1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Steering rack failing?

Discussion in '1st Gen Tundras (2000-2006)' started by KNABORES, Sep 15, 2020.

  1. Sep 15, 2020 at 9:55 AM
    #1
    KNABORES

    KNABORES [OP] Sarcasm incoming

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2020
    Member:
    #40572
    Messages:
    8,923
    Gender:
    Male
    Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2000 Limited TRD AC 4X4 Thunder Grey 270k miles. 2019 Limited TRD CM 4x4 Cement Grey 75k miles
    2000: Bilstein 5100's 16x8 589's with 265/75/16 and 1.25" spacers Flowmaster 50 series over the axle dump Pioneer touchscreen with backup camera Full interior and dash LED conversion Trailer brake controller with 7 pin Bedliner coat bumpers & trim ARE topper 2019: ARE topper with full Bedrug kit and Vortex rack TRD shifter 1.25" wheel spacers (I like to live dangerously) Red tow hooks for that +15 grip bonus
    Getting a clunk when turning right and braking or releasing the brake while turning right. Front end is essentially new within the last 15k miles. All bushings including the steering rack and shocks are new. Wheels off the ground, left front tire is solid, right front tire has a little clunking play side to side, but solid up and down. Visual inspection with inner tie rod boot removed shows no play in the inner or outer tie rods, but the steering rack shaft clunking in and out. Is the rack shot? I'ts the original with 255k or so miles on it. I've done a complete fluid flush on it once and keep it topped off. I doubt it, but is there any kind of adjustment for this play on the right side of the steering rack? Thanks in advance.
     
  2. Sep 15, 2020 at 10:46 AM
    #2
    Cacoleman2014

    Cacoleman2014 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2018
    Member:
    #17377
    Messages:
    99
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris
    Louisiana
    Vehicle:
    2006 Tundra SR5 double cab
    I just had a lot of front end work done and mine is doing the same thing. I took it back to the shop and they couldn't figure it out, so they said. Curious to find out if anyone knows anything to check
     
  3. Sep 15, 2020 at 10:58 AM
    #3
    KNABORES

    KNABORES [OP] Sarcasm incoming

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2020
    Member:
    #40572
    Messages:
    8,923
    Gender:
    Male
    Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2000 Limited TRD AC 4X4 Thunder Grey 270k miles. 2019 Limited TRD CM 4x4 Cement Grey 75k miles
    2000: Bilstein 5100's 16x8 589's with 265/75/16 and 1.25" spacers Flowmaster 50 series over the axle dump Pioneer touchscreen with backup camera Full interior and dash LED conversion Trailer brake controller with 7 pin Bedliner coat bumpers & trim ARE topper 2019: ARE topper with full Bedrug kit and Vortex rack TRD shifter 1.25" wheel spacers (I like to live dangerously) Red tow hooks for that +15 grip bonus
    Lots of things to check. Tie rod ends, sway bar end links and frame bushings. Steering rack bushings. Upper and lower ball joints. Strut mounts and bushings. Upper and lower control arm bushings. Wheel bearings etc. All of mine seem to be fine on inspection, I can actually see the piston arm that comes out of the Steering rack clunking in and out when I rock the wheel side to side. Curious if that means it's toast.
     
  4. Sep 15, 2020 at 11:06 AM
    #4
    bmf4069

    bmf4069 Yup, that's car parts in a dishwasher

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Member:
    #18880
    Messages:
    7,273
    Gender:
    Male
    TX
    Vehicle:
    02 AC sr5 4wd v8
    Sure sounds like it to me. I'd check your sway bar links too, but I'm betting on the rack too.
     
