Funny alignment question

Hello everyone, I have an issue and am wondering if anyone else has had the same.

My steering wheel stays offset to the left, alignment shop says I'm fine and there's no real pull while driving/braking. Whenever I load anything with substantial weight in the back my steering wheel straightens right up. Remove the load and it goes back to its offset. Could this be a sign of a bad shock somewhere?

Thanks in advance!

 

Steering rack bushings are famous on 1st gen tacomas for causing issues with steering, while rocking the wheel back and forth have someone watch the rack for movement.

 

Thanks for the input, I'll take a look into that.

 

OMG dude (or dudette.) I have been battling this very issue since 2018. 2003 MT/4WD/3.4L Extracab, it handles great, no slop or clunks in steering that would indicate issues with the rack or inner/outer tie rods, and has only one problem. Let go of the wheel, it drifts right. Here is what I know.

In 2018 I tried to get it aligned. He said it needed a steering rack and lower control arms. Well, life happens, moved across country, other than this little problem (it doesn't pull but drifts if you let go of the wheel) it's fine.

This year I decided to try and address it. Got another diagnosis from a shop that was recommended, after going there I wouldn't let them touch my truck with a water hose from 50 feet. Bent up the frame lips by the LCA mounts, scratched the crap out of a freshly de-rusted and painted skid pan, did a bunch o diagnostic s**t I didn't ask for fishing for cash . . . their summary was ball joints and LCA bushings.

So I decided to become an amateur suspension expert (oxymoron, I know) and spent three weeks learning about suspension in 1st get Tacos, crawled under, did the tests, to me it only looked like the LCA bushings were bad, and Tacos are known the have old ball joints shear off. So week before last new tires, last weekend, replaced LCA's and ball joints, ES steering rack bushings (went with LCA's to save the time of pressing new bushings in and out.)

Still drifts right, took it into another shop for an alignment, they're saying it's the strut bushings (which is basically the shock bushings.) But . . . he said . . . "don't rule out a steering rack."

So in reality they don't know either. I did appreciate his honesty in saying so though lol . . . The steering/suspension is one area where the shotgun approach - replace parts until the problem goes away - might actually make sense because it could be so many things that could cause the drift. What I plan to do next is replace the shocks and any rubber in the struts, then upper control arm bushings and ball joints, then I'm kinda dreading it but next would be the rack.

 

Did the alignment shop that says you are fine, yet left you with a steering wheel slightly turned, provide a spec sheet of the actual alignment they did? If you have the spec sheet, post an image of it so we can see the numbers, preferably, before and after numbers.

If this shop left you with a cocked steering wheel, they did you a disservice. Zeroing out the steering wheel is the very least they can do.

How much weight are you adding? Is it in the bed? Is it in front of the rear axle or after the axle?

When you add the weight and the steering wheel centers, does the truck still drive correctly or does it pull/turn in the direction the steering wheel turned when it centered?

 

I feel ya! I'm beginning to wonder if its best to just accept it and carry on.

 

They didn't zero the wheel, they just said it was gtg and didn't even charge me. So I can't fault their honesty, perhaps their ability though? (I don't have a spec sheet, I guess you get what you pay for). As far as the weight goes, I had about 3-400 lbs mostly behind the axle. It unweighted my front pretty good and straightened my steering wheel, which got me wondering if there was something amiss with my front suspension. I swapped my front struts out about 3 years ago, so they aren't super old. As far as pulling, the roads herein Alaska have some pretty deep tire ruts so its hard to say for certain, but it felt like it was tracking true with and without the weight, just the steering wheel offset chagned.

 

Find another shop... I know, not so easy to do. Any good alignment tech is going to include centering the steering wheel as part of an alignment service. Once you find said shop, never go anywhere else. I lived with a slightly off center to the left steering wheel for most of this 02's life figuring that was just the way it was. Then one alignment service, the tech says "I corrected your steering wheel. It was off center to the left". Jaw hit the floor.

 

The sad fact so many Shops unless Center steering wheel is on the work order it does not get done.

I know in my early days the steering wheel being centered was just part of the job.

The last time i forgot I was told if I wanted it done They would need to charge for another alignment I was not unhappy to see that shop close months later.

 

Those techs are getting few and far between sadly. Though some younger ones show promise.

Any more just have it put on the work order " Center Steering Wheel"

The day of the craftsman taking pride in a job well done is fading fast what a shame.

Now get my time in so I can get home as long as it gets out the door all is good. Even if the original problem was never found.

 

For anyone who looks into this, I followed Bishop84's advice and looked into the R&P bushings. I propped my phone up to film the bushing and turned the steering wheel a bit aggressively and it was clear that there was play in the bushings. Feeling lazy, I got a quote for $377 to replace them, and no openings until June. Having been motivated, I bought some bushings for $22 and took a couple hours to replace them. I followed this tutorial below and it worked for me. The only thing I would advise is have a shallow 19mm socket, a deep socket is too long for the top bolt. I also used a C clamp to press the metal inserts in and that made it MUCH easier. Now I have good and solid bushings!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_DFVXX_IaQ&t=639s

I just swapped my studded tires out and now I have a vibration at 30mph fingers crossed that it's just a mis-balance. It's always something!