Steering feels too heavy for my liking

[Lx470 forever]

Hi, i am new too this forum. I just bought my first toyota, lexus lx470. Its an old 1999 model. But the car is still complete new and stock.

The car is great except 1 thing i really dislike. And takes away a lot of fun.

The steering feels to heavy. No i am not small and weak, and yes the power steering probably works fine. I changed the reservoir and flushed yhe fluid. But its just not butter soft steering. And i was 100% expecting that it would be. I wanna steer it as a forklift with 1 hand.

Having owned endless other cars (w140 600, w222 600, nissan patrol etcetc) i know for a fact that this steering is heavy. Since the other cars are super soft. Even my new mitsu triton which i run on 54" tires steers softer.

I see so many mods for our cars. But where can i find anything to make this car steer butter soft?

I hope someone can help.

 

[ga12r1]

Hi, i am new too this forum. I just bought my first toyota, lexus lx470. Its an old 1999 model. But the car is still complete new and stock.

The car is great except 1 thing i really dislike. And takes away a lot of fun.

The steering feels to heavy. No i am not small and weak, and yes the power steering probably works fine. I changed the reservoir and flushed yhe fluid. But its just not butter soft steering. And i was 100% expecting that it would be. I wanna steer it as a forklift with 1 hand.

Having owned endless other cars (w140 600, w222 600, nissan patrol etcetc) i know for a fact that this steering is heavy. Since the other cars are super soft. Even my new mitsu triton which i run on 54" tires steers softer.

I see so many mods for our cars. But where can i find anything to make this car steer butter soft?

I hope someone can help.

Have alignment checked and back the caster off some.

 

[nukegoat]

Turn down the torsion bar in the racks spool valve for more assist

 

[Lx470 forever]

All done. I talk more about steering when standing still. I even changed entire front suspension in the hope with new joints it would be softer and while i was in i also change the drive shaft. Yes i bought oem dealer shafts.


I also changed all 4 accumulators of ahc, and all 4 shock looking ahc lifters.
Did timing belt, water pump, all seals and rollers and tensioner.
Multi belt and tensioner and rollers.
Took out the transfer case,changed gear selector seals, changed front and rear oil seals plus oil seal of automatic transmission where transfer case bolts on to.
Changed selector seal on transmission plus filter and oil.
Changed output shaft seals of front diff.
And another 46 things.
I just wanted the car to be new.

 

[Lx470 forever]

Turn down the torsion bar in the racks spool valve for more assist

I set torsion bar to the pressure needed by computer. I changed entire ahc. And set pressure to factory value.

I also changed on the power steering the air valve.

What do you mean by rack spool valve?

 

[nukegoat]

I set torsion bar to the pressure needed by computer. I changed entire ahc. And set pressure to factory value.

I also changed on the power steering the air valve.

What do you mean by rack spool valve?

The little torsion bar in the power steering rack spool valve bro

 

[Lx470 forever]

The little torsion bar in the power steering rack spool valve bro

You got a picture of that? And what direction do i turn it?
Would be great to make it soft.

 

[Lx470 forever]

I also turned and welded myself some nice heater TS. This is how toyota should have made them .

 

[nukegoat]

You got a picture of that? And what direction do i turn it?
Would be great to make it soft.

@Tools R Us can help you

 

[Lx470 forever]

I see turning the bar in the lathe. But to what diameter? Not wanna try and gues.

 

[hickuptruck]

What? No idea there is an adjustment for the power steering of how heavy it feels. I agree the nonVGRS and 98-2002 steering is heavy, most the time I like it, as I feel like I'm driving a tractor

 

[jLB]

What? No idea there is an adjustment for the power steering of how heavy it feels. I agree the nonVGRS and 98-2002 steering is heavy, most the time I like it, as I feel like I'm driving a tractor

Comparing my son's 2000 LC to my 2006 LX, my son's non-VGRS seems more "slow" than "heavy", but maybe it is a little heavier than my LX.

 

[Keowee]

My steering got much easier after replacing the steering rack at 200,000 miles.
Much less effort needed with 33 inch tires. Should have done it sooner. Replaced the outer tie rods while I was at it.

 

[Lx470 forever]

It looks like i have to accept this heavy steering. Even my 2 range rovers (which are s*** cars) steer much nicer ;-(

 

[Lx470 forever]

Will eat more spinach and stop dreaming of 1 finger steering when parking.

 

[128keaton]

Will eat more spinach and stop dreaming of 1 finger steering when parking.

I was actually thinking about this today when I was driving a 4th gen 4runner. My '03 (with VGRS) has very heavy steering, even compared to the 2019 GMC Sierra I drove today (with 33" tires).

 

[Lx470 forever]

Its sad, if the steering would be smooth and soft as a w140 s600 the car would be a dream. Now its 80% perfect for me.

 

[hoser]

Have you driven another 100? Could be a faulty steering rack.

 

[Lx470 forever]

Have you driven another 100? Could be a faulty steering rack.

I drove only 1 and it felt the same. But that one had big 36" terrain tires. So i thought it was because of that. This one i bought without test driving. I had it delivered since it came from far away.

 

[badlander]

I agree with the op. I have never liked the steering in my 100. Way too much effort required. My pos 1999 gmc safari has nice light steering. I love driving it. If there is any way to lighten the steering in the 100 I want to know about it!