Zip Tie Mod

I did the zip tie mod today. It definitely helped with the loose feeling and when I was wiggling the intermediate shaft around under the dash, before the zip tie, I was surprised how much play there was.
The only downside is now, I can feel some vibration through the steering whee.
I'm thinking about removing the zip tie and the plastic bushing and machining a new bushing, a little thicker out of a piece of CPVC pipe.

Has anyone tried this?

 

Why did you need this mod? Were you getting a small clunk cover over bumps only when the wheel is turned?

 

It just felt like something was loose in the front end when I hit bumps. It felt like it was coming through the steering wheel. There are other threads on here about it. Some have great results, some not so much.

 

OP, if you do a detailed extensive search you will find that many of us have tried replacing the center bushing in the intermediate shaft with all kinds of things, including an aluminum bushing, only to be disappointed or the problem made worse.
On a basic level the TSB shaft seems to be the best bet IMHO but even then several of us have found that a slight pre-load added in the axial direction (done at the coupling yoke between the shafts) have had to be done, albeit still not necessarily making things perfect.
I have also tracked the clunking on two of my Tacos to include loose adjustment of the steering guide bushing in the steering rack and have tightened that as well. That one will really make a racked as it amplifies any noise and clunks transmitting them up the steering column. Result: I have tight steering with no slop, no clunks, no vibrations, in other words the way it should have been from the factory...

 

Hmm... that makes sense but when I was under the dash, I wiggled the assembly where the intermediate shaft extends into the upper shaft (if that make sense), and there was a lot of play and it made a 'clunk'. I'm thinking about taking the zip tie back out, cleaning the interface really well with some brake parts cleaner and forcing some silicone RTV in the space. If there was plenty of room to work under there, I think it would do a good job. It would take up the space, it would be shock absorbing and it shouldn't be so hard that it would transmit the vibration. Jut a thought.

 

OP did you ever have any luck with the RTV?

 

Yes, actually I did! It's been good and quiet ever since.

 

Interested in hearing more about this. Any way to take a picture of what you did?

 

No meaningful input...sorry, just sub'ed

 

It's pretty tight up in there. I just removed the cover, sprayed the area with brake cleaner, let it dry and applied the clear RTV. I squeezed some out onto my finger and started forcing it down into the area where the shaft is loose in the opening.
It's all back together now and I'm too lazy to go take it back apart, lol. One bit of advice I'll throw in, when I buy silicone RTV, I always look for acetic acid on the ingredients. It's the stuff that stinks like vinegar. I think it sets up better and faster. I've had the other stuff go bad and still be dispensable. The stuff with acetic acid actually sets up in the tube if it cures prematurely. At least then you won't use it only to realize later that it's not going to set up.
It's pretty tough to contort yourself up under the dash to do this, but in the end, it appears to be a good fix.

 

Bump! I did a write up for a zip tie mod killer! Let me know if it helps anyone!!!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-fix-zip-tie-mod-killer.702754/#post-24912139