Downsouth UCAs + new steering rack issues @ 60k miles?!

Hello all, I have an 08 TRD sport/2WD with 97K miles. The 2.5in Icon lift + "Downsouth Motorsports" UCAs was installed roughly 60k miles ago (at 35-40k miles then/2010).
About 2-3yrs ago, I developed a steering rack leak on pass side...no biggie. I finally got around to pulling the trigger on a brand new OEM rack from Toyota last week, but for convenience, I paid "Sun Auto" garage to install it since I could simply walk to work after dropping the truck to them.

The truck never had any steering symptoms prior to installation. But, since the installation, the truck will not steer as normal. While driving at ANY speed, the steering will not re-center itself once I let go of the steering wheel. In other words, once I let go of the wheel during a turn, the steering only partially goes back towards center (maybe 1/2 way at best), while holding the turn.....the truck will keep turning rather.

Long story made short, the dealer and the small garage are blaming the UCA ball joints for being too worn and stiff, causing the steering to stick in the turns. However, I never bough the rack because I had any steering symptoms. I only bought it for the leak. But, im being told the wheel/tires are tough to turn by hand while the truck is on the lift with the steering linkages disconnected. Kinda felt normal to me with 60lb Nittos hanging with suspension at max travel on the lift, but who am I to argue with them other than to say "the truck steered normal last Thursday!

So, are these guys "reaching" for a cop-out, or can 60k mile ball joints (on a mall crawler) keep a new steering rack from returning to center at ANY speed??

Thanks in advance! ​

sean​

 

Bump


...anybody ever have a new steering rack installed on their 2nd gen? Anybody?

Thanks!

 

Did they do an alignment after installing the rack? May need more caster. Not enough and tires will not self center. If they did an alignment do you have a printout that you can post?

 

I had a rebuilt steering rack (CVJ)
I have LR UCAS
Never had any kind of an issue with the rack

 

I never got any alignment specs but yes, the truck got about 4 alignments between both shops during the process.

Eventually, Toyota stepped up and took it on the chin for me. They decided to cover the rack for possible defect and dropped a whole new rack in. Problem solved.
Unfortunstely, will never know if the first rack was damaged by the 1st shop or if it was in fact defective. But, Toyota squashed it and never charged me a single dollar for any of the 3 visits...the 1st shop should've stepped up like this, but didn't.

I owe Toyota some business for bailing me out like that!

 

That’s awesome man. Great dealer.

 

Totally! Toyota owed me nothing and gave me everything! Certainly could have sent me walking out with nothing. Crazy shit.
Not sure how much it helped that I'm kinda buddies with their parts guy, based on us (and the service manager) owning Supras. I was shocked he didn't at least charge me labor. He just smiled and said just let me make the money on your next maintenance project. So, I'll bring it back to get the water pump replaced (I'm at 98k miles now) and try to think of some other stuff too.