Steering wheel 'flutter' when going over uneven roads. (1 Viewer)

[alexchok]

Everything's fine when I drive on the highways or even roads but when I go over the gravel or hit a patch of 'washboard'..my steering wheel kinds of 'flutters' and you can definitely feel freeplay.

I've searched the posts here and I kinda narrowed it down to a few things :-

1. Steering U-joints
2. steering rack bushings

Is there a way to pinpoint which one is the problem? I've gone as far as removing the bolts from the U-joints in an attempt to remove them myself to see if I can do it... but I'm stumped as to how to actually separate the u-joint from the intermediate shaft. I tried wedging a screwdriver into the gap to widen it but that's as far as I got....

Has anyone managed to replace their u-joints and mind sharing?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

 

[e9999]

well, whatever it is, I would not drive it until I'd find out and fix it...


can't you tell if it's the Ujoints by having somebody wiggle the steering wheel?

 

[2000UZJ]

Take it to toyota. Trying to fix steering components when you have to ask is probably a bad idea. My Broncos steering was a little loose. Ended up steering itself off theroad into a ditch. I would take it to a dealer asap and get it fixed. Pretty big safety concern too. Plus insurance would probably fight you when they ask why your steering went out and hit someone, and you say you " fixed" it in the garage.