Possible steering issue question

Hey guys, im not much on mechanic-ing so bear with me. Ive got a ‘21 tundra and lately ive noticed my steering doesnt feel quite right. Small bumps are noticeably felt in the steering wheel and almost feel like a pop or click at times going over small bumps. Theres no play in the wheel tho. Is this normal or does it sound like a possible issue?

 

Mine doesn't do this. Has your rack been inspected or changed on account of the recall? My first quess would be the rack has been changed and not properly installed.

 

I havent taken it in for a recall i was only aware of a recall for the headlight issue

 

Lots of things could produce this. Ball joints, tie rod ends, LCA or UCA bushings. Yours being a 21 with an active steering rack recall, I would bet on steering rack. Good luck with this.

 

Unless yours is a later 21 build you probably aren't affected by the recall. You would have heard about it if you were.

 

Tracks straight yea. Tire pressure 37 all around. Maybe thats the issue ill let some out and see

 

Yea mines like a 8/20 build i think

 

I believe you're good for the PS rack recall unless you happened to have your rack replaced during the last 4 months of 2021.

I don't believe the PS rack and headlight recall overlapped.

Your symptoms sound like a steering rack that has become loose.

 

Shouldn't be. I'm running 37 ft and 40 rear and other than feeling a toothpick on the road all is well.

 

Take it in and let the dealer look at it. You’ll most likely get the “I don’t feel it” response so make the mechanic drive with you to point it out.

 

Check your lug nuts.

 

Advice above is good, check air pressure, lugs and you may need alignment. Oddly my Tundra has felt firmer/rougher when alignment was off.
Air pressure in the tires raises with ambient temp, so your tire pressure could be much higher than needed now that the weather is warmer and you will feel that in steering and bumps.

 

Thanks for responses guys. Dropped the tire pressure a bit and that seems to have solved my issue

 

I would still be interested in what was making the popping or clicking sound. The lower air pressure may have softened the ride a bit and made the popping go away, but what was the noise?

 

Yea i may hav the mechanic up the road double check everything in the next day or so and be sure theres not an issue

 

Intermediate steering shaft.

 

I had a similar issue with my steering a while back. Clicking and knocking when turning or going over small bumps. I took it into Toyota and they said it was my alignment cam tabs on the lower control arm. Some how they bent at this was allowing the lower control arm to shift.

I ended up having a shop weld in some metal tabs to give the cam tabs strength. It fixed the problem. I believe Total Chaos makes a product that also fixes this.

 

Do u know what that product is called?

 

Yeah it's called Total Chaos Chamber Gussets. You can also get a local welder to fab something up for cheap.