95.5 Tacoma 4x4 DX 2.7 Ext Cab steering rack parts

How does the "crowbar under the wheel" test work? Just curious, because I would like to check my LBJ's.

+1 on the 6-ton harbor freight jacks. I have a set and they are great for height.

Another comment - in the video when he went to remove the previous rack guide, it wasn't torqued at all. I wonder if maybe that was an issue as well, and merely tightening the old rack guide may have helped a bit. What does the manual specify for the toque on the old style rack guide?
I recently took my truck to get aligned and they told me they couldn't align it due to steering play, that my inner tie rods were bad. I have replaced them, (plus the outers and steering rack bushings, just because), and there is still some play. I am planning to do the slip joint fix this week and get it aligned. I figured that I could check the torque on the rack guide as well, but I really want to get my truck aligned ASAP and I'd hate to put it off waiting for a new guide...

 

Easy . When truck is sitting on wheels it tries to pull ball out of the joint. When truck is jacked, the weight of the wheel pushes the ball into the socket. So now trying to lift the tire up with crowbar you will be trying to pull the ball out of the socket again. If there is any movement up/down in the socket the LBJ is no good. This way you can find going out LBJ much earlier than 6-12 wheel test.

No, it looks like the guide is going out easy. Keep in mind this is big diameter thread with very fine pitch and torqued only to less than 18 ftlb. That is almost about the same as you put on M6 bolt. Actually I think the 18ftlb is when the spring is fully compressed so backing out exactly 19 degree makes practical sense. If you overtorque it you will put more force on the gear and then you can say bye bye to the rack and pinion gears. The spring force is making sure the gear engages without slope but just about it. If you look at my video you will see where the knocking is coming from.

Remember, the pinion gear is not straight vertical, but it is at angle so when the rack is moving up and down it is forced to move sideways. It still keeps both wheels together but the vertical slope on the guide allows the rack to move left and right crating a feeling of loose in steering. So while it does not affect alignment it makes truck wonder at highway speed.

 

Gotcha. So, don't tighten it because I can ruin my steering rack. And it shouldn't affect alignment.
I'll get my truck aligned this weekend and then do the guide replacement later.