Trying to chase down knocking/rattling emanating from my steering while traveling on rocky off road trails in my 2012 (5th gen with 112,000 miles on it).
Ruled out the following:
•Upper control arms (Bushings/Uniballs) - Recently replaced with aftermarket Icon UCAs
•Lower control arms (Bushings/Ball joints) - Recently replaced with brand new OEM LCAs after ball joints looked bad
•Coilover Shock (Bushings) - Everything is nice and snug
•Swaybar (Bushings) - Everything is nice and snug
•Steering Column - Checked to ensure that the steering column and steering intermediate shaft were snug together
Now I’m starting to think it could be the steering rack bushings. Popped off the front skid and grabbed this video of the unit moving while the wheels were turning. I know there should be SOME movement but no idea if this amount of play is normal. Also, when grabbing the intermediate steering shaft and moving it there is some play that produces a very slight audible click.
Hoping someone out there has tackled a similar problem. As there only seem to be threads where folks replaced their whole steering rack. Thoughts?
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'12 Silver 4Runner SR5: 14+ facelift, CBI front, CBI Rear, Warn EVO 10-S, ARB Snorkel, Baja Designs 30" S8, Squadron Sports, S2 Rack Lights, King 2.5 Suspension, OME 899, 33" Cooper ST Maxx, Full CBI Skids, Metaltech Sliders, GFC Tent, ARB Awning
On a side note the 4th gen racks are very different than the 5th gens surprisingly. However, it appears FJ Cruisers use a very similar unit. Apparently, the easiest way to get the steering rack out is by removing the front differential.
It's hard to tell from the video, but as someone who spent MONTHS chasing a front end clunk, I can tell you that the steering rack moves quite a bit on these trucks. In my case, it wasn't the source of my knocking. I would check your lower control arm bolts first and secondly your skid plate bolts. Hopefully, your case is that simple.
On a side note the 4th gen racks are very different than the 5th gens surprisingly. However, it appears FJ Cruisers use a very similar unit. Apparently, the easiest way to get the steering rack out is by removing the front differential.
There has to be someone on here that has done it themselves?
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What did you find was different between the 4th and 5th racks? I also have Gx470 (4th gen) that needs a new rack and components and I'm curious if I can buy 5th gen parts as an upgrade over what came stock.
It's hard to tell from the video, but as someone who spent MONTHS chasing a front end clunk, I can tell you that the steering rack moves quite a bit on these trucks. In my case, it wasn't the source of my knocking. I would check your lower control arm bolts first and secondly your skid plate bolts. Hopefully, your case is that simple.
It's not coming from my LCAs. I recently installed brand new ones with brand new bushings and ball joints. My skid plates are not the culprit either. Although, they make their own noise when the frame flexes.
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'12 Silver 4Runner SR5: 14+ facelift, CBI front, CBI Rear, Warn EVO 10-S, ARB Snorkel, Baja Designs 30" S8, Squadron Sports, S2 Rack Lights, King 2.5 Suspension, OME 899, 33" Cooper ST Maxx, Full CBI Skids, Metaltech Sliders, GFC Tent, ARB Awning
What did you find was different between the 4th and 5th racks? I also have Gx470 (4th gen) that needs a new rack and components and I'm curious if I can buy 5th gen parts as an upgrade over what came stock.
Thanks!
The mounting locations are different between the generations. I've attached the steering rack for a 5th gen to this message. It will definitely not fit in a 4th gen.
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'12 Silver 4Runner SR5: 14+ facelift, CBI front, CBI Rear, Warn EVO 10-S, ARB Snorkel, Baja Designs 30" S8, Squadron Sports, S2 Rack Lights, King 2.5 Suspension, OME 899, 33" Cooper ST Maxx, Full CBI Skids, Metaltech Sliders, GFC Tent, ARB Awning
Before going after the steering rack, I would look elsewhere besides the front end. I know lots of people have had "front end" clunks that ended up being rear control arms, sway bar mounts, etc.
Before going after the steering rack, I would look elsewhere besides the front end. I know lots of people have had "front end" clunks that ended up being rear control arms, sway bar mounts, etc.
Totally a fair point. What I recently thought was a front end clunk turned out to be my driveshaft making contact with my fuel tank skid plate with the suspension fully flexed out. However, in this case I can feel the clunk in my steering wheel on top of hearing it. I may try to replace the swaybar end links + bushings before that just for the hell of it though. At that point I would have pretty much replaced all my front suspension components with newer parts.
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'12 Silver 4Runner SR5: 14+ facelift, CBI front, CBI Rear, Warn EVO 10-S, ARB Snorkel, Baja Designs 30" S8, Squadron Sports, S2 Rack Lights, King 2.5 Suspension, OME 899, 33" Cooper ST Maxx, Full CBI Skids, Metaltech Sliders, GFC Tent, ARB Awning
I'm going to follow this thread closely. I've got what feels like a very slight clunk/wobble/loose feeling on the front driver's side when hitting some bumps and on rough dirt roads. This feeling/sound is noticeably amplified when aired down. 2010 w/ ~138k miles.
