Stiff steering after body lift

[Maximilian55]

I just put on the Toytec 1” body lift, now it’s hard to steer. I was kinda rough getting the 1” spacer in for the steering shaft. Didn’t rotate the wheel, was really only rough pushing the upper part of the shaft front and back to squeeze the spacer in.

Couldn’t find anything on the search function. But any help would be appreciated

 

[mtbtim]

You bound up your steering shaft when installing the spacer. Loosen the pinch bolt on the upper half of the rag joint and that will most likely loosen the steering. I'm guessing you tightened the pinch bolt first and then joined the two halves with the two bolts. If there was the slightest gap between the two halves, when you tightened the bolts, you pulled tension on the steering shaft making it feel stiffer. By releasing the upper pinch, the rag joint should be able to slide down the tiny fraction it needs to take tension off the shaft.

 

[dogtail]

Yup same thing happened to me when I put my Toytec 1 inch lift in. Like [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] said, adjust the steering shaft with the pinch bolt. Although I had downward pressure on the rack with mine instead of gap. So either way, too loose with gap, or too tight, it will bind. Get it just right.

 

[mtbtim]

Hey OP, did loosening the pinch bolt to take pressure off the steering shaft work? Inquiring minds would like to know. After reading your post again. I think maybe you didn't bind up the steering shaft in the fashion I mentioned. By having to force the puck in between the rag joint, you might be putting undo pressure in a different way on that steering joint. Instead of pulling tension on the shaft, you are pushing tension on that steering joint binding up the smooth operation of the steering. You might have to separate the rag joint halves again, free up the upper half of the rag joint on the shaft to get it to travel up higher on the shaft, reinstall the spacer, tighten the two halves back together and then finally tighten the upper pinch bolt. Without a doubt though, your steering issue is related to pulling or pushing tension on that steering shaft u-joint.

 

[Maximilian55]

I loosened the pinch bolt a bit and then tightened it a bit. Steering seems fine! I only drove it a few hundred feet (lower panhard bolt just has a spare bolt wedged in there). I’ll get the rear end buttoned up this weekend and take her for a rip