LC200 Power Steering vs Tundra/Sequoia (1 Viewer)

[BlueReaperX]

First post here but I've been a long time lurker and this forum has helped me a bunch on my other projects.

I'm very familiar with the Tundra and Sequoia platforms. I have a 2007 regular cab (twin turbo), 2013 crew max, 2009 Sequoia and a 3UR swapped GT86.

I just purchased a brand new 2019 Land Cruiser and off the bat everything seems familiar except for one thing.

Between the Sequoia and the other two Tundras I own, the Sequoia has the lightest steering between them all. I would even say it's too light. However the Tundra's steering weight is just perfect. On the other hand, the LC's steering wheel takes at least 50% more effort to turn than the Tundra.

Doing U-turns in this thing is not enjoyable to say the least. You would think it would get easier at higher speeds but driving on the highway for over 3 hours with cross wind is fatiguing. I'm planning for my wife to drive the truck eventually and she really liked how the Sequoia steering wheel felt.

Driving any of my other trucks after the LC feels like I'm steering on ice (my RC even has 305s on the front) and I really wish I was exaggerating. Don't get me wrong, it's not like there is anything wrong with it, it's just too stiff as if the power steering pump isn't giving much effort and the whole weight of the truck is on the front two wheels.

I've driven an LX570 and a friend's 2016 LC200 and they all steer the same so it's not a mechanical issue.

For a sports car or a strictly off-road only vehicle I wouldn't mind it at all, probably prefer it. But I've taken my crew max off-road and I didn't think the steering was too light and I really wished the LC was the same. No idea why Toyota would make them any different.

I've looked up part numbers for each truck (Tundra/Sequoia/LC) and all of them seem to have different power steering part numbers. They look the same as well with minor difference (pulley/fittings).

I'm wondering if anyone has tried swapping PS pumps between them and seen any difference? I don't want to start taking my brand new truck apart if I'm not 100% sure there is going to be a difference but I'll eventually do it once I get some miles out of it if no one has tried it before.

TIA

 

[molanginaeda]

Are you aware LX/LC has full-time 4WD which Tundra/Sequoia is only function in RWD in most day. That will affect the steering feel.

 

[BlueReaperX]

Are you aware LX/LC has full-time 4WD which Tundra/Sequoia is only function in RWD in most day. That will affect the steering feel.

The Sequoia has an AWD as well as a 4WD option and it's still much lighter. The Tundra with 4WD engaged does feel a bit different but nowhere as stiff as the LC.

I'll try to get both the Tundra and the LC next to each other with 4WD engaged to be sure.

But even if the AWD system was the cause, wouldn't it get disengaged above a certain speed and then steering wheel would become lighter going +120km/h?

 

[TonyP]

No idea on the original question but I'd like to hear how you tackled wiring with the 3UR swap. CANBUS com box?

 

[TeCKis300]

Not to be dismissive and I do believe the steering is more stiff.

I drive very different cars regularly. Each car is dialed and tuned differently, practically at extreme ends of the spectrum. Steering effort, brake effort, shifter, etc.

I think part of it is getting use to any new car. We all have our preferences. The knee jerk reaction is that something doesn't feel right and needs to be corrected. With time, it's amazing how our subjective feeling for each thing changes and how we can adapt. Like a new pair of shoes in time feels just right even if they are the most uncomfortable pair of dress shoes.

With some miles, I think the 200-series feels just right with everything dialed in as designed for the vehicles mission. I wouldn't change a thing. It is the pinnacle Toyota after all and you'd think with enough money and tailoring, every car should feel like the 200-series?

 

[hickuptruck]

Get some more worn out tires?
Alignment spec and ride height can get your lighter steering.

Love the steering feel of the 200, and sometimes wish it was heavier.

 

[ceb]

Not to be dismissive and I do believe the steering is more stiff.

I drive very different cars regularly. Each car is dialed and tuned differently, practically at extreme ends of the spectrum. Steering effort, brake effort, shifter, etc.

