Dead spot in steering, BJ70 (2 Viewers)

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Feb 28, 2005
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Hey guys

I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem, My wheel is always kinda tilted to one side when I am driving straight, I felt all the links in the front end and they feel tight, she doesn't wander seems to have good alignment when I let go of the wheel it goes very straight, the steering wheel is just kind cockeyed.

How do you check oil level in the steering gear? I have felt the shaft coming out of the gear and up the the wheel, with the truck off and there is some play is that normal?

Doesn't bother me that much just would like to know if it is going ot be expensive to fix.

Thanks in advance for any help
Eric
 
Eric Winkworth said:
Hey guys

I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar problem, My wheel is always kinda tilted to one side when I am driving straight, I felt all the links in the front end and they feel tight, she doesn't wander seems to have good alignment when I let go of the wheel it goes very straight, the steering wheel is just kind cockeyed.

How do you check oil level in the steering gear? I have felt the shaft coming out of the gear and up the the wheel, with the truck off and there is some play is that normal?

Doesn't bother me that much just would like to know if it is going ot be expensive to fix.

Thanks in advance for any help
Eric


ya some play is normal.

you have to turn your relay rod to adjust the steering wheel

The relay rod is the rod that goes from the steering box pitman arm to the tre.

you lossen the clamps on the end, I actually move them way out of the way. spray some penetrating oil in the slits(you will see them). the take a pipe wrench and crank the rod till you are straight. use a friend to watch the wheel. also when you park make sure the wheels are straight. oh and the ignition needs to be on, otherwise the steering wheel won't turn.

then you have to go for a drive, and maybe make another adjustment. its kinda time consuming. I am always a little off.

make sure that when you tighten the clamps before your drive that you make sure the rod end joints are evenly in the middle of there travel.

cause you can have one all the way one way and another the other way. then the tie rods give can bind up. they should once you tighten clamps be able to rock the rod back and forth with equal travel to each side.

if you adjust the other rod it gives your toe in and toe out. A land cruiser doesn't need a front end alignment if you can do these things.

if you can't turn the rod due to rust, spray the penetrating oil in the slits and wait till morning. or use heat. I used a propane torch and oil. worked great.

what you describe it normal on the play inside the steering box. if you tighten it up it might not last very long. as long as you feel safe driving and find your imputs actually respond. then don't diddle with it.
 
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If someone could take pictures of the clamps and part you put a pipe wrench on It would be a great help
 
is the rod I need to adjust in this picture, the one out of the steering gear into the tire?
 
ya you got it. its the rod connected to the steering imput arm(pitman arm)

Its called the relay rod, one end of your stabilizer attaches to it.

I actually used large vise grips to latch on to it. but I feel a pipe wrench will give the best bite on a rusty rod.

if you follow the rod from the middle out to the ends you will see the clamps that hold it on by squeezing the ends, which are threaded. the threads are opposite so that when your turn the rod one way it lengthend the rod and the other way shortens. when you loosen the clamps pay attention to how they sit, if when reinstalling you rotate the clamp wrong it may interfer with the other rod.

also where the clamps are you will see the slits i refered to, when you tighten the clamp it forces the slits together and makes it tighter so the rod won't rotate.

so in order to get your rod to rotate after the clamps are undone might take some heat(expand it out) that will break the rust. My propane torch was enough. Also spray lots of lube. wd40 works, but watch out its flammable. but there are other good lube oils out there. Penetrating oil is the best.

you will have to work the rod back and forth to get it to move. your truck is cdn spec right? so rust is there.

if you look at the geometry of the rods, you will see why your wheel is off. when you put a lift in the relay rod is on a sharper angle, when the lift settles the angle decrease. inorder for the angle to increase and decrease the wheel has to turn. Also why your wheel jerks back and forth when compressing the springs while driving.

the steering dampener is supposed to help slow this jerky motion.

looks like in your picture you have some nice anti rust wax sprayed down there. what is it?
 
It is a mixture of about 10 different oils over the cruiser life so far. I bought it with like 6 stickers on the sliding window, a few rust check and some other no name jobbies. I also got it oiled twice, but I just cleaned some of my frame off so it kinda needs a bit again. The stuff on my axles etc looks almost like paint it is like 1/8 inch thick and oily as heck. Only thing I dislike is how everytime I touch something my hand are black, I guess it is better than seized rusted bolts though.

Thanks for all your help I will giver a try tommrow. I like the realse all stuff for penetrating oil seems to work well for me, I got a oxi acedylen tourch too, but I won't heat the heck out of it just a bit.
 
Ya don't make it glow hot. just remember the tie rod ends(TRE) are there and you don't want to cook the grease or burn the rubber. What I could do with the propane was plenty.

ya its not a hard adjustment. just remember key things,

key on( otherwise wheel won't turn,

clamps moved away off slits

lots of oil in slits

when retightening

position the rods ends so they are in the middle of there rotating travel to avoid binding.

the only thing thats gets disconnected is the clamps,

have a friend watch the wheel to make sure it straight. little movements equate to quite a bit on the wheel. lots of back and forth adjusment

re attach clamps before test drive,

multiple adjustments are often needed.

have fun!
 
Oh I did, thats so easy, glad I didn't take it to toyota. Prolly whould have cost like 200 bucks. I didn't have to heat up anything, just used some release all in the slits and clamps she came apart like she was a year or two old not, 20. LOL all that oil coat is good for not having seized bolt, I think. I used a small pipe wrech and she moved pretty easy, the fine adjustment when you get it close and are being picky is kinda tedious but only took about an hour and now its like new.

Thanks for the help Brown Bear, I apprecited it

cheers man
Eric
 
Maybe a FAQ section write up? Correcting steering wheel to center position??
 
Just makes me wonder how long the guy I bought it off was driving around with it like that.
 
i have seen the wheel off to the right when drivng on a crown in the road on the left side and tilted to the LH when driving wiht the crown of the road on the right side...
sometimes it is just the nature of the beast..
cheers
 
Ohh I know, but it is center on a flat road now, lol
 
Eric Winkworth said:
Oh I did, thats so easy, glad I didn't take it to toyota. Prolly whould have cost like 200 bucks. I didn't have to heat up anything, just used some release all in the slits and clamps she came apart like she was a year or two old not, 20. LOL all that oil coat is good for not having seized bolt, I think. I used a small pipe wrech and she moved pretty easy, the fine adjustment when you get it close and are being picky is kinda tedious but only took about an hour and now its like new.Eric

You could always go the easy way and pull the steering wheel for that final small adjustment too...save the back and forth thing...

gb
 
Had a heavy "binding" spot in my steering. During change out of CV's front drive shaft to chromoly and changing the diff ratio's we noticed the tie rod ends were due for change. Next day driving found this being the cause of the binding
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1448981033.110951.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1448981057.303823.jpg
 

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