Play in my brand new steering rack

Kmurt

Kmurt

New member
I’m still chasing an issue where my steering rack has a lot of movement in it.

I have installed a brand new OEM steering rack, OEM rag joint, OEM outer tie rods and energy suspension D-shaped bushing in the rack.

I have torqued every nut and bolt to spec and followed Timmy the toolmans video on how to replace the rack. I’m really not sure what to do at this point. Is everything supposed to be tightened with the wheels on the ground? I torqued everything with the vehicle on jack stands. Could the OEM bushings be bad already?

Here is the last thread following up to this new thread I created: https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/314862-steering-wheel-issue.html

Here is a video of my problem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=zSyax75zJnlm6Crj&v=_2HlE-UqPS4&feature=youtu.be
 
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Are you sure it's the rack that has play?
When my bushings were shot I could see the rack move back and forth when a helper turned the steering wheel back and forth.

If it's not the rack then it could be play in the steering wheel shaft.
I tack welded mine.
 
Did you take a look at my video?

It looks like all of the play is in the rack bushings judging by it is physically moving side to side but I am not an expert.
 
The rack is definitely moving. The bushings on the "through" bolts are deforming. Is it possible you got the wrong bushings?
 
grumpy02 said:
The rack is definitely moving. The bushings on the "through" bolts are deforming. Is it possible you got the wrong bushings?
Click to expand...

The only non OEM bushing on this rack is the energy suspension d-shaped bushing.

The other bushings are OEM that were installed in the rack when i got it. I couldn’t imagine Toyota would install the wrong bushings in their rack but it could be possible?!?
 
That's no bueno...
I am gonna check mine tonight, as I also have a somewhat new vague steering response issue.
I would maybe at least try to install new poly bushings on the other 2 mounts?
 
phattyduck said:
The stock bushings are pretty soft. Maybe just run all poly on the rack if it bothers you?

-Charlie
Click to expand...

Dang soft indeed..

I just checked mine - new OEM reman with Poly "U clamp" bushing only,
since I figured the other new bushings would be fine...nope.

Same amount of play. 285 Yokos on OEM wheels + 1.25" spacers.
Bolts appear to be torqued to spec.

What is the acceptable amount of movement? 5mm? 0mm? 10mm??
 
People don't realize how much harder everything works when you go up from P-rated 265's. Including the bushings. I would install the remainder of that poly kit. Stock bushings are meant to have give but this much resistance will kill them quick. Something to think about, the bushings (and steering system in general) are more stressed when you turn the wheel at a standstill than if you are rolling (If you do a fair bit of NYC parallel parking you will realize how quickly regular Dexron turns brown in that tiny system!). It's probably nowhere near as bad while moving but I'd go ahead and do the full install.
 
phattyduck said:
The stock bushings are pretty soft. Maybe just run all poly on the rack if it bothers you?

-Charlie
Click to expand...

It just doesnÂ’t seem like the rack should be moving around as much as it is unless I installed something wrong. I looked at plenty of videos of people having new bushings installed or a new rack installed and none of them seem like they have as much play as mine do.

This is also causing my steering wheel to go offset when driving after hitting a bump or braking and not returning to center until I hit another bump or brake again, pretty dangerous. This issue was why I replaced most of my steering components in the first place.
 
T4R2014 said:
People don't realize how much harder everything works when you go up from P-rated 265's. Including the bushings. I would install the remainder of that poly kit. Stock bushings are meant to have give but this much resistance will kill them quick. Something to think about, the bushings (and steering system in general) are more stressed when you turn the wheel at a standstill than if you are rolling (If you do a fair bit of NYC parallel parking you will realize how quickly regular Dexron turns brown in that tiny system!). It's probably nowhere near as bad while moving but I'd go ahead and do the full install.
Click to expand...

I am on P-rated 265s but I agree that everything works harder when at a standstill. My steering wheel will go off center when driving on any random bump or braking so it’s just a dangerous situation to be in.

I would have installed the poly bushings if I would’ve known that the OEM bushings wouldn’t be able to handle more than 5 miles of driving lol
 
GhostRing said:
Dang soft indeed..

I just checked mine - new OEM reman with Poly "U clamp" bushing only,
since I figured the other new bushings would be fine...nope.

Same amount of play. 285 Yokos on OEM wheels + 1.25" spacers.
Bolts appear to be torqued to spec.

What is the acceptable amount of movement? 5mm? 0mm? 10mm??
Click to expand...

Do you have steering that will go off center at times when hitting a bump or braking?
 
I wonder if some part got left out on that center/forward facing mount? The two mounts that go around the rack can't really hold it in place side to side, and I can't really see how that forward bushing could be that loose and let it slide back and forth that much unless it wasn missing something.
 
Kmurt said:
Do you have steering that will go off center at times when hitting a bump or braking?
Click to expand...

Yup.

If I stab the brakes, the wheel darts to the left a few degrees.
I did the shaft tack weld, so it's not that. rag joint seems good?
I am also likely due for another alignment, so that's not helping either...

I'm crossing my fingers I still have the other polys for the rack.
I'm chucking them in this week if I do. I'll report any changes after.
 
phattyduck said:
That's a suspension bushing thing most often.

-Charlie
Click to expand...

And that's what's driving me crazy!

front:
SPC arms with new UBJs
no noticeable play

whiteline poly lowers
new OEM LBJs
no noticeable play

Even brake wear on TBU

rear:
upper & lower
brand new Opt links
Whiteline poly panhard

I'm starting to wonder if the frame has a crack or something... O_o
 
GhostRing said:
Yup.

If I stab the brakes, the wheel darts to the left a few degrees.
I did the shaft tack weld, so it's not that. rag joint seems good?
I am also likely due for another alignment, so that's not helping either...

I'm crossing my fingers I still have the other polys for the rack.
I'm chucking them in this week if I do. I'll report any changes after.
Click to expand...

Same exact thing happens to me if I brake hard…

I have gotten 3 alignments in about 2 months, 1 before I installed the new rack and tie rods and 2 after the new steering rack and tie rods. My wheel is still crooked a couple degrees.

Keep me posted on the new poly bushings. I’m thinking about installing mine since the general consensus is to have them installed over OEM. Sucks because I wish I installed them while the rack was out.
 
When I replaced my sons rack with a genuine toyita one, it also had movement. I swapped out all the bushings with poly and it still had some movement. I ended up putting a shim in the D bushing and that elininated the play. Sons 4runner has 285 17 16 tires. I testing the movement in park with 4runner running turning tires back and forth. Also, his prior after market steering rack had poly bushings and no movement.
Good luck

MikeM
 
I’m starting to think that maybe the OEM bushings are really just this soft.

I drove around for about 20 min yesterday and everything feels tight, just steering wheel movement when braking hard and crooked steering wheel when driving straight.

Im gonna give it some time and maybe this is just how its supposed to be.
 
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