'02 taco 4x4 steering issue

Hey guys, before I bring it in I was wondering if anyone has advise. My steering is loose and making a worn out clunking sound when I go over bumps. Tie rods, ball joints and RIGHT steering rack busing all new/good. Any advice?

 

Note: my left bushing is unknown but I know you have to replace steering rack for that and I dont know how to tell if its messed up

 

Actually you just order a set of polyurethane energy suspension bushings which replace all 3. Replacing one doesnt fix anything.


Note: Im in the same boat and and im pretty sure the rack has had it period. They are not all that expensive to replace, you can get a refurb with lifetime warranty off ebay for like $250

 

Shows how much I know, I thought there was only two haha. Im crawling under it in a second. Thanks

 

Here is the first gen how to link, the rack bushing replacement is in here. Give you an idea where they are anyhow. http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1s...y-how-thread-compiled-list-helpful-links.html

 

do you still have your sway bar on? mine was clunking like crazy before I permanently removed it.

I replaced my rack bushing w/ ES ones a couple months back and it tightened up the steering quite nicely.

 

Well im gonna get ES sway bar bushings soon, they look pretty bad. But my rack has a lot of play in it. Think i may weld the slip joint in the column up first and see what that does before i replace it.

 

Ill look at it. After some looking and research my other two bushings are shot, I work for Toyota and my mechanic said they can't replace driver side bushing without the entire steering rack, so I assumed I couldn't replace it but what he meant was Toyota doesn't make them without buying the whole rack but I can buy aftermarket ones for $30, so I'm buying them and doing it my self. If that's not the problem they needed to be replaced anyway.

 

Yeah, it's still on. I'm not intense wheeler, just camping/hunting trips so I'm keeping it lol.

 

Get the energy suspension bushings from wheelers for like $18. Its not a tough job, just a few standard tools and i think i used a C clamp and a socket.

 

This. Check the sway bar bushings for looseness. Check the end links play or rough movement.