Hi, need some help because my local mechanic is not finding or fixing the problem. They just replaced my rack and pinion, which has sorted out the heavy steering and sluggish response etc. but since getting it back I have had to return it so they could re-enter the steering wheel and do another alignment because it was pulling to the right. After I picked it up I pulled into a parking space at a hard right lock and heard a big clunk in the front end which I also felt through the steering wheel. Leaving the shop and heading back home, my steering wheel was uncentered again and the car was pulling to the right again. Brought it home and did several hard left, then hard right turns. About every 3 times I did a hard right turn I would hear and feel the large clunk again. I rang the mechanic and they said bring it in for another alignment. Funnily enough, driving out there the steering wheel had centred itself again and the car wasn't pulling to the right. I waited while they did another alignment and tried to figure out the clunking noise, which they were unable to duplicate. Gave the car back to me and the steering wheel is nice and straight and there is no pulling. I stop for some groceries and park the car. Leaving the carpark I make a left turn into the road and the steering wheel doesn't centre itself again, it's over an inch turned to the left……I pull into a carpark and make some sharp left and right turns then pull back onto the main road. Steering wheel is still off centre. When I get home I purposely make a full lock right turn to park and "clunk"…..gosh darn it!! It doesn't make the noise on every hard right turn, probably 50% of the time and it is only at slow speeds when I am parking or doing a real slow right turn.

I am dumbfounded and sick or taking it in for alignments! Has anyone experienced this? It all started after having the rack and pinion replaced, what could they have messed up?

Any help would be hugely appreciated. Cheers

Driving a 2000 Limited 4Runner 133K

Lower control arm bushings or cam bolts are not tight enough. If the cam bolts were seized up and they used a torch to heat it all up so they can loosen them to do the alignment they could have melted the bushings. Or there isn't enough toque on the bolts after the alinment is done. You can't really recreate it by hand. To see some looseness, it needs to be on the lift. You stick a crow bar between the frame and where the lower control arm bolt up. It takes a lots effort. On mine I could tighten them with basic hand tools in my driveway. But the sound always came back eventually. Finally had my mechanic use an impact on the bolts. The alignment guys usually just hand tighten, and I don't think they put enough torque on it. The impact might be too much, but no noise now.



Also, look at the steering stops. The metal on metal contact sometimes gives a clunk as you turn back out. Dab a little grease on them. You might need to do it again if the noise comes back.