Interesting front end "drift" problem

Just throwing this out there but did you bleed the rack or just fill it full of fluid? There could be air in there.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nfHoqSbFwGk

 

I did bleed the rack. Thanks for the suggestion though!

 

how does one do this.

my rack pops and clunks, would like to try some easier things before having to take that whore out of there.

 

Replacing the rack definitely wasn't my favorite job.

 

Bottom is a 2nd gen stock rack. Loosen the lockring and the cap with the 4 notches in it you can loosen to pull the slider bushing out, clean it, then put it back in and tighten. Look up write ups on this for the 1st gen taco / 3rd gen 4 runner, slightly different location but same concept.

You can get to the slider bushing if you remove the stock skid and turn the wheel all the way left. Take a pair of channel locks and you can loosen / tighten the lock ring, and for the cap, I used a flat piece of metal to key into the 4 notches.

 

Sure... I guess you could wedge a tire between two immovable rocks and see if you can still turn the steering wheel a click or two... but if you already know the steering wheel is changing positions then why? Take it to a shop that knows what they are doing and have them check it out.

Back in the day you could tighten up a steering gear. There was a nut on it that would tighten the internal clearances.

 

Mine is an 09, close to yours. At 65k miles my steering rack just blew seals and I was refilling it with fluid every other day. Only part of the truck that crapped out really, unless you count the compass/thermometer thingy. Against most of the very good advice given here, I bought a new rack from some online parts place.. rockauto, something like that. I'm sure that was a gamble, but, there are now 50k miles on that rack no problems. I did replace the rack bushings with harder energy suspension bushings. That did help I think.

One other thing to keep an eye on, just because I'm currently doing this now - sway bar. My linkages got beat up, replacements in the mail now. From what I've read once you lift the truck it's harder on the sway bar and it can die, leading to some clicking and wacky steering effects. So I have on the way: new sway bar bushings from energy suspension, new moog linkages with zerk fittings, and a drop kit that should put it closer to the OG geometry. None of that was too expensive. On the off chance your sway bar linkages are having an issue, moog linkages are out of stock on Amazon but - newegg has them. Go figure.

Best news is were both rocking a 4L engine and the best rear end gear ratios! Go go 2nd gen

Editing to add - replacing the power steering rack was the first big job I had done on my truck. Never did it before. Youtube videos helped, took me the weekend but I got it done! Protip the 2 7inch(ish) bolts that hold it in get dropped in from above in the factory, then the engine on top making them difficult to remove. Either get brand new ones and cut them out (smarter plan) or the driver side might chew up your serp belt on the way out (what I did, oops). Also you can just grind off a little and keep going. Just have a grinder ready, I did not and it cost me a few hours and a couple hundred naughty words.

 

Not doubting that the rack slipping is a possibility, but it seems a bit unlikely because it only shifts within a certain range. Which, to me seems more like maybe the actual rack changing position or something like that. I will definitely check it to narrow it down, but I'm not convinced enough to yank the rack out purely on the opinion of one guy on a forum. No offense, and I appreciate the suggestion to look for it.

 

I'd honestly start over and replace with OEM rack. If you don't want to mess with doing it yourself again, take it to a better shop. Steering components malfunctioning is one of the most dangerous malfunctions, right up there with no brakes and stuck throttle.

Edit: just seen your reply. Don't blame you for not wanting to start yanking parts off, it just seems like all signs are pointing towards the rack being the problem. I hope it's not, for your sake!

 

I actually have no swaybar, so we can rule that out, lol.... Before this issue, truck handled very well. I suspect that before the upgraded suspension, no swaybar would've been sketchy.

 

Ah well. That makes sense! Pulled it for offroad funsies? How does that affect daily driving?

 

Yes, I pulled in one time when I had stock suspension and noticed a big difference offroad. Never drove on the road with stock suspension and no swaybar. When I installed my lift I removed the swaybar and haven't looked back. The truck handles great, in my opinion.

 

didnt know this was a thing, I also feel like I have a wandering center. Going to have to give this a look. Thanks for sharing

 

Yeah mine was pretty apparent, you could feel a good knock either when going over little bumps straight (as the tires were moved by the little bumps left n right) or when transitioning from left to right pressure at the wheel there was a dead space then a knock when the slack was taken up.

The adjustment is VERY touchy, too much till too little preload in 1/8th of a turn type of touchy. But its easily adjustable just takes a bit of time.

 

you can do this from under the truck, right ? the rack doesnt have to come out ?

 

Yup yup!

 

How do you know when it's adjusted properly? Just when there's no play and it's not binding?

 

No play and it's not so tight that the wheel doesn't want to return to center

 

Kind of why I love this place:

Totally had this problem on my first steering rack. Slowing to a stop sign, any bumps in the road would shift the steering wheel. And it shook going down hills sometimes even though I wasn't on the brakes. Never knew why but after reading this - totally that bushing being too loose. And I suspect the sustained action of it being too loose probably wrecked the seals.

I'm on my second rack, about 38k miles on it, and it feels loose. Starting to do the same stuff again. I don't see any leaking yet but it's definitely time to adjust it up! Getting an alignment next week, I'll see if they can't do it when they are in there. If not I will. Great info as always guys, thank you!

 

I'm trying to figure this out for my next under the hood adventure of brakes/rotors/sway bar etc. Right now it feels like my steering rack is a little loose - picking up a bit too much road feel, if I'm coming to a stop and theres a dip in the road it will spin my steering wheel a little. Does that sound like I'm suspecting the right problem here?

I found this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veMkLSzLgDk

Kind of seems like what he is explaining is what I am wanting to adjust, haven't yet found a video on adjusting the 2nd gen toyota rack and pinion yet.

Editing to add - I did find a thread here with people talking about not touching this adjustment, and how you shouldn't need to. Admittedly, I'm on my second power steering rack. OEM failed out hard by 65k miles, I wasn't keen on spending the $$ on OEM since it died so early. Picked up a relatively cheap one. So it might be in the early stages of death. After I throw on my anti sway bar again, I'm going to bleed the system and see if that helps.