Steering Wheel Conundrum

I searched the forum. Didn't find a similar issue.

Long story short, I went to Uwharrie with a straight steering wheel and good alignment.

I left Uwharrie with the steering wheel leaning to the left but the truck still drove true. I figured I'd come home and check my alignment and straighten it out when I had a chance.

Woke up. Backed out of the driveway. Started down the road and the steering wheel was dead nuts center and driving straight. Weird.

Stopped at Lowes. Pulled out and the steering wheel was crooked to the left again.

Currently...No steering rack leak.

I have Taco Tabs to max caster and set to neutral camber.

No steering wheel wobble or power steering pump whine.

Just does what it wants.

Anyone heard of this before?

 

something sounds loose or broken. Check tie rods?

 

Inner and outer tie rods are new. Steering feels perfectly fine

 

Rack bolts are loose and rack is shifting.

 

Then shouldn't the steering wheel be unpredictable when I'm driving? The truck is coming apart this week for a couple reasons. I'll check for 68ft lb at the rack bolts.

 

Turn the steering wheel hard against 1 of the stops and then drive and see how it is. Then turn it hard against the other stop and see how it is. I'm betting that turning it against the stops shifts the rack and will be obvious.

 

Tried that in the Food Lion parking lot. No change. Steering wheel crooked or straight, my turning radius is pretty equal

 

I got nuthin' then. That was my best assessment.

 

I appreciate it. Thanks for the quick replies

 

Crown in the road?

 

I think what Muddin was getting at, was the fact it would force the rack one way or the other.
And you would notice the steering wheel alignment being different after maxing it out on the stop.

You’re not looking for a difference in turning radius, you’re looking at a difference in the steering wheel alignment AFTER maxing out the stop.

Or maybe I’m just seeing it totally different?

 

you might have a chip in one of your rack n pinion teeth, might skip a tooth and cause the wheel to be offset.

 

Yup. I understand what he was getting at. Stopping and turning one way or the other doesnt readjust the wheel to center or throw it off.

What I was kinda getting to was internal slipping in the rack which would effect turning radius. Kinda like putting the rack back in the truck but not centered internally and you become limited by the rack instead of your steering stops for turning radius. I'll get it on jack stands today, drop the skids and check for rack movement though just to be sure.

Thanks gents

 

Ok. And then go back to center from time to time...I guess I take it apart, tie off the steering wheel and look for some debris when I shift the rack side to side?

 

Mine was doing this. I replaced the rack bushings with poly ones. Fixed!

 

I have the Energy Suspension bushings...here's what I found today.





The Taco Tabs are buckled on the driver side control arm. We'll see what happens when I replace them.

 

what are taco tabs?

 

They are made by Poly Performance

https://www.polyperformance.com/pol...5-tacoma-03-09-4runner-gx470-07-09-fj-cruiser

They set your caster and camber for you. You just deal with the toe

 

interesting. Never seen them. I have the alignment tabs that weld to it, those look like they would loosen up over time and cause that bending as seen.

 

Specified torque is 250ftlb. They fit nice. None of the others were loose when I checked torque today. This one was mangled though.