Front end looseness

C

cencyc

New member
I've started looking at buying a late 3rd gen 4Runner. I have test driven a few and have noticed a front end looseness in about 50% of them (mostly 2001/2002s). Driving down the highway, the front end likes to drift a bit and is slow to respond to the steering wheel. I have come across postings about the ball joint service bulletin, but I did not find enough detail to pinpoint this as the issue (though the symptom and problem are commonly related).

Oddly enough, the T4Rs that have driven poorly appear to be in great shape otherwise (clean, no body damage, no big leaks), which makes me think there is a design problem, not a maintenance/abuse issue.

I'm not expecting the T4R to handle like my Accord, but I do expect it to be stable at highway speeds. I've had my share of 4WDs (from a '77 Bronco to an '07 4Runner), so I don't think it is a "that's just the way 4 wheel drives are so deal with it".

Anyone have experience with this issue? What was the solution?
 
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deff. check the rack. mine is shot, and it handles like crap on bumpy rds at high speeds. it likes to wander alot. i just cant affort the 800 to replace it right now. another thing is cheap tires, before i got my all terrains, my sister had crappy tires on it and wen i was goin fast it would vibrate real bad.
 
Seems to me a lot of the front end play threads end up being steering rack bushings or inner tie rod ends that are worn out.
 
Thanks for all the information.

Both of the recent 'wanderers' were 01/02 with low miles and in great shape otherwise. I inspected the underside, looking for rust/leaks/damage, and did not see anything serious, but I also did not focus on the steering rack. I'll now add that one to my list of things to look out for.
 
notrayray said:
Seems to me a lot of the front end play threads end up being steering rack bushings or inner tie rod ends that are worn out.
Click to expand...

x2 on the steering rack bushings. Poly bushings make a big difference in steering response and you can do it yourself with simple hand tools and a torque wrench. The rubber bushings just get worn out and make it feel too soft
 
An additional problem that is relatively common is a broken front sway bar link... I've seen broken ones on a lot of 3rd gen runners... for some reason, they tend to eat them up.
 
I'm having this same problem along with a steering wheel wobble. So I ordered the poly bushings last night. So we'll see what happens..
 
bootown said:
No real answer for you but....
The ball joint recall was for 2001 and 2002 4runners only.
Inspect the rack and pinion for leaks. So far I am 5 for 5 with a leaking rack and pinion for the 4runners I have looked at.
Click to expand...


My rack has a small tear in one of the boots, and it's leaking as well. Although it would be leaking even if it wasn't torn..it would just be leaking inside the boot. I'm pretty stable at highway speed, but I notice the looseness in the steering when I'm offroad. You feel the wheels do something, and then there is a delay/looseness before the steering wheel does the same thing.
 
So far mine has been:

Steering rack bushings

Inner tie rod pass side

Steering rack itself .. ended up tightening up the guide to get rid of the play internally.


Steering rack bushings you can usually tell if you crank the wheel to full lock and watch the rack through the wheel well. As you reach full lock you can see the rack flex if the bushings are shot.

Tie rods are a bit harder as its easier if its in the air and you can "wiggle" the tire. You may be able to check it in a similar method to the rack.
 
durrell said:
I'm having this same problem along with a steering wheel wobble. So I ordered the poly bushings last night. So we'll see what happens..
Click to expand...
The wobble is likely caused by your Kum-hos. I had a set. The dealer could not balance them. They try new kumhos and still could not. Finally put on a set of Toyos and problem solved. Basically Kum-hos aren't as round as most tires.
 
BTO said:
The wobble is likely caused by your Kum-hos. I had a set. The dealer could not balance them. They try new kumhos and still could not. Finally put on a set of Toyos and problem solved. Basically Kum-hos aren't as round as most tires.
Click to expand...

That has been a small concern, but they actually made the problem better than it was. I had some older Goodyear Wranglers and they wobbled horribly. The Kumhos seem to have almost fixed the issue, but there's still some looseness and the occasional wobble. This is my second set of these tires and the first set balanced fine. :shrug:
 
Bootown - Where can i go to find more info on the 01-02 ball joint recall? I saw this mentioned on another thread and I called a local toyota dealership. They told me there were NO recalls for my vehicle. I have an 01 SR5 4WD. He directed me to the official toyota website to research, and I couldn't find anything there as well...specific to my vehicle.:thanks:
 
Stick Figure said:
So far mine has been:

Steering rack bushings

Inner tie rod pass side

Steering rack itself .. ended up tightening up the guide to get rid of the play internally.


Steering rack bushings you can usually tell if you crank the wheel to full lock and watch the rack through the wheel well. As you reach full lock you can see the rack flex if the bushings are shot.

Tie rods are a bit harder as its easier if its in the air and you can "wiggle" the tire. You may be able to check it in a similar method to the rack.
Click to expand...

Can you explain "tightening the guide"?

I would appreciate it. I installed new poly bushings and it did help, but the wander is still there, although it is better.

Thanks
 
Hey, sorry for bringing back a dead thread, but I have a few questions related to this.

I have a 97 4Runner and I noticed the steering wheel vibrates when at highway speeds. I took it in for an alignment and balance after I bought it in August. It was running a little smoother for a couple of months, and then I took it back again because I noticed it was back.

The guys at the tire shop (Big O) said that the rack and pinion is leaking and needs to be replaced. They quoted me well over $1k for it.

I haven't taken it to my regular mechanic, who is actually honest and affordable (I can tell because I have mechanics in my family, but that doesn't help me when I'm halfway across the country from them).

So, my questions are as follows.

How long can I drive it like this before doing significant damage to other components or perhaps even making it too dangerous to drive? My relatives don't work on Toyotas, and said it can really vary from car to car.

Also, is that quote sky high? I looked at the parts and the labor and it really didn't seem like $1200 was what I came up with.

Thanks in advance!
 
Reman racks are $2-400 depending on area, brand and availability. It's about a 1/2 day driveway job if you have your own tools, or ~$3-350 labor to pay an average shop.
 
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