Steering Rack Question

[Super Doody]

When off roading, I notice small amount of play in the steering linkage and noise when I'm moving over pot holes and medium size rocks at a constant speed. It happends when I"m trying to hold the steering wheel straight as I'm moving over pot holes and medium size rocks. Is this normal? Its fine when its on the road.

Also, I'm also 98% sure this is normal but you're suppose to get some speeage of steering fluid from the steering pump resovior?

Thanks

 

[erin]

Most likely, it is your steering bushings on the rack. It is fairly common, mine did it pretty quickly. It seems the more you run rough roads, especially at more then a crawl, the quicker they get worn out. Polyperformance sells a polyurethane kit to replace the factory bushings for like 25-30$, well worth it, and pretty simple install also.

 

[Super Doody]

Most likely, it is your steering bushings on the rack. It is fairly common, mine did it pretty quickly. It seems the more you run rough roads, especially at more then a crawl, the quicker they get worn out. Polyperformance sells a polyurethane kit to replace the factory bushings for like 25-30$, well worth it, and pretty simple install also.

Just replacement with poly bushing couple months ago. Everything is torque to spec too.

 

[p1michaud]

Steering column spline

When off roading, I notice small amount of play in the steering linkage and noise when I'm moving over pot holes and medium size rocks at a constant speed. It happends when I"m trying to hold the steering wheel straight as I'm moving over pot holes and medium size rocks. Is this normal? Its fine when its on the road.

Also, I'm also 98% sure this is normal but you're suppose to get some speeage of steering fluid from the steering pump resovior?

Thanks

I've notice some small noises as well. I have also repalced the steering rack bushings with polyurethane ones. The noise is still present. It could be your upper steering shaft in the steering column. They have a slip yoke to allow for airbag compression.

There is a thread on TTORA about it: "Clunking steering column/shaft?".

Edit: Found some pictures of the repair some folks have done. Steering Column Fix. There seems to be two repair options: weld or roll pin. I'd think long and hard about doing this because you are dissabling/imparing a safety feature of the vehicle.
For now, I'm living with the noise.

Cheers :beer:,
P

 

[erin]

I have heard about the column noise, but have never experienced it first hand, well only when the bushings were bad, but after replacement, no noise.

 

[CYi5]

Not sure about the steering rack besides replacing with poly, but as far as the reservoir goes, every tacoma I've seen has that seepage (including mine).

 

[Bighead]

Not sure about the steering rack besides replacing with poly, but as far as the reservoir goes, every tacoma I've seen has that seepage (including mine).

At one point I thought I would have to replace or rebuild my reservoir but now that I have a power steering cooler my seepage has stopped. I also wonder if having syn fluid in there helped at all.