    N84434 likes this.
  5. Sep 16, 2020 at 8:50 AM
    #5
    KNABORES

    KNABORES [OP] Sarcasm incoming

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2020
    Member:
    #40572
    Messages:
    8,923
    Gender:
    Male
    Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2000 Limited TRD AC 4X4 Thunder Grey 270k miles. 2019 Limited TRD CM 4x4 Cement Grey 75k miles
    2000: Bilstein 5100's 16x8 589's with 265/75/16 and 1.25" spacers Flowmaster 50 series over the axle dump Pioneer touchscreen with backup camera Full interior and dash LED conversion Trailer brake controller with 7 pin Bedliner coat bumpers & trim ARE topper 2019: ARE topper with full Bedrug kit and Vortex rack TRD shifter 1.25" wheel spacers (I like to live dangerously) Red tow hooks for that +15 grip bonus
    I guess my other question is, if the rack is failing, has anyone had similar symptoms prior to the fail? what did the fail look like? Just gradual decline, but continued function? total loss of power steering? The clunk, while it bothers me, I can live with if that's all it is. I'll replace it eventually.
     
  6. Sep 16, 2020 at 11:17 AM
    #6
    bmf4069

    bmf4069 Yup, that's car parts in a dishwasher

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2018
    Member:
    #18880
    Messages:
    7,273
    Gender:
    Male
    TX
    Vehicle:
    02 AC sr5 4wd v8
    You might pull the boots back and take a peek while someone else turns the wheel. Maybe something between the inner and outer came loose.
     
  7. Sep 16, 2020 at 12:11 PM
    #7
    KNABORES

    KNABORES [OP] Sarcasm incoming

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2020
    Member:
    #40572
    Messages:
    8,923
    Gender:
    Male
    Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2000 Limited TRD AC 4X4 Thunder Grey 270k miles. 2019 Limited TRD CM 4x4 Cement Grey 75k miles
    2000: Bilstein 5100's 16x8 589's with 265/75/16 and 1.25" spacers Flowmaster 50 series over the axle dump Pioneer touchscreen with backup camera Full interior and dash LED conversion Trailer brake controller with 7 pin Bedliner coat bumpers & trim ARE topper 2019: ARE topper with full Bedrug kit and Vortex rack TRD shifter 1.25" wheel spacers (I like to live dangerously) Red tow hooks for that +15 grip bonus
    I had the boot pulled back during inspection. Appears the right side has a clunk internally when the passenger wheel is rocked left to right. you can see the shaft clunking in and out slightly with movement. Inner and outer all look good with no play in them. Appears to be inside the rack..
     
  8. Sep 17, 2020 at 5:49 AM
    #8
    w666

    w666 D. None of the above

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2019
    Member:
    #40020
    Messages:
    1,269
    Gender:
    Male
    Maryland
    Vehicle:
    04 Access Cab SR5 V8 4WD
    None yet
  9. Sep 17, 2020 at 6:29 AM
    #9
    KNABORES

    KNABORES [OP] Sarcasm incoming

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2020
    Member:
    #40572
    Messages:
    8,923
    Gender:
    Male
    Arkansas
    Vehicle:
    2000 Limited TRD AC 4X4 Thunder Grey 270k miles. 2019 Limited TRD CM 4x4 Cement Grey 75k miles
    2000: Bilstein 5100's 16x8 589's with 265/75/16 and 1.25" spacers Flowmaster 50 series over the axle dump Pioneer touchscreen with backup camera Full interior and dash LED conversion Trailer brake controller with 7 pin Bedliner coat bumpers & trim ARE topper 2019: ARE topper with full Bedrug kit and Vortex rack TRD shifter 1.25" wheel spacers (I like to live dangerously) Red tow hooks for that +15 grip bonus
    Thanks, I'll check that as well. Just curious if anyone else had observed the same clunking in the rack prior to failure and what the failure ended up looking like.
     
  10. Sep 20, 2020 at 11:29 AM
    #10
    Cacoleman2014

    Cacoleman2014 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2018
    Member:
    #17377
    Messages:
    99
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Chris
    Louisiana
    Vehicle:
    2006 Tundra SR5 double cab
    Mine was leaking and I used some of the Bars stop leak. The 2 part kind. Put in a quarter of the bottle and it stopped leaking pretty quickly and it seems the noise is not near as oft but it is still present. Had sway bar bush, inner tie rod ends and ball joints replaced
     

Products Discussed in

To Top