Issue with loose Steering Wheel

My steering wheel has been feeling loose. I got wheel alignment done 2 months ago and I am feeling this looseness even more. I really gotta hold my steering wheel when I drive over potholes because if I don't, my wheels would turn it self. It didn't used to be like that. I am wondering if some is wrong with my suspension or the steering wheel. Appreciate any advice.

 

How many miles on it? When they did the alignment, did they check tie rods ends, ball joints, steering rack, etc. as they should have?

 

The proper way to check all types of steering linkage takes 2 people. Leave the truck on the ground. Have your helper wiggle the steering wheel back and forth. Put your hand on each joint and feel for play. For the inner tie rod ends, squeeze the bellows and feel the joint inside. If there is looseness, you will feel it between the ball and socket. This also works for steering shaft U joints and rag joints. Finally, feel between the rack housing and the frame to check the rack bushings. You will need to tell your helper, "a little more, a little more, a little less, etc."

 

About 120k miles on it. Toyota did an alignment about 2 months ago. I had started feeling this issue before and that's the reason I took it for alignment. I don't know if they checked anything else.

 

I will try that this weekend. Thank you.

 

I had a leaking LCA ball joint and while I was fixing that noticed my steering rack appeared to be leaking.

I replaced the LCA and Rack - that cured the float I was having at higher speed.

 

Generally when alignments are done, they inspect all the wear items before doing the alignment. Usually if there are bad parts they will not align it until it is fixed. I would do what muddinfun said and go from there.

 

I'm wondering if the universal joint (the one that bonds the upper shaft and lower shaft splines) was loosened to correct the steering wheel angle and didn't get tightened.

 

That's not (generally) how one corrects steering wheel angle.

 

Usually the steering wheel is corrected by the tie rods. The spines on the steering wheel shaft should only be able to go on in one position and thats it.

 

Agreed on normal correction procedure. However, I'm not 100% on the second comment (splines can only go in one way). I've taken it apart before to get the starter out and I remember marking it to make sure it went back together the right way. That being said, that was 10 years ago so maybe my memory is fuzzy...

 

I haven't personally had one apart on a Tacoma, but I know with several other vehicles I have had apart, they have a flat spot for it to only be assembled one way. I could be wrong as well, however this was just my thoughts on it.

 

The lower splined connection in the rack isn't though, could be loose there.

Have you tried the zip tie mod to see if it would help?

Rack bushings good?

 

I was talking to a friend mechanic today and he said its probably my lower control arms. He said driving in snow and salt is usually a side effect. He suggested checking upper and lower control arms. What does everyone think?