NO STEERING!!!

Mornin' Fellow Taco drivers!
I had a very unsuspected situation happen to me the other day. I'm driving down a rural road and suddenly my steering completely failed on me. Fortunately, my truck was pointed towards an embankment I could drive down. So I ended up in a nice old guys front yard (yards are acres of grass around here). So he didn't really care. lol

So my steering went out right at the perfect time. I got it home and torqued the sucker down. But it came loose again one day later as I pulled into my drive way! Someone is watching out for me! Yesterday I torqued the heck out of it again. But I'm very hesitant about driving anywhere for fear of it coming loose again!

For transparency, I have a 4" lift and a 2" body lift that I put on five years ago. Part of the lift process is to loosen the steering column bolts so you can get some extra length out of it for the body lift. But that process left plenty of the rod connected. Almost like Toyota was expecting us folks to put a body lift on the truck.

I'm hoping some of you folks have some thoughts on best methods of making sure it doesn't EVER come loose again!

 

Most likely the splines/threads are worn,I would replace that part circled.

 

Yep left it loose and with time it just plain wore out. And I’m pretty sure Toyota engineers didn’t intend for you to mess with a well designed steering system by lifting the vehicle.

 

lmao part of the instructions are to loosen that? Jesus. On the steering rack splines, there's a groove that the bolt passes through specifically so it can't back out and slip off. So to gain any length it had to have been very loose. Or maybe splines are worn. Get under there and take a look at the splines both on the rack and the intermediate shaft.

 

That makes good sense. The splines on the rack looked fine when I remounted the shaft to it. The shaft must be stripped. I got the sucker stuck in 3.5' of mud a few months back...I've been paying for it ever since! lol
New tension bearings, new hubs... Tennessee mud sucks my wallet dry!

 

Yeah Id think the best solution would be to have a machine shop add an inch (or whatever is needed) right above the u-joint there. Then the bolt can fully engage the rack as its supposed to.

 

i'm pretty sure i know what caused the issue. got my truck stuck in a tun of mud a few months back and my buddy kept torquing the steering wheel around more than he should have. last time I let anyone drive my baby!

 

This.

 

So to clarify, when installing a body lift, it is recommended to loosen the top bolt on the lower steering column. As there is plenty length of teeth.
I just removed the lower steering shaft and I’d have to say it looks like the reason the lowest end came off, is because the threads on the swivel joint were indeed trashed. No reason for it really. That end was never modified. sorry about the pic, best I could do.
The upper end teeth looked brand new. So I ordered a new one and will install that soon.
Thanks for all yur help guys!

 

On my 1st Gen. There was literally a notch machined into the shaft that slides in the piece you are holding. The bolt both acted as lock pin and a clamp.

My body lift came with a steering shaft extension.

I’ll admit that I have not worked on the 2nd Gen steering shaft yet. But the design has been around a long time.
Not sure why they would change to a different design.

 

So the lower male spindle (first picture) on the steering box has a hole which looks like a cotter pin or something goes through it, but there was nothing in it but gunk and there is no hole on the steering shaft for it. I’m assuming/hoping that was meant as a universal design for some reason not applied to the taco.

The upper spindle (Second picture) has a notched side on it that I’m assuming is to help “pinch” the female spindle onto it.

 

Just for giggles I did a test run on my old steering shaft. It is solid steel without a center core of different material.
After cutting the price out that I needed for lengthening the new shaft, I tapered both Edges and welded them together.
Making the two rods straight was the biggest challenge.
I banged the heck out of it for about five minutes With my sledge and I think I may have dented it a tiny bit, but it’s solid as...steel!



I’m not sure I’m going to follow through and lengthen the new one. It was a pain to get this weld straight. I’d have to do it for two welds at the same time.

 

Try about 4/5 of way down the page here.
Under the Steering section
https://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/BodyLiftKit.shtml

Would this style work?

 

Unfortunately no. Mine is one of the few models that isn't like that. I looked into it before installing.

Thanks for the link though!

 

What about this?
It’s for a helix, I don’t know if it would fit. But maybe?
https://www.amazon.in/Steering-Shaft-Extension-Hilux-Pickup/dp/B079Z4VV6B

 

LOL such a tease! It's unavailable! It looks like it might work. Not sure I'd trust a hex key coming loose over my welding though

BUT that part does exist with other companies I'm finding. Nice bud!

 

Just like I said in post #2