I think part of it is getting use to any new car. We all have our preferences. The knee jerk reaction is that something doesn't feel right and needs to be corrected. With time, it's amazing how our subjective feeling for each thing changes and how we can adapt. Like a new pair of shoes in time feels just right even if they are the most uncomfortable pair of dress shoes.

With some miles, I think the 200-series feels just right with everything dialed in as designed for the vehicles mission. I wouldn't change a thing. It is the pinnacle Toyota after all and you'd think with enough money and tailoring, every car should feel like the 200-series?

Absolutely correct. In addition, most people want cars to tighten up the steering at speed and the LC certainly isn't a car that gets tiring on long highway rides.

What may affect the steering feel is tires and "off-road All terrain" tires tend to turn harder. as well.

 

[BlueReaperX]

No idea on the original question but I'd like to hear how you tackled wiring with the 3UR swap. CANBUS com box?

I've done two 3UR swaps so far both using the stock ECU. On my GT86 it was much easier since it was mated to a manual transmission. I found a guy online who had the 86 CAN network down so it was just a matter of translating the 3UR CAN IDs to the GT86. I bought him a Tundra ECU from eBay and he did the rest. After a few trails and errors we got it working perfectly. Tach, coolant temp, electric power steering, etc. It did require a bypass module for the air pumps and a tune since it was running very rich on the stock tune. If you need any details, PM me. You can check the build along with others on my Instagram/YouTube channel @BlueReaperX

Not to be dismissive and I do believe the steering is more stiff.

I drive very different cars regularly. Each car is dialed and tuned differently, practically at extreme ends of the spectrum. Steering effort, brake effort, shifter, etc.

I think part of it is getting use to any new car. We all have our preferences. The knee jerk reaction is that something doesn't feel right and needs to be corrected. With time, it's amazing how our subjective feeling for each thing changes and how we can adapt. Like a new pair of shoes in time feels just right even if they are the most uncomfortable pair of dress shoes.

With some miles, I think the 200-series feels just right with everything dialed in as designed for the vehicles mission. I wouldn't change a thing. It is the pinnacle Toyota after all and you'd think with enough money and tailoring, every car should feel like the 200-series?

Get some more worn out tires?
Alignment spec and ride height can get your lighter steering.

Love the steering feel of the 200, and sometimes wish it was heavier.

That could definitely be it as the LX570 was brand new too and even my friend's 2016 had less than 40,000km on the ODO.

It might lighten up with use or as you said I could get used to it, but I just wanted to check if anyone out there with an older model that might have done the swap already either to experiment or as maintenance.

An as I said, if I'm going to experiment myself by swapping a Sequoia/Tundra pump it won't be anytime soon. Probably 4-5 years with +150k km or if the pump ever goes out.

 

[BlueReaperX]

Absolutely correct. In addition, most people want cars to tighten up the steering at speed and the LC certainly isn't a car that gets tiring on long highway rides.

What may affect the steering feel is tires and "off-road All terrain" tires tend to turn harder. as well.

It has the stock Dunlop Grandtrek AT25. Not really that aggressive. The 3 hour drive I just took prior to making my OP had cross wind the whole trip. My steering wheel was at a good 30-40° angle most of it. Which is the same on my other trucks and I don't really mind but on the LC its definitely feels heavier.

Otherwise the LC was by far the best SUV I have driven on the highway everything else considered. Wind noise, suspension and power we're all great. I could honestly not tell if I was going 120 or 180 other than by looking at the speedometer.

 

[Just a Ninja]

I felt the exact same way when I first got my LC. Coming from top of the line 2015 F150 which has VERY light steering... You can steer with a single pinky finger. The LC felt awkwardly heavy at first but after a few weeks of only driving the LC I stopped noticing it at all. When I drive my F150 again the steering feels so light that I really don't care for it much anymore.
All that is to say I don't really have an answer other than yes, the steering is really heavy, but I got used to it even tho I thought it would be a big issue at first.