johnnyb588

If this topic has been covered in another post on this thread, please feel free to direct me there. I have been searching for about 30 minutes for solutions to my problem, but I haven't found anything extremely useful yet.

I have a 1999 Tacoma Limited (4WD, V6, everything stock), and recently had the steering rack and pinion replaced along with the power steering pump. After this work was completed, I had it aligned to spec.

My problem is that it's more difficult than usual to steer the vehicle (not overly difficult, but it is noticeably stiffer), and it won't return to center when I let go of the wheel (if I'm turning left, my truck will happily keep the same turning angle and plow me into whatever death trap awaits if I don't manually turn the wheel back straight).

I believe the new power steering pump is NOT defective. I also believe the alignment was performed correctly... This leaves the new rack as my prime suspect. Is there any way that the steering rack can be adjusted for this vehicle? Or are there any other suggestions any of you might have?

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Take it back to whomever did the work.

:wabbit2:

johnnyb588

Thanks, that's certainly one option, but if there's another solution out there, I'd like to explore that first. The guy who did the work is a long-time family friend who's never done me wrong, knows his stuff, and charges me next to nothing. If it's a matter I can fix myself, I'd rather go that route.

DRCOFFEE

Two problems come to mind. The rack guide is too tight on the new rack putting too much friction on the piston or they didn't center the rack when doing the alignment.

You can check the latter by get the truck so it drives straight forward. Then stop and turn the steering wheel left until it hits the lock and count the number of times the steering wheel turns and then do the same to the right. If its symmetrical then it's in the rack. How are your ball joints by the way. A failing LBJS can cause stiff steering as well.

johnnyb588

I'll check the symmetry. Also, the LBJs look like the originals (I have only owned the truck for two years, it's at 145k miles total). Forgive me for my newbishness, please, but how can I tell if there is wear in the LBJs? They look fine and there doesn't seem to be any play, or if there is it's less than a centimeter vertically on the driver side (3mm if I had to guess).

I really want to start going beyond the simple regular maintenance with my vehicles, but I never find the time and my mechanic hardly charges me, so it's just been worth it to take it to him. This time I'd like to take care of it on my own, and there's no way I could without this place, so thanks for the help.

j2the-e

If your pump is working, you probably got a bad rack. Someone might not have set the pre-load properly on the pinion shaft. What brand is the rack? The only aftermarket reman I would recommend is mavel.

DRCOFFEE

You cant tell. That's the problem. By design they are always under tension, so they never appear to be worn. At your mileage, I would say to just replace them. Its likely not your problem with the steering since it started only after the new rack but its good maintenance to do it.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...t-failure.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...e-my-turn.html

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...ing-apart.html

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/e...ailure-191290/

just search Ball on these forums and there is plenty to read.

johnnyb588

Based on what I know of the price and supplier of the rack, it was an AAE, not a Maval. And again, I'm a newb, but wouldn't there be a way to adjust the pre-load on the rack? So, by "bad rack," I'm assuming you don't mean "broken," but rather that there is "some assembly required." Correct me if I'm wrong on that front. I've got the FSM, and in the section for reassembly of the steering gear, step 11 is "Adjust Total Preload." Is that what I should be looking for?

Thanks, I'll look into it. I've been thinking about replacing the LBJs for a while anyway.

j2the-e

Yes. Adjust total pre-load. That may not necessarily be the issue though. If they messed that up when rebuilding, what else didn't they do properly? I wouldn't open it up. If you pull it out, just get it warrantied. I've also seen aftermarket racks damage the pump. A piece of grit gets into the pressure regulator and damages the piston causing no power assist, even though the pump appears to be working. That can sometimes be remedied by removing the regulator and inspecting for any burrs or rough surface. And use some emery cloth to clean up as necessary. The regulator is where the pressure hose mounts to the pump.

johnnyb588

Thanks again, all. It looks like this could be a plethora of things, so as was originally suggested, I'll take it to my mechanic rather than spin my wheels on a fix I didn't even make in the first place. I'll try the ball joints on my own, and I'll update this thread with the culprit behind the power assist issue.

Swede

I doubt if this is your problem but I remember immediately after I did my body lift, my steering felt stiff and it wouldn't return to center. Turned out that the slip yolk by the rag joint was binding a little bit. I just loosened off the screw, turned the wheel a few times lock to lock, and it was good! Might be something to look at.

5runner

I know you said you were gonna check to see if the steering wheel was centered but i did not see you say if it was or not. the steering should be a lot tighter after replacing all that, I am leaning tord your alinement. if your caster is off it will not recenter the steering wheel after a turn,the alinement might be good but if the ball joints are bad then it will screw it up!

2Whlin

My 4Runner started having that problem, steering would not come back to center after making a turn. Turns out is was my ball joints. Only found out when after exhausting all checks and taking it to two places to have it checked out only to have the ball joint snap off on my wife as she was pulling away from the house. Needless to say the last auto shop that did an alignment missed the worn ball joints!!!! Thank GOD it did not snap while on the freeway!!

johnnyb588

UPDATE: I just finished up replacing the upper and lower bj's on the driver side, and it fixed the problem. My guess is that it was the lower that was the culprit.

Btw, the steering wheel was centered. Power steering pump was good. Rack was good. The alignment was good. Replacing the LBJ fixed the power assist issue.

One more thing, because the UBJ was such a PITA, I'm going to bring the passenger side UBJ to a shop to have it pressed out unless someone else has some bright ideas. I got the Moog Bj's, and the driver side upper took me about two hours of vising and hammering (lightly, and not too much) to press that MF-er in there. Does anyone know of an easy/cheap alternative to a shop press?

j2the-e

Try a search on google. Its called a ball joint press

johnnyb588

I'm aware of ball joint presses, but from everything I've read the UBJ's are still a bear with a manual press. That's essentially what I was accomplishing with a vise, I would think. Thanks for the suggestion, do you have a success story of a particular press?

j2the-e

The one I've used was OTC. You might be able to rent one at an auto parts store. Grease the threads and use an impact gun. Plastic dead blow hammer helps when its under tension too. Yes, its still a pain, but better than a vice.