play in the wheel, did a search and I have some more specific (?) questions.
- you'll have to bear with me, I'm mechanically inclined but don't know much about the steering system

is there an idler arm on the 2wd?
if so, can "normal" checking be done (lift up front, move wheel, check for play)

is there any other technique to check the bearings out? it's an 87 with 95K on it, so that may be part of the issue.

SloPoke posted links to exploded views of a 4wd front suspension, anyone have 2wd?

 

Yes there is an idler arm, tho smaller than the 4x4.

some normal checking can be done, of course

Some of the play may be in the actual steering gear. DO you have PS or MAnual steering?

 

it's power, i know this because it leaks...

that's what has me wanting to look further in to this. if I'm going to have to work on it, might as well do it all at once

 

ok, here we go

there's a leak, no doubt about it, but what is the part that the shaft from the steering column goes into? the idler arm is connected to the bottom of it.

the steering parts are labeled (toYODA). what's with that?

also, how do you generally check for a rear main leak? I can't tell if all the crud on the oil pan cover and the auto trans bottom cover is from the power steering leak (which appears to be pretty bad itself) or if there's a more serious problem there

 

The idler arm is on the right side of the frame. The arm on the bottom of the steering gear is called the Pitman arm. The idler arm stabilizes the right side of the drag link in an IFS (either 2 or 4 wheel drive) system. Idler arms dont have fluid in them, and neither do the pitman arms. Just grease.

Parts are labeled toYODA because the founder of Toyota was Kiichiro Toyoda. The D was changed to a T for marketability i believe.

All the oil on the oil pan and trans cover shouldn't be from the power steering, because none of the power steering components come near them. You'd be able to tell if it was only the power steering, cause it would be leaking all down the front of the head where the pump attaches.

Most likely, the half moon on the rear of the valve cover gasket is leaking. They are prone to that, especailly if not installed correctly. Only other way to check for a leaking rear main is to pull the trans off and inspect the seal.

 

thanks for youe help, I do appreciate it

so the gearbox I have deduced (using my budding intellect) is what's leaking. this isn't too bad because it also seems to be the cause of the play in the wheel, so it needs to be replaced anyway

and what I meant by the power steering leak resulting in the rest of the gunk is the blowback from driving. stuff leaking up front has a tendency to end up running backwards. I had a ford that leaked religiously so that concept isn't new to me

but I think you're right about the rear leak...just irritates me because I just had back surgery so pulling the tranny by my lonesome (or even with a bud) isn't an option. so I'm looking at about 200 for the gearbox and 400 for the rear main fix.....and I thought buying this truck was a deal.