I've had this noise for a little while now, and it seems to be getting worse, albeit gradually (could be that it's just getting on my nerves). I've done the following within the past 8k miles and it's still present...
Toytech BOSS Performance 2.5in coilovers
SPC UCA's
New CV shafts
New wheel bearings
Pulled off my front sway bar (to eliminate bad bushings or endlinks)
Checked torque on every nut/bolt connected to any suspension component
I was just researching LCA options and I'm worried after seeing your issue still persists with new LCA's. I have not checked anything in the rear, but I suppose I could. My issue sure really feels like front driver's side.
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2010 Limited - Toytec BOSS Performance 2.5 series Front / 2.0 Remote Reservoir Rear - SPC UCA's - Nitto RG 285/75R17 - 1.25 Spidertrax - 17in Tundra Split 5-Spoke - BMC - A lot of bumper cutting
Totally a fair point. What I recently thought was a front end clunk turned out to be my driveshaft making contact with my fuel tank skid plate with the suspension fully flexed out. However, in this case I can feel the clunk in my steering wheel on top of hearing it. I may try to replace the swaybar end links + bushings before that just for the hell of it though. At that point I would have pretty much replaced all my front steering components with newer parts.
Time to strap a camera near the steering rack to see what it does in the real world.
Totally a fair point. What I recently thought was a front end clunk turned out to be my driveshaft making contact with my fuel tank skid plate with the suspension fully flexed out. However, in this case I can feel the clunk in my steering wheel on top of hearing it. I may try to replace the swaybar end links + bushings before that just for the hell of it though. At that point I would have pretty much replaced all my front steering components with newer parts.
I posted on a different thread earlier this week; I was able to hear and feel a "errt" noise from my front end while turning at low speeds. I cleaned the steering colum/shaft where it penetrates the firewall and greased it aswell. I haven't herd the noise since.
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2010 SR5 Blizz Pearl- Borla cat back, Firestone ride rite, Huskyliners, Afe Cai, Urd MAF, Gobi stealth with ladder, 5100s, icon 2" rear, toytec 1.6" front, TC UCA, HAF custom sliders, hand hold light mod, Led interior, stock rims and BFG KO2 265/70 C, Arb CKMA12- slider tanks w/ couplers, BD S8 10", opt7 40", BD dome light led in rear hatch
What I found while searching a front end clunck was the LCA bolts. Doing some work, I found that by torturing the LCA bolts at full droop caused a clunk upon stopping, starting, turning. By torturing the bolts at a loaded position resolved this clunck. Something worth looking at.
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2020 Tundra Limited Crew Max 4X4 - Tundra Build
2014 4Runner TE - rochmpr Build - SOLD
What I found while searching a front end clunck was the LCA bolts. Doing some work, I found that by torturing the LCA bolts at full droop caused a clunk upon stopping, starting, turning. By torturing the bolts at a loaded position resolved this clunck. Something worth looking at.
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Thanks, it was one of the first things I checked. I literally just replaced the LCAs entirely about 1.5 months ago. Made sure they were torqued to spec even after I got an alignment. Everything was nice and snug.
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'12 Silver 4Runner SR5: 14+ facelift, CBI front, CBI Rear, Warn EVO 10-S, ARB Snorkel, Baja Designs 30" S8, Squadron Sports, S2 Rack Lights, King 2.5 Suspension, OME 899, 33" Cooper ST Maxx, Full CBI Skids, Metaltech Sliders, GFC Tent, ARB Awning
I'm going to try a couple of other things before I yank out the steering rack. Hoping that this problem will never produce a catastrophic failure when I'm out in middle of nowhere on a trail that a tow truck couldn't get to
On a side note I ran into this video that our boy Max Powell made of replacing his steering rack on his 3rd Gen Tacoma. Their setup looks extremely similar to ours:
Steps for Removing the Steering Rack
1. Unbolt tie rod ends
2. Remove inner tie rods (Probably makes sense to remove the outer tie rods ends first)
3. Unbolt and remove intermediate steering shaft
3. Unbolt front differential brackets
4. Remove oil filter
5. Loosen steering rack mounting bolts
6. Cut and remove steering rack mounting bolts from the top
7. Unplug hi pressure and low pressure steering pump lines
8. Drain fluid
9. Remove rack from the passenger side
Reverse steps above to install the new rack
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'12 Silver 4Runner SR5: 14+ facelift, CBI front, CBI Rear, Warn EVO 10-S, ARB Snorkel, Baja Designs 30" S8, Squadron Sports, S2 Rack Lights, King 2.5 Suspension, OME 899, 33" Cooper ST Maxx, Full CBI Skids, Metaltech Sliders, GFC Tent, ARB Awning
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