Stupid intermittent steering problem, garbage OEM part

So I have been searching for this unknown steering vibration all over my truck. To find nothing wrong yesterday when I went looking everywhere on the front end. Last night I watched this youtube video. I was unaware that this part existed in my taco. Yet it seems to point to the intermittent problem of the steering vibrations. Yet the dealer wants $200+ for a part that is likely to cause problems again. Is there any fix or real quality part in place of this rubber garbage. Toyota quality, yeah right? It seems like it could be a simple thing for someone with a CNC machine. I think Toyota never took into account people installing heavier wheels and tires to add to the stress on this part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dr7df3dRNQ&t=315s

 

It's like the internet gods know I have a steering issue. I just had a new rack installed and the shop thinks there is slop in the new rack. The steering wheel doesn't return to perfect center after a turn. It stays slightly biased towards whichever the redirection of the turn was I'm thinking this piece is more likely the culprit.

 

OP, I did not watch the entire video but only enough to see he is replacing the intermediate shaft. If you do this make sure you get the TSB shaft (its a little bit better). The parts catalogs have in the past defaulted to the old shaft and you will have to spec a part number for the new.

Couple of tips: you notice him removing and replacing the connecting yoke. I have had some good luck by putting a small bit of pre-load forward on the intermediate shaft there and then tightening the yoke. The rubber part of that shaft will permit this but do not apply put too much pre-load. This seems to take out some of the clunk as well.

Also, jack up the front with the wheels off the ground and have someone wiggle the steering wheel back-and-forth while you watch the lower intermediate shaft where it enters the steering rack. Do you notice considerable free play in turning before the tie rods move? If so you may have developed play between the rack gear and the pinon or one or both of the inner tie rod ends. It will also clunk and send the sound throughout like an instrument. The free play at the rack can be adjusted but it is a bear and I had to make my own tools. Fortunately the new replacement racks have gone back to easier adjustment.

 

I'm not 100% on taco lingo yet. What is TSB shaft? Where could I find that info? As I did a search and found something about 16 shifting.

 

How many millions of the 2nd gens are on the road? How many have surpassed, 100,000, 200,000, 300,000 miles? And yet it took until 2020 for this issue to come to light. Ya, Toyota Quality - Why millions of us have bought Toyotas!

Get over it, and as Josh said – “bite the bullet, get a new part…”

 

Why buy the same OEM new part if the chances of it happening again are quite high. I figured I'd ask if there was a better fix then something I'd have to revisit again and again. I've had trucks with fewer issues. I have an extended warranty but if aftermarket or same fitting OEM better part, for a solid fix. I heard of a few people modding these but very few have been successful.

 

Was looking at a 4runner part and it looks stronger and similar sized without the rubber bushing. I wonder about the compatibility of these parts to get a more direct steering without the bushing.

 

"Toyota never took into account people installing heavier wheels and tires to add to the stress on this part" Thats because 99% of people drive un modified tacos.

zip tie mod

Or pull it and weld the bitch

/thread.

 

TSB stands for Technical Service Bulletin and these are guidance documents issued by ToyMoCo corporate to its dealerships for the purpose of assisting technicians in the identification of certain problems and may include revised parts. TSBs are not recalls and generally have a time limit associated with the warranty. Afterwards its on the customer to pay for parts and labor.

In this case T-SB-01119-10 was issued in 2010 to address rattling (and clunking, and looseness (my additions)). It includes a revised and improved intermediate shaft and is part number 45220-04020, not to be confused with the original part number of 45220-04010 that came on production trucks.

Curiously, my 2014 appears to have had the old part in it at the time it was built and that shaft acted poorly rather soon after I purchased the truck new. I put in the TSB shaft and it has been much better but I suspect all 2nd Gen. trucks originally received the old shaft thru July 2015 production, although I could be mistaken.

I as I mentioned, if you order the TSB shaft make sure to specify the TSB part number because I have been told recently by a large dealer that they are still defaulting to the old part for replacement unless the TSB part is specified. Here is the TSB:
T-SB-0119-10-2.pdf