Abstract: A rack and pinion steering gear has a hybrid metal/plastic housing including a shell of engineering plastic for weight conservation and a metal sleeve for strength and durability. The shell has a bore therein with an internal frustoconical shoulder around one end. The sleeve is conveniently fabricated as an extrusion and has a cylindrical small end and a cylindrical big end and an external frustoconical shoulder therebetween. The steering gear pinion shaft is rotatably supported in the small end of the sleeve and the small end of the sleeve is received in the bore in the plastic shell. A lock nut threaded onto a cap on the sleeve draws the sleeve into the bore in the shell until the external shoulder seats against the internal shoulder.