steering noise and parts falling off, I need help identifying a part

My 2007 tacoma rwd has been making some clunking sounds as I make hard right turns the sounds seem to be in time with the motion of the wheel. i.e. the faster I am going the faster the thumping sound. I backed my truck into it's parking space which I have to turn hard over to get into and found a pin on the driveway. it is almost 4 inches long if it were straight. it appears to be bent. I believe the original is straight. it has a rounded head and a hole at the other end which looks like it is for a cotter pin. I have been trying to find a matching part anywhere on the tacoma diagrams and have found nothing that is even close. does anyone know what it is or where it goes? also my steering column just inside the firewall above the shaft collar has some sort of ring around it that also appears to be missing parts. does anyone have any information on this? or what it is supposed to look like?

 

..clown car FTW!

 

I looks like a bent brake caliper pin.

The pins I'm thinking of hold the pads to the caliper.

 

Check your front brake calipers. This is from a Tundra, but it still shows you what to look for/at.

 

i thought it might be as well however this is not threaded. i believe the caliper parts are all threaded

 

Agreed.

 

oh crap
i just saw your photo. you are correct, dang. glad you sent that

 

i just double checked missing the upper pin. thanks

 

They are not threaded. Here is a stock photo of them..

 

Happy you found it! It warms my heart when TW works this well.

 

i did not even realize these could come out while driving. guess that's why it's bent. thanks again. still not sure what I am missing on the column assembly though. looks like there should be some sort of bolts or clamps to hold that ring up by the firewall

 

Here is the schematic for the steering assembly. To be quite honest, I don't know much about it. The black ring looks like some sort of seal or grommet

 

thats what i was thinking as well that it is some sort of seal between the firewall and cabin. i may just hose clamp it back in place and see how that goes, thanks for the schematic

 

lol I'm surprised I didn't figure out it was a caliper pin, I noticed i was missing one last week!

 

You're welcome.
There is a wire clip (not a cotter pin) that goes thru the hole on both pins. That clip must have snapped off at that end. Never seen it happen before.

OR ... the last time the pads were replaced, that entire clip was left off. Check the other side, while you are at it.

 

You must have a pretty rust free tacoma, my brake pins always need a good soaking and some hammering every time I've ever removed them. Never thought they would/could just vibrate free on their own!

 

i had the same thing happen to me. the caliper pin didn't come all of the way out but it made enough racket while turning. you may want to take a look at the rim also. mine left some small indents where the head of the pin hit the rim.