Steering issue...

[1sam16]

Hello!
I’m having a power steering issue with my 2002 4Runner/275,000. Just replaced the power steering pump- pressure line- and the steering rack. As I’ve been driving the past few days the truck won’t steer correctly- you point it in a direction and it stays going in that direction. Thought it might be an alignment issue but I just had it in the shop and it is still driving the same. Thought the PS pump might have been defective so I bought/installed another... no change. Feels like the pump isn't sending enough pressure- I'm getting about half the steering assist I normally have with this truck. I guess the new steering rack could be defective? Have any of you had a similar problem?

Thanks for your help!

 

[2TH4IST]

Hmm odd. Have you bleed the rack? Jack up the front and slowly turn the wheels left and right with engine off. Check for air bubbles. Otherwise might be a bad rack, or bad castor on the alignment. Do you have the alignment printout?

 

[spartacus]

Wheels on the ground takes a while to bleed the system . Lifting the truck and turning lock to lock has been easier for me to bleed the air out. Front wheels camber?

 

[1sam16]

Hmm odd. Have you bleed the rack? Jack up the front and slowly turn the wheels left and right with engine off. Check for air bubbles. Otherwise might be a bad rack, or bad castor on the alignment. Do you have the alignment printout?

Camber and caster were frozen/un-adjustable by firestone but did not change when when I replaced the steering rack PS pump etc. Thanks for the advice I'll try jacking it up and moving the wheel lock to lock several times with engine off.

 

[1sam16]

Thank you- will do!

 

[GhostRing]

By those numbers, isn't your caster practically backwards?
Would that not explain the tendency to just keep tracking
on it's last trajectory rather than return-to-center?

I mean, yeah that's maybe a little exaggerated, but I'd say at least
bleed the system properly, get a sawzall, and get those cam adjusters
back under control.

 

[1sam16]

thank you- was just online looking at the process of replacing those. this truck runs great- would like to see her break 300,000

 

[GhostRing]

thank you- was just online looking at the process of replacing those. this truck runs great- would like to see her break 300,000

Also, is it lifted a bunch?
That practically-zero caster seems like a big susp. lift
without any UCA correction for the new ride height.

 

[1sam16]

2 inch lift

 

[2TH4IST]

As ghostring said, replace those cam bolts, and get it re-aligned. And possibly look into front upper arms (they are pricy) but give some correction for caster.