Been awhile since my last post.

Anyhow lately I've been noticing my alignment never seems to be consistent, 1 minute it seems to track perfect, the next slightly off. I chalked this up to road conditions, tire pressure, etc...

Yesterday I decided to cruise up in the mountains, immediately when I hit rough road I could hear a clunking. I couldn't really feel it in the steering wheel. Today I got underneath, jacked it up, checked the ball joints, they seemed ok. No real slop to be seen. It was then when I was pushing pulling the tires all over, I heard a clunk come from my steering, it was pretty visable.

Upon closer inspection this part of my idler seems to be sloppy.

*image courtesy of a member here, found while searching* **EDIT** This is not my idler, a pic of a member who posted it here a year back or so. ***

The stud that comes out, I can grab and move it with my hands. I replaced this some years back, but this idler has maybe 3k miles on it at most. It's a $60 Napa jobby. I have my old OEM idler still, and that stud is solid as a rock, its where the bushings are that are sloppy on my old one.

My questions are, should I be able to move that piece? If not can that really be responsible for my steering like that? When my old idler got all sloppy, I don't remember it really effecting the steering.

 

I don't see a cotter pin through that crown nut - you sure it's not just coming loose?

If it's actually the stud loose in the arm, then get a set of bushings from the dealer and put them in the original arm, and use that.

 

just to clear something up, you only put 3,00 miles on this in 3 years?

Yes your right that boot should be flush with the relay rod. When you move it does the nut side also move with it? if so, might just need tightening up. if not the the joint is bad. Does the napa one have a lifetime warranty on it? if not get the one from autzone, search for the part number as there is one that work with the sdori brass bushings. get the one with that part number instead of the one listed for your truck.

edit: dang walker beat me to it. The reason why I mentioned the nut is because I also didn't notice the cotter pin.

 

Looks like the cotter is still in there. It's rust colored.

 

i dont think the pic is an actual pic of his idler. hence the note below it..

 

Oh yeah. I see it now. Strange that even a cheap idler would fail like that after 3000 miles...

 

Yeah, thats not mine, mine has the cotter through it, and is fastened down properly. Thats just the piece thats loose on mine. I bought the idler back in 2006, and it maybe has 3k miles on it. I don't drive this thing much at all. I share my wifes 05' camry, gets much better mileage. This is just for family trips where I don't wanna take the camry.

Any how, that peice is all I'm talking about. That is NOT mine, it's just the stud come out of there on mine is loose. I can grab the stud push it in and shake it around. Not easy, but without much force it does wobble around. I'm just wondering if that is normal? and can it be responsible for the some what loose steering.

 

Suggest just get the bushings from the dealer & use the original. Changing them is easy.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...er-arm-179554/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...number-200635/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f128...ld-how-144151/
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/maintenance/idler/
http://www.off-road.com/trucks4x4/ar....jsp?id=300937

 

Thats what I was planning, although hopefully the old one isn't rusted out inside. 4Runner is from the rust belt, and its starting to show in some spots.

 

http://www.kbs-coatings.com/Prep-Products_c_1-1-0.html