Steering Rack Preload adjustment help PLEASE!!

I agree. I don’t think the rack is the issue.
But OP mentioned the previous owner messed with the preload.

I don’t fix, repair, or rebuild racks.
I always just replace them. I’ve never done one that I wanted to do 2x.
So I go all new. And even then I get nervous for the first 500 miles.

 

caster too negative ? You mean positive. More positive caster makes the wheel harder to turn. I do not believe it anything to do with caster, it’s clearly been adjusted at some point.

 

I don't see any witness marks where the nut has been messed with. Too much grime to see clearly. While too much positive caster can increase steering effort, the steering wheel returns to center based on the pivot point of the steering being behind the point of the tire on the ground (positive caster) Positive caster also gives more stability but if taken too far bump steer can become an issue.

 

Look at the top where it’s been clearly hit on the 4 groves

 

Could be I suppose but could just as easily be a flake of rust. Also, there should have been no need for that much force to turn the center adjuster. Once that outer jam nut is loose the inner (in theory) should spin freely with resistance. Either way he would have to get under there and clean it off to see.

 

Ya they put a flat head and hit it with a hammer I’ve seen it before what else are u going to move it with? And that hit is also in the tightening direction so I don’t think that is rust that clear as day to me

 

The "proper" way would just be using something flat between the two notches and rotating. If it was hit with a hammer I would potentially be concerned about internal damage. Lot of force on a delicate piece of the rack.

 

Ya but trying to get something in there is difficult and the condition is rusty like you mentioned it prolly took some force

 

Very possible... Usually those get left alone on R&P systems but maybe this one is an odd duck...

 

Ya I’ve tried to adjust several of them more on the old Tacoma’s and it rarely ever works out. They always get to stiff and if it does work it’s just a bandaid.

we install a lot of reman racks what I want to know is how they are taking a used inner tierod and making it tight again. All the racks I’ve seen have old tie rods but they are doing something maybe pressing the outer cup to make it tight again? Because they don’t come with new inners they are always pitted and have a shitty coating or none at all

 

Yeah that’s strange. When I think of a core on a steering rack I would think only the casting and maybe the sealed internals if they are ok. Just like a reman alternator, only the bad parts get replaced…