Alignment/or not after steering rack bushing install

[wemslie97]

I just put new poly bushings in my steering rack (huge PITA and almost as bad as starter contacts mostly because of my inferior tool collection or lack thereof) and noticed that the steering wheel went from almost perfectly straight to about an inch to the left cruising straight at 40mph. The driver side and Center bushings were pretty worn but the passenger side wasn't bad. Seems to track ok. searched on this topic and found conflicting opinions as to whether an alignment is needed. Also, from what I have gathered there is no rear wheel alignment on these trucks so it would be just the front? Toyota seems to like to call it a 4 wheel alignment. Ha! just looking for a few opinions from those in the know.
Thanks

 

[JayRolla]

I just put new poly bushings in my steering rack (huge PITA and almost as bad as starter contacts mostly because of my inferior tool collection or lack thereof) and noticed that the steering wheel went from almost perfectly straight to about an inch to the left cruising straight at 40mph. The driver side and Center bushings were pretty worn but the passenger side wasn't bad. Seems to track ok. searched on this topic and found conflicting opinions as to whether an alignment is needed. Also, from what I have gathered there is no rear wheel alignment on these trucks so it would be just the front? Toyota seems to like to call it a 4 wheel alignment. Ha! just looking for a few opinions from those in the know.
Thanks

You dont really need alignment. You wheels are aligned and still will drive the way before the rack work but your rack is not fully centered. Its off a spline or two which is not bad. If its way off you can break the clockspring and is a super PITA to install.

To get the wheel back to straight you can get it aligned and they will compensate with the tie rods to straighten the wheel.

 

[phattyduck]

Did you unhook the steering rag joint to install the bushings? If so, you need to get it back on the correct splines and your alignment should be fine. As JayRolla said, you shouldn't be any worse off than you were before the bushing install unless you moved something other than just the rack on and off the mounts.

Make sure your 'lock-to-lock' turning is centered (wheel turns the same amount in each direction from center and your turn signal cancel is centered) and get a front alignment if you are worried... it should be <$100.

-Charlie

 

[mtbtim]

I just put new poly bushings in my steering rack (huge PITA and almost as bad as starter contacts mostly because of my inferior tool collection or lack thereof) and noticed that the steering wheel went from almost perfectly straight to about an inch to the left cruising straight at 40mph. The driver side and Center bushings were pretty worn but the passenger side wasn't bad. Seems to track ok. searched on this topic and found conflicting opinions as to whether an alignment is needed. Also, from what I have gathered there is no rear wheel alignment on these trucks so it would be just the front? Toyota seems to like to call it a 4 wheel alignment. Ha! just looking for a few opinions from those in the know.
Thanks

Hey Bill, I'm guessing you forgot the step of locking the steering wheel before starting the job? If the steering wheel was locked, it should be in the same position after you're done with the job. If you did have the steering wheel locked, you're bushings must have been pretty wasted then. Like the other guys said, an alignment shop can re-center it for you by adjusting the outer tie rods.

 

[wemslie97]

Hey Bill, I'm guessing you forgot the step of locking the steering wheel before starting the job? If the steering wheel was locked, it should be in the same position after you're done with the job. If you did have the steering wheel locked, you're bushings must have been pretty wasted then. Like the other guys said, an alignment shop can re-center it for you by adjusting the outer tie rods.

thanks for all the replies. when you mentioned the steering lock a light bulb went off in my head! I did forget to do that and when I was pulling for all my life to loosen one of the nuts I grabbed the tire for leverage and it moved about an inch! I didn't touch the steering shaft or take the wheels off or the tie rod end or the sway bar for that matter. Bingo! thanks so much! When I started it up for the test ride I thought, hmm, the steering is locked?! must have inadvertently locked it while pushing on the tire.

 

[wemslie97]

boy am I glad that one little thing I forgot didn't turn into something big and bad! I'm a bit of a novice at this and I've done more to my 4Runner than any other vehicle I've owned. Off to the alignment shop I go because in the end I think I'm too anal to drive it with that wonky steering wheel staring at me. thanks again. The people on this forum is AWESOME!!