Loud clunk and offset steering at full lock (1 Viewer)

[GMSilk_Fj60]

Greetings all,

Lookfor some advice on where to look to start chasing this issue.

So I took my truck to a local pep boys for an alignment... only an alignment... well they broke a lot of stuff, not the least of which was a power steering rack and intermediate steering shaft. I drive off the lot, they drained the coolant and didn’t refill. I caught it before any damage was done. I’ve had to do significant work to undo what they did. I’m not happy to say the least. I’ll do all the rest of the repairs myself.

Now, to the latest problem. I’ve installed new Front suspension torsion bars and shocks, new bushings for front sway bar, new upper and lower control arms. Checked twice. Today as I was leaving a friends driveway I turned full lock to the left. There was a clunk, my steering wheel was 10-20 degrees off and the traction alarm started beeping. The truck continued to track straight and drive normally. I drove 1000 yards to a stop. Alarm goes off, steering wheel is back to center, everything returns to normal.

This has happed once before turning to the opposite direction full lock.

Experts, thoughts? Steering knuckle stops? Jumping a spline in the intermediate shaft? I would love some thoughts.

Truck drives great otherwise.

 

[2001LC]

Sounds like a few things may be going on.

One may be very loose wheel bearings. The wheel speed sensor may be getting confusing signal from wheel hub cocking off center, in hard turn. This could set off ATRAC alarm I suppose!

If altered suspension, like aftermarket UCA & ball joint. The knuckle stops hit high into knuckle pockets. They may hit high then slip into place. That would make some funny sounds.

If intermediate shaft in proper place and all 3 bolts torqued to spec. Is not likely to slip, unless splines damaged.

If LX 03-07 you have VGRS. You can center steering wheel in tech stream.

You may also need a zero point calibration. Also done in tech stream.

 

[medtro]

So I took my truck to a local pep boys for an alignment... only an alignment... well they broke a lot of stuff, not the least of which was a power steering rack and intermediate steering shaft. I drive off the lot, they drained the coolant and didn’t refill. I caught it before any damage was done.

Why did they drain your coolant for an alignment job?

 

[GMSilk_Fj60]

I should have mentioned its a 2002 UZJ100 with ATRAC.

@2001LC, wouldnt a bad wheel bearing have some looseness in the front end? I think it would have other symptoms.

Would the knuckle pocket take the wheel 20 degrees out of center, while still driving straight, and then re-align?

I asked them the same thing about the coolant... Its a long story. Story time below for those that want a Halloween horror story:

I replaced the lower ball joints and a few other things for inspection (recently purchased from out of state and 100% stock at this time). I drove it 20 minutes to the inspection station. Everything perfect, no issues. It passes inspection. I take immediately take it to pep boys post-inspection for a laser 4x4 alignment (I like to see the reports instead of taking a smaller shops word that its done right). Should have been $180 for lifetime alignment and done in an afternoon.

I get a call and they ask me to come in. They give me the run around about the front end needing a bunch of parts (that I had just replaced or at very least had off and under the wirebrush) and how they broke some things. They didn't realize I have basically a hobby Land Cruiser garage and records of all the work done on this car. They say they will pay for the tierod end they grenaded with an impact wrench, accidently set to tighten instead of loosen. I told them make it driveable, I dont want them working on it any further. Somewhere between that moment and the next call a day later they tell me the steering rack is broken (2 day wait and I didnt get my core back as requested, and they installed the cheapest option they could find)... and then another call that the intermediate steering shaft was broken (again 2 day wait and no old part back to inspect how it broke). I told them I'm back from work travel at the end of the week. I will pick it up then and they didnt want me to bring the flat bed. I arrive to pick it up and they are happy to say its all back together aligned. Good as new.

Then they hit me with a $1600 labor bill and parts are 50% what they paid. THe mechanics that worked on it, garage manager, store manager that were involved during all this conviently were all not present. They had someone completely unfamiliar with the story take the fall. I very calmly told them to give me all the documentation of parts, labor hours, etc. I will have an external entity review and reply to corporate. I dont need to raise my voice, argue, get angry. I just smiled and said fine, Its out of your hands. Well after hearing that and getting sufficeintly frightened, the manger familiar with this project magically appears, offers $350.00 for everything and call it at that. I took their offer instead of going down the legal battle road. On the drive home, it begins to overheat about 5 miles away. It looks like the lower radiator line was removed to give more clearance to the rack? Maybe accidentally knocked off? Shinny obviously handled lower rad hose put back in place... no coolant however. I have a buddy meet me with some fluid on the side of the highway. I drive it home, and start redoing everything they've done as I lift the truck and start my build. I recently had it realigned again post new lift (new torsion bars, springs, shocks, new upper control arms, etc)... at a local shop. Its driving wonderfully now, except the full lock clunk which i'm currently chasing.

Moral of the story, do your own work and you'll know whats wrong. Let someone else do it, you had better trust them.

 

[Sayer Lane]

I would second that on wheel bearings. Also, are your UCA’s torqued and tight. If one of them is loose, it could be moving in the alignment slots as you turn. Just a thought... Best of luck and hope you find your issue.

 

[2001LC]

Wheel bearing test:
Place a bottle jack under LCA and raise tire off the ground. Grab tire at 12 & 6. See if any wobble. By placing a finger (stock wheels) between wheel and caliper. You may feel some movement or pinch on finger, was you wobble the tire. Any moment or pinch and bearing are loose.

Also, it is not generally know:
The 03-07 LX uses a different rack & pinion, than earlier model or Land Cruiser. It has black line on top of rack body on RH side, just left of RH mount, Land cruiser has Green line. 98-02 LX or LC has blue. I think that started in 2003 for LX, but possible it was earlier mid 02. Check PN# with your VIN#. This black line is for the VGRS steering rack. You'll see VGRS light on dash during test cycle. (first few second IG turned to ON), if you have and dash light working. These need steering angle set in tech stream.

I've also seen (was a 00 LX470) where steering wheel on turns, would hang 20 to 30 degrees in direction of last turn. Then steering wheel would come back slowly to near center. Its Rack mounting bushing where shot. It also seem to have power steering fluid, where only ATF fluid is use in the 100 series steering. Lose mounting bolts may have same effect.

BTW:
2002 UZJ100 with ATRAC, is a 100 series USA built 00-07. There are differences between LX470 and Land Cruiser.

As I always say. Never let these general shops (non Toyota/Lexus shops) touch your rig. It just asking for issues, which most never realize as it gets down the road! .

 

[HWY14South]

Steering rack saddle mount bushing. Fixing mine this weekend. Almost guaranteed that’s your culprit. I opted to replace the whole rack with new OEM rack so new inner TREs and 555 outer TREs, new PS reservoir and return line and of course the new saddle bushing.