Loose Steering

I've got a 2009 Taco, been driving it about a year now. There's a noticeable amount of play in the steering, to the point where it's kind of sketchy but manageable.

I was thinking it was the same issue that the "Zip tie steering column fix" thing, but as far as I can tell there is no play across that joint.

I'm thinking its the intermediate shaft on the rack, the one with the little u-joint in it. I haven't had a chance to have someone shake the wheel while I inspect so I can't say for sure.

The u-joint started to seize up and I freed it with some RustChek but now I have play.

Anyone else ever get play in there u-joints?

 

Nope

 

I appreciate your help, you kind soul.

 

Replace your intermediate shaft. If it froze up once its only a matter of time till it either locks up again or completely lets go. It kind of an important part. And yes it will cause play in the steering if its worn out.

 

I notice a little play in mine over bumps mainly. Was thinking it was bushings of some sort. Was waiting for warmer weather to inspect.
Will be following this thread.

 

What happens if you jack up a front wheel, grab it at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock and try to shake it back and forth? If it moves, you could also be looking at tie-rod joints. Of course a bad wheel bearing could also cause that, so grab it at 12 and 6 o'clock. If it moves in that direction, wheel bearing is bad. If not, tie-rod joint is bad. If neither, then it is "from the rack north". If something froze up once, I'd immediately be suspicious and a u-joint can certainly introduce slop in the steering shaft, just like a drive-shaft u-joint will introduce slop in the driveline.

 

My truck has a little of this. It's not the steering shaft though as I had that replaced about a year ago after it seized up on me during a turn in a blizzard. I'm thinking it's probably the rack's rubber mounting bushings. Somewhere on here there was a write-up on how to change those but I'm not sure where it went to. I need to find it eventually.

Get that steering shaft changed ASAP tho

 

I'm fairly certain it's in the rack or the linkages going to the rack, I had a clunk before, ended up being both front wheel bearings (I knew because I had nasty brake fade after corners, talk about sketchy). I'm pricing up shafts right now. I haven't had a chance to call anywhere besides Toyota, who wants almost 400 bucks for it. Gawddamn.

See, mine doesn't clunk or anything like that, and as stated before it seized up so I'm thinking its the ujoint. It doesn't make any noise but I can move the steering wheel almost an inch before it starts to move the tires.

 

I replaced the shaft and the steering is nice and tight now! I have some videos;

In the truck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pd1jpBmb-A

In the vice!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUpcisijBk0

I swapped out the steering shaft, changed the oil and rotated the tires in about 2 and a half hours. It wasn't too bad at all, 3 bolts, lots of penetrating fluid a couple flat head screw drivers (to spread the clamp) and a hammer. I had to remove the skid plate to free up just a little bit more room and make it easier to see. and I took off the rubber mat thing on the inside of the wheel well.

 

Did you have the steering wheel wobble or shake at highway speeds before or after the change?

 

No wobble or shake. I could feel the looseness in the steering wheel. I might have a video, I'll look.

 

Here's a short video of the steering wheel. I'm shaking it back and forth and its the truck is maintaining a straight line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Vi-HSRRSA

 

@TacoMitch93 thanks for making this thread and taking those videos. I have the same symptoms and I assumed it was the intermediate shaft, but still wanted to read up on it. Was that the only part you replaced?

 

I know this was a long time ago but did you ever figure this out? My truck does the same thing. I'm also starting to suspect steering rack bushings.

 

You know.....I installed a lift a few months after posting this. I don't really notice the looseness as much. I also did the zip tie mod to tighten up the shaft play too.
All seems good.

 

Thanks. I'm not going to lift anytime soon but maybe I will try the zip tie mod. It's odd because the sloppiness on bumps goes away when it is cold and gets worse as it warms up. I figured it could be because the steering rack bushings stiffen up when cold and become soft again when warm. Either way it's not a huge problem. Just a bit of an annoyance.

 

Try the zip tie. It is very easy to do. I have heard of someone using a flattened metal frame hook with success too.
Not sure I like the idea of the metal in there. But I think it was easier to feed through the space.

 

Yeah, it was the only part I replaced to fix my loose steering!