the last few months changed my coolant pump( easy job) along with full coolant system flush. Changed my aux belts. Done my oil and filters including oil system flush. Changed my LCA bushings. Next its tie rod ends and rear brakes. With me being over in the UK nearly every single nut and bolt had seized due to the amount of salt they use on the roads over here. As they say though, where theres a will theres a way.

 

My steering rack has been wet(not leaking) for 10 years. It's not worth the trouble or cost to replace it for exterior moisture. Yes, shredded or worn bushings need to be replaced. YouTube and Google is a terrific resource for information. Remember to never "flush" coolant or transmission, just replace fluids.

 

For Parts I use McGeorge toyota online parts. They are a Toyota dealer so you will get 100% Factory parts at 35% off.

Sometimes like for a Denso Fuel Pump, or Aisin water pump, which is very pricey from Toyota, you can source it from PartsGeek or Amazon for much cheaper. They are much cheaper and made by the same manufacturer.

I steer clear of cheap parts made in China. They won't get you another 200k miles.

 

So don't change tranny fluid. If it's low just fill it back up?

 

You don't want to do a pressurized flush of the system. However, a full replacement of the fluid is good. Look up Tim's video on doing it by disconnecting the Transmission cooler line and running 16 quarts through the system until you get a nice pink color. You basically just remove and add 2 quarts at a time under normal idling conditions.

A pressurized flush done by a shop though, that is another story as it adds non-normal stresses to the system.

On my car...I had never changed the fluid for 250k miles...it was dark as used motor oil. I dropped the pan fearing the worst but lucky for me there were no pieces of tranny chunks stuck to the pan magnets. I put in a Toyota filter, tightened the pan back in, replaced a leaky o-ring and cycled 16quarts of fluid through. She shifts about as well as always.

 

Tim's videos are where it's at

 

When needed, drain and refill but don't let a shop do a "flush". It can dislodge gunk in your cooling system and clog ports in block.