Long Travel BS Thread

If he's got a tundra rack, it seems like it would be less common, I wonder if @Basikbiker can chime in on the tundra racks doing this.

 

have yet to see a broken pinion on a tundra rack or any evidence one can skip teeth. not saying its impossible just not common

 

My bad, did not notice that he had a Tundra rack

 

As the others mentioned, get everything centered and aligned. Make sure all the intermediate shafts are tight. Mark everything and take reference measurements at several spots for the tabs possibly bending.

I would check thrust angle too as also mentioned. I had a leaf spring center pin wear a bunch for some reason and I had a thrust angle that always pulled me to the right.

When it goes out of alignment again, cross reference all your measurements and marks.

 

Ty for the replies.

I’ll definitely try and get some measurements on the LCA’s. I can reference it off my neighbors 2018, as I think they’re the same. If not my other neighbor has a 2010. As much as I don’t want to admit it I think this is the culprit.

I’ll disconnect the intermediate shaft and re-center everything. Put the tie rods back to equal length. Go from there.

Get a thrust measurement when I can drop it off again.

 

Finally got back from the mountains and had enough signal to upload… lol
Before 1 off-road trip:
After tundra rack install with new tie rods and everything centered

After off-road trip with more mild driving:


I don’t really know what to make of the front “SAI” or “included angle” or the rear thrust angle. Not sure what’s normal or not.

 

Back with some measurements:

I measured the location of both front and rear LCA mounts;
This was based off the trans cross member, right here:


Driver Side:
Front Pivot: 38 9/18"
Rear Pivot: 20 14/16"



Passenger Side:
Front Pivot: 38 9/16"
Rear Pivot: 20 14/16"



Front Pivot Tab Width: 31"
Rear Pivot Tab Width: 30.5"



These pictures aren't the best but is was the best I could do at sunset and with one had holding the tape measure and one hand holding the phone

The measurements were consistent side to side on my truck, as well as on my neighbors 2016.
Measured the same spots and they checked out pretty similar.

His known straight frame measured almost exactly the same, but about a consistent 2/16" less on each of the measurements off the Trans crossmember. The tab widths were the same as mine at 31" and 30.5".
Indicating that my tabs are more "forward" than his, or visa-versa. This was the opposite of what I was expecting.

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Next I will try and reset all the steering components, and check the tightness of the bolts. I noticed while I was underneath the truck that my upper intermediate steering shaft seemed offset like a bushing has worn and disappeared. I'm going to try and see if the rag joint and upper steering shafts are in good order. Anyone know is this looks "normal" for where the shaft goes through the fire wall? This view is looking almost straight upwards from beneath the steering rack.



Last thing, I noticed that the u-joint on the lower intermediate shaft rubs the frame slightly. A small mark where it's scrapping as I turn the wheel. I can feel that in the wheel too as I drive.

 

Have you gone under the dash and checked out the Rag joint on the steering shaft?? That thing has to be messed up with the way that shaft is coming out of the hole.

 

It doesn’t look obviously bad to me. But I don’t really know what I’m looking for either.



it’s firm too, I can’t shake it or anything by hand. Every bolt is tight too.
Although I am pretty sure this is what I am hearing rattle around under the dash when I go over washboard bumps. The shaft hitting the firewall.

 

You’re probably also hearing that intermediate shaft making contact with the frame and it’s traveling up to the cab.

 

Marked everything again with paint pen.
-All LCA cams.
-Where the lower intermediate shaft meets the rack.
-Where it meets the upper intermediate with that double clamp thing, both sides of the clamp.
-In the cab where the rag joint is.
-Where the upper intermediate shaft meets the column with the wheel bolted to it.

Go beat on it a little and see if anything moves.

 

I suspected my rear axle was bent and confirmed it a couple of weeks ago. Bent 5 degrees.

I have been meaning to get a new axle so nows the time.
When matching width what dk folks go with? Same width or slightly off?
I am running a +2 kit and was considering 4” wider on a rear Tundra Axle from Diamond. I use confined everyone but the custom width.

4 makes sense but curious if folks have gone 3” for a slightly wider front. If there are any benefits

 

Another option. Toyota Axle Assemblies - Fusion4x4

 

Grab the end of those pins with channel locks or big pliers of some kind and give em a wiggle. Also move the lower part and watch the end by that o-ring and see how much it moves. Mine was horrible but didn't really seem like it had nearly as much play as it should've compared to how it felt while driving. I ended up grinding off the paint and putting a little weld bead where that o-ring is and from the pins to the bottom plate there to see how it would change things before i went spending the money to replace the whole joint. Worlds of difference and i actually don't mind how it drives like that so i've just kept it.

Also i'd double check the joint at the very bottom of the steering shaft where it meets the pinion to see if it's all good. I know it was hotly debated last time this subject came up but the splines and surface area there is pretty weak so i'm still convinced much of the steering rack troubles are from that bottom coupling jumping teeth more than the steering rack itself jumping teeth

Edit: one other thing to check that i haven't seen mentioned is the bolts that hold the steering rack in place. Wouldn't explain how much your alignment is moving, but those bolts are a tight fit at the top but not at the bottom. If they're not torqued down properly tight they can tilt side to side just a little

 

Did some of the trucks come without bellows on the intermediate shaft? Maybe that one isn't stock

 

I considered fusion but decided to not go with a ford rear.

now I just need to decide the width.

 

JD shows they do there Speedway at 69" for the Tacoma. Should be just a hair narrow then the 2.25" over front. 69"-70" would be my choice.

 

That isn’t stock. My buddy and I cut the bellows off a when I shortened the shaft. Was easier that way.

 

Ty.
I’ll check these.
The lower u joint by the pinion should be good, i bought a new intermediate shaft when I just put in the tundra rack. All the bolts from the intermediate shaft down to the rack bolts were torqued when I did that too obviously. I’ll tripple check them though.

I agree, I’d be more inclined to think that one of those smaller splined shafts jump teeth at the pinion or intermediate shaft vs the actual rack teeth.

Another thought I had, is what if the solid rack bushings were somehow shifting or spinning. Basically letting the steering rack shift to one side. Which could explain my uneven tie rods.

 

I had also wondered if the eccentric bushings rotated. It would explain why the tie rods are having to adjust much more on one side, as well as the intermediate shaft hitting the frame if it wasn’t before.