Another Bad Steering Rack!!

A couple years ago I had to replace the steering rack in 17 TRD OR. I had a previous post because I thought the alignment needed a better adjustment. ( https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/steering-wanders.704487/ ) but unfortunately that wasn't the case. 2000 dollars later and a new (refurbished) steering rack, she felt great! until this past month where I believe the rack is going bad AGAIN! Ive always kept the fluids good. The only way I can tell its the rack again is when you push and pull the tires side to side, you can feel the opposite tire move as well. Everything seems to be tight underneath. Ive gone over the warranty time and miles so the shop cant help. Has anyone else had this issue on these trucks? My opinion for the Tacoma is unfortunately starting to diminish.

 

The rack is a rigid system. Both spindles are connected mechanically so if one side moves at all, the other will move just as much. Unless you are driving 100,000 miles a year, you most likely have another issue causing the swaying and ultimately premature failure of the rack. Have you had an alignment lately?

 

The lack of positive caster will cause the steering rack to go bad?

 

I've had this truck aligned at 2 Toyota dealers after getting the new tires. It has felt great up until recently. I have felt the inner and outer tie rods with the truck lifted and its not them.

Yes Ive had it aligned since getting the new tires. Probly 8000 miles ago. and before that was after getting the new rack installed.

 

The fact that the whole shaft running through, where the inner tie rods are attached to the steering rack, moves when pushed on. It did the same thing before when it needed replaced.

 

Does the whole rack and pinion assembly move (like bad bushings or loose mounting bolts) or just the rack itself inside the assembly? Can you post a picture of what you are describing? The rack itself is supposed to move back and forth when pushed on from a tie rod end as long as the steering wheel is unlocked.

 

Post a picture of your alignment sheet if you have it. These trucks don't spec alot of caster so unless you toe in to the point of causing front tire edge wear it's hard to make them drive straight as an arrow, especially since they don't have electric steering to compensate for small pulls from different road crown or gentle winds

 

That's normal. If you lift your truck off the ground and grab a front wheel and turn it one way, the other side will always follow just like when you are driving. My Tacoma front wheels turn very easy when I do this.

The only way a rack is "bad" is if they leak or the bushings are shot and creating play.

To me it sounds like a simple alignment issue. Not a rack problem.

 

I'd have a good tech look this thing over, before you buy another new/rebuilt rack or declare it is DEAD.
Just because it’s doing the same thing it did before, doesn’t mean it was properly diagnosed or repaired the first time.

 

When steering racks go bad, not only do they leak but is there a feel of drag or tightness when going slow and turning? I have that issue. I see N2camshaft said "The lack of positive caster will cause the steering rack to go bad?"
I replaced my SPC (junk) uca about 3 months ago and didnt get an alignment. I figured I would wait till I get tires. Seems like it was a mistake to wait.

 

Thanks for all of the help so far. I’ll get it aligned again and post the winning scores.

 

I think what people are asking is do you have any issues with DRIVING the truck? Are there symptoms that lead you to believe you have a bad rack? There's a joke here...

 

Typically when it gets saggy, floppy or deflated is a good indication of a bad rack.

 

While I typically don’t hold a high regard (or any regard) to untrained folk’s self diagnosis,,,, this is one I will accept.

 

Yes. As a man that has had a bad rack before and is now having a saggy, deflated feel with my rubbery round things, plus a little jitter when hitting bumps and cracks in the road. I do unfortunately suspect another bad rack. BUT!!! I’ll have “professionals” suck my wallet dry once again only to diagnose the problem. If it’s the rack it can become someone else’s problem. If it’s a simple alignment sure I’ll keep it. Because it’s otherwise a nice truck other than it being white and the paint peeling off the rear doors and hood lines. The dealer is taking care of that though.

 

If you keep replacing part without first diagnosing and finding the problem, I think you will always be unhappy. Best bet swapping vehicles every 24 months like so many do these days.

 

I just have a hard time believing you got two bad racks in a row. Not saying it isn’t possible but I’m thinking either the first one wasn’t bad and you haven’t found the solution yet, or you have an underlying issue with the truck that is causing the racks to fail. What you are describing sounds more like a ball joint than a rack but definitely something in the suspension/steering system isn’t right.

My suggestion would be to take the truck to a different independent mechanic and have them diagnose the issue. Don’t tell them you already replaced the rack once. Just tell them that it feels squirrely when hitting bumps and see what they diagnose. Ask friends and family around you and see who they have used in the past as an honest mechanic.
If it is diagnosed as a bad rack, check out car-part.com and buy a used rack. They are all over around me for $200 and carry a 6 month warranty.

 

Trust me. I saw the oil pour out of the inner boot when it was removed the first time. That rack was properly bad. As I said before it has been great for a little over two years and if the caster is causing the issue then so be it, I’ll take it to a mechanic that follows my order for extra caster. If it’s the rack itself since it’s a “factory refurbished” one then so be it. If it’s a loose part that I happened to miss myself while lifting one side at a time then both, then so be it (I’m an idiot) I’m starting to think it’s an underlying issue as well and just need to spend 30k on a single owner truck. I hate it because interest rates suck right now.