Steering rack issue/question

Can the steering rack guide be adjusted? It's in the bottom pic on the NCTTORA manual below.

Mine has a little play at that end of the rack, it's not a tie rod end, the one on that side is new(inner). When I pull the rack boot back and turn the tire/wheel back and forth by hand there is a tiny bit of play at the end I can see. I can feel it in the steering wheel, but just a little bit. I see the cap and spring in the manual, and want to know if it is just an adjustment I can do, or do I have to replace the whole $400 rack, YAY!!!

 

I was hoping you would chime in here.

Nah, I am going to replace those too, but... When I pull the boot back and look into the end where the main shaft(rack) comes out of the housing, I can see a small bit of play there. Is there supposed to be a little play there? Or do you think I should first replace the bushings?

 

hmmm? So i wonder if the new bushings will stop the play in the steering wheel? It's not bad, but annoying. the steering is tight, not like a worn tie rod or LBJ. Now.... Another thing. When I rotated my donut tires(i call them that because they are so frickin small after the lift), I feel a slight cupping on my outer tire edges after the 4K mile rotation. LBJ's, tie rod ends?????? And I had the alignment done after my lift at a 4 wheel shop.

 

Is the entire rack moving? How are your rack bushings? (common problem)

 

had the alignment done in June after i did my lift. Which i will have to do again after I put in the 5100's...

 

I'll try to get you a pic of the tire. It's not too noticable, but when you run your hand on it, you feel it.

I just ordered a set of red rack bushings. They look pretty easy to replace, probably easir than my ex's sebring... Any pointers I need to know when I replace them?

 

you can adjust the tension but you have to get it just right to lose will wear out and skip teeth to tight and the shaft could snap and you have no steering. I have had this problem with mine if you replace the rack get a toyota not reman I'v gone threw 4 remans in a year

 

Oh hell no, if I have to replace it I want to do it once... I will buy OEM for sure.

I'm afraid to mess with it. I am going to replace my bushings and see what that does for it.

 

http://www.keystonekrawlers.com/Mods/Toyota/SteerBushing/TacomaSteeringBush.htm

 

Are you saying.....immediately after you rotated the tires, you feel the cupping?

Or are you saying that after 4,000 miles, you feel cupping?

Cupping can be from worn out shocks/struts. You mentioned you just got a lift? Did you replace the shocks/struts?

What type of tires are you running and how many miles are on them?

I had a weird cupping problem in the past on my 96 and I swear it was due to the tires being old....and they just wore funny the closer they got to their limit. (Dueler AT's). I had virtually new shocks/coils (OME) and had allignment done, rotated properly, etc. No other explainations why they were cupping.

 

Well...

The tires are 235/75/15 Kumho KR21's. They were bought new in May and have about 5K on them. I bought these tires with the thinking I was keeping it at stock height(ha ha yeah right...LOL), and being here in FL, there isn't a whole lot of off roading. Well long story short, I had to replace leafs, lifted it, and now the tires look like frickin donuts... I did the 4K rotation as recommended. So after 4K I feel the cupping. But it's not bad, just light cupping. I will be replacing these tires with new 31's or32's(haven't decided yet) and new wheels. So I want the front end right as to not screw up the new stuff.

My front struts are new also, stock type Gabriels, and are going to 5100's right after Christmas. Did the spacer lift thing, and had it aligned the day after at a 4x4 shop. Like you say it might be the way they wear. On the other hand... When my brother in law owned it, he had a set of Wranglers on it and they were cupped, feathered, just FUBAR... The thing with him is he never rotated them in 4 years.... LOL.

 

You've rotated them once or twice?

When you say you *feel* the cupping...what do you mean? Do you feel a vibration? Does the vibration change when or if you rotate the tires again?

 

You know how if you run your hand flat on the tread? The outer edge has that feathering feeling on the outer tread. Like each tread block is a bit lower on each edge. Here is a pic of what I mean.

 

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