Power Steering Rack Bushings

Hello!

Hoping to get some help confirming some part numbers, and validating if an issue I have is correctly diagnosed.

Issue at hand: My driver side front tire has vibrations at high speed. Typically at 60-70 mph I feel the tire almost "bouncing" a lot. I just feel a lot of vibrations from that tire and that front side of the truck. I do not feel it sent back up the steering wheel.

For context, I have replaced the lower ball joint, steering knuckle, and outer tie-rod on the front driver side. So I was shocked to feel this bouncing when on the freeway as I thought I had fixed everything that needed fixing.

After jacking up the tire and I did notice some wiggle when I moved it by hand back and forth, and it looks like its the power steering rack moving back and forth slightly. I can hear it and see it shifting back and forth when I move the tire.

My thought was that the bushings (if thats the right thing to call them) are bad, and allowing the movement. Which is then causing the bouncing I am feeling with the tire at higher speeds.

1. Does this sound like it would cause that problem?
2. Any tips on where to get OEM bushings for the power steering rack?

Thanks in advance!

 

Curious about this one.

If you know your tire is the issue, why would you go about replacing all the rest (unless they too needed replacement; but the whole knuckle???)?

1. No. The factory bushings, even when new, are pretty soft and allow for a bit of movement.
2. Toyota OEM bushings would be a good part to buy if you want to keep it OEM. Myself, and others, have had good luck with Energy Suspension components as well. Your 2006 would take part# ENS-8.10104G

On an aside - you might try to get your tire balanced first (maybe all of em). Are you positive your D/S front tire is the issue? You seem eager (or at least willing to replace parts to solve) so why not start with the known issue?

 

It doesn't sound like you fixed what needed fixing, it sounds like to me a $19.99 balance and rotate at any major chain store would've probably fixed what needed fixing, because what you just described sounds totally like a wheel balance problem (potentially tire cupping, but probably wheel balance). Did you try rotating your tires before splurging on all that extra work? At minimum, just swapping your rears to front to see if things subside?

Some play in the rack is normal. I have it too and haven't hit 80k miles total yet. But the bigger question here is: Why did you do a bunch of stuff that isn't necessarily bad, but wasn't exactly necessary either?

My advice is to stop throwing parts at the problem and fix the actual problem.