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Worn out steering rack?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Knoxdavid34, Aug 3, 2021.

  1. Aug 3, 2021 at 6:52 PM
    #1
    Knoxdavid34

    Knoxdavid34 [OP] Stranger with candy

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    David
    Nashville
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    TRD Off Road sticker. Not the whole package, just the sticker.
    https://youtube.com/shorts/z9v1UeQvyN0?feature=share
    I have 1 year and 2 day old remanufactured rack from low range offroad with a lot of play. The truck has been on one wheeling trip. I was 1/4 mile or so up a trail and an old motor mount tore. Nothing crazy made it go out, it was just 19 years and 220k miles old. Engine knocked and shifted everytime I put it in gear so I turned around and parked it for the weekend.
    Other than that, it's been driven on the road and around the farm for about 5000 miles since replacement.
    I also rebuild the power steering pump at the same time and the resivoir is still full. No leaks anywhere and no tears on the boots.
    I put the old oem rack though hell and only replaced it because it was leaking. It didn't have any play like this. It has a lot wiggle on the driver side and a little on passenger.
    What could have caused this?
     
  2. Aug 4, 2021 at 6:10 AM
    #2
    skeezix

    skeezix Well-Known Member

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    Defective driver-side inner or outer tie rod???

    Lift the front end, put your left hand at the 9 o'clock position of the tire and your right hand on the 3 o'clock position, wiggle the tire and see if it moves. If it does move and the passenger side does not, I would suspect something with the driver-side inner tie rod or with the joint of the outer tie rod to the wheel assembly. Compare the movement with the passenger-side tire.
     
  3. Aug 4, 2021 at 7:18 AM
    #3
    Knoxdavid34

    Knoxdavid34 [OP] Stranger with candy

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    02 Prerunner 4x4
    TRD Off Road sticker. Not the whole package, just the sticker.
    All tie rods are good. Click on the YouTube link for a video of what I found. It's the rack moving inside the housing.
     
  4. Aug 4, 2021 at 7:22 AM
    #4
    Knoxdavid34

    Knoxdavid34 [OP] Stranger with candy

    Joined:
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    Messages:
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    First Name:
    David
    Nashville
    Vehicle:
    02 Prerunner 4x4
    TRD Off Road sticker. Not the whole package, just the sticker.
    Also inner and outter tie rods were replaced with the rack as well as the steering rack bushings, uca and lca bushings, ball joints and wheel bearings.
    I had a lot of play in the front end. I wanted to get everything done at once and not have to worry about the front for a while.
    I've gone through the suspension and I have no play anywhere except the rack.
    I noticed the problem when the truck started pulling to the left when braking. New brakes and rotors made the problem worse. That's when I looked deeper and found the rack was the problem.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2021
  5. Aug 4, 2021 at 10:25 AM
    #5
    betterbuckleup

    betterbuckleup Well-Known Member

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    Concord, CA
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    Yea looks like a bad rack to me. The slide on the rack shouldn't have play like that.
     
  6. Aug 4, 2021 at 10:48 AM
    #6
    Rastopher

    Rastopher Well-Known Member

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    Sacramento, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2002 2.7 4x4 reg cab automatic
    Utility Shell, Ultra 062 wheels, bilstein 5100, OME880 coils, wheelers progressive AAL, Whiteline LCA bushings, poly sway bar and steering rack bushings, led dash cluster, shifter bushings, 4runner mirrors.
    How’s your rack guide? The movement looks real bad but maybe the guide needs replaced, especially if its the old style. See Timmy the toolman on YouTube for context.
     

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