Red Wagon

Hi everyone.

I have a steering issue I want to work through. The front end is wandering. As in it is not tracking straight. I know the alignment is off as its pulling to the right and has trashed the inner part of the driver side tire.

I've not been able to get a good alignment either but that may be due to a bad job. Ill take it in now that my huge road trip is over.

Things I have found in the steering wrong so far.

Before the firewall there is a U joint which has a clamp either end onto splines. The upper bolt is stripped badly. It looks like it has a curve its so bad.

Ill go to the wrecker to see if I can replace it.

Besides this is there anything else that might be causing the front end to wander?

While pulling mostly to the right sometimes it will drift back and forth before ending up pulling right.

It also will pull right under hard braking.


What else needs inspecting?

Inner andouter tie rod ends are a year and a bit old. Same goes for the idler arm.

Blazelans LT is months old.


Can my steering box be going? With 35" tires I expect flaws to he showing up but the front end is mostly new.

Thanks.

Rerunn

Is your steering stabilizer any good? A bad alignnment will definitely make it wander tho

Punchy

After you replace the shaft and U-joint.
Check the front joint between the shaft and gearbox, Make sure its not loose or rotting away.
Check for play in the gearbox, You shouldn't really have more then 1/8 deg or turn play, You can tighten the top set screw in just a tiny bit to see if that takes the play out, But that's a hint that its heading on its last leg and time to look for a deal on another gearbox.


Other Things to look for.
upper and lower control arm bushings, Both sides.
Upper and lower ball joints, Both sides.
Tierod balljoints.
Idle arm play.

Red Wagon

Old man emu steering stabilizer. No play in idler.

I went to the wrecker. Was like a kid in a candy store. 3 4Runners in my colour!

I got two spare gas covers. Interior trim, vent as mine would close due to age.

So happy to not live in the north anymore.

I go for an alignment Monday.

Oh I got a joint and replaced the stripped bolt. Steering is tight but I noticed way uneven wear on driver side front tread. Ill have to replace that rubber.

bbrideau

you still on your trip?!

Red Wagon

Nope, I'm back in BC.

I should have some photos up soon.

bbrideau

awesome i will keep an eye out in your thread for em

dark_fairytales

I may be able to help you out with your toe in. Above is a picture of the front end of my stolen 86 ( I no longer have the rig). The stance my look familiar to you Red Wagon. At the time of the picture, this rig has a three inch body lift, Blazeland long travel, 35x12.50" tires on 15x10" beadlocks that have a 3.75" backspacing.

First off I can tell you the wondering steering is something particular to your rig. My rig never wondered and cornered amazingly. So, my guess regarding your steering wonder indicates something is loose or worn out (just a guess, as I am not an expert in any way). I have no idea why you are dealing with inner tire ware. My only alignment issue was outer tire ware, due too positive camber that would not go away, which turned out my lower control arm mounts where narrower then average. My lower control arms where mounting too close to the front diff. which made the upper control arm a hair to wide, hence positive camber.

When I saw the video posted in your build thread, I noticed the tie rods were pivoting on the center link, allowing the toe in condition. I suspect the pivoting situation only takes place during suspension droop like in your video. Your suspension is certainly drooped out, like the picture below.


When looking at the drooped tie rod, I can see there is an extreme angle that could be leveraged with enough torque to cause the tie rod to pivot on the center link tie rod side ( I hope you can picture what I am explaining). I am thinking that your center link my be bending under load, or that your center link may already be bent which could also be causing the strange steering wonder.

I wish I still had my 86 yota too try to help further and investigate the situation on my own rig. I suggest trying to use a come-a-long in some fashion to try to simulate what was happening in the video with the suspension drooped and at ride hight to see where the movement is coming from.

Also because my yota was stolen, I never got the chance to wheel my rig with the Blazeland long travel. Although 4bangercraig, who is as wide as yours, and my rig, never had any issues with alignment or tracking. Check out Craig's thread ( https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f31/...-paces-233169/ )


could you take the front skid plate off, and post up several pictures of your center link. We may be able to notice a problem from pics, as many of us are super familiar with the IFS suspension. I really do want to find out what is causing all your suspension issues.

I am going to read your entire build thread now to see if I notice anything.

Red Wagon

I've noticed the same and agree. The issue is I am wheeling the truck harder than IFS components can take. Nates kit is wonderful but as soon as I got the flex I started driving it off bigger rocks and drops.

I bend everything. In the photos the entire front end steering right down to the pitman arm was brand spanking new and I spent the cash on the better parts at Napa.

My idler arm is bent, my panhard bar is bent, center link is bent, the little 4 links are bent and I also managed to crush/bend the mount for my rear sway bars at the frame.

Wow, that really sucks that someone stole your rig. I think I would have an actual man cry if someone stole my wagon. I'm really attached to my old junk.


My alignment is sweet right up until I wheel the piss out of it. In the latest example where my winch died dragging me up a climb I undid all the work from the previous day. In fact I think that was the day the pitman arm went in?


I really appreciate you chiming in with some constructive info. Keep it coming.

dark_fairytales

wow, your not kidding when you say that you are wheeling to hard. That is alot of damage in a short interval of time. Would you mind posting pictures of the damage? I am especial interested to see the aftermath of the center link, as I have had idea of how to reinforce its strength.