After Wheeling Steering Wheel crooked.

[blue.yota]

New on this Forum. Literally first post and not completely sure this is the right location for my question.

I've been building a '05 v6 4runner. 3" Icon Stage 6 tubular suspension lift, Icon UCA, Dirt King LCA, TC gusseted steering knuckles & all new inner & outer tie-rods, rolling on Method 701's wrapped with Toyo Open Country MT's.

During wheeling (about half way) I noticed my steering wheel is crooked towards the driver side. I'd just had it aligned and was curious whether others have experienced this phenomenon frequently?

I asked my buddy in San Diego who has the same rig but with 35's and he confirmed after every wheeling trip he's bringing it back for adjustment.

This weekend I plan on adjusting the outer tie-rods to straighten the steering wheel out as if this keeps happening I need to do this trail side. Is this maybe the alignment shop not tightening the lock nut down? Is there a remedy? Cause this seems crazy!

Thanks in advance for any constructive feedback. TIA.

To the Moderator: If I got this in the wrong spot just slide me to the proper area.

Hugh

[bulldog]

It is common to knock the alignment out of whack after a wheeling trip, but shouldn't happen every time.

People who put in beefier frame tabs seem to think it help keep the alignment in check when wheeling. These are the tabs where the LCA mount to the frame. This is normally what gets pushed around with the stresses of wheeling.

I ran 35s and alignment only got knocked out when hitting something hard, not just normal stresses when wheeling. Faster trails usually was the culprit when you hit something while having a bit of speed.

I think TC and others had kits to beef up the LCAs and frame tab mounts.

[blue.yota]

I have heard some weld on the TC tabs and still have the problem, I read one guy say it was a waste of time and money. It doesn't seem to be a caster problem as the vehicle tracks straight just that the steering wheel is biased to the left (driver side) so more of a toe issue.

I wasn't doing real fast desert driving just one minor ledge and normal trail driving out around Calico (not the real rough trails) so time to adjust it this weekend and keep looking for a solution.

Thanks for the reply.

Originally Posted by bulldog

It is common to knock the alignment out of whack after a wheeling trip, but shouldn't happen every time.

People who put in beefier frame tabs seem to think it help keep the alignment in check when wheeling. These are the tabs where the LCA mount to the frame. This is normally what gets pushed around with the stresses of wheeling.

I ran 35s and alignment only got knocked out when hitting something hard, not just normal stresses when wheeling. Faster trails usually was the culprit when you hit something while having a bit of speed.

I think TC and others had kits to beef up the LCAs and frame tab mounts.

[Darklight]

Get a set of Total Chaos Cam gussets and have them welded in then get an alignment. I always go over the alignment tech and torque down the cam bolts to 100 lbs spec too!

Hit up Total Chaos and tell i sent you for a small discount.

https://www.chaosfab.com/accessories...-Gussets-59860

info@chaosfab.com


It could be tie rods if you're smacking the side of the wheel/tire real hard or forcing turning against a rock that can bend a tie rod.


Bobby

[chayos00]

I was wheeling the other weekend and my wheel was pointed 45° to the right after that trip. My toe is out of whack and going to get it professionally aligned this weekend, as I adjusted it mostly straight to be able to drive it again for the next week before being able to get it aligned. I've got the TC cam tabs, due to Toyota screwing them up a few years back and blaming me for it. Granted the area I was in was pretty rocky and a few times my wheels were up against rocks and wasn't able to turn further thus realizing I couldn't turn anymore. Hope I didn't tweak my inner or outer tie rods as I swapped them out mid last year and used some from RockAuto.

[Darklight]

Yeah turning hard and rocks will stress the tie rods, even bend or break them. Seen it happen on the trail several times. Whenever I feel resistance when turning tight, I just let off a hair until I feel the steering let up some. I’f that line doesn’t work then I back up a hair and try again. Sometimes you can’t do that though and lay to the fate of the rocks. The rocks will win in this case.


Bobby

[blue.yota]

Please explain the TC explain the cam tabs debacle? How did Toyota screw it up?

Originally Posted by chayos00

I was wheeling the other weekend and my wheel was pointed 45° to the right after that trip. My toe is out of whack and going to get it professionally aligned this weekend, as I adjusted it mostly straight to be able to drive it again for the next week before being able to get it aligned. I've got the TC cam tabs, due to Toyota screwing them up a few years back and blaming me for it. Granted the area I was in was pretty rocky and a few times my wheels were up against rocks and wasn't able to turn further thus realizing I couldn't turn anymore. Hope I didn't tweak my inner or outer tie rods as I swapped them out mid last year and used some from RockAuto.

[blue.yota]

Good advice. I didn't encounter any hard tight turns on this wheeling trip. I'm beginning to believe the cam bolts weren't tightened enough. The passenger side is definitely off.

Originally Posted by Darklight

Yeah turning hard and rocks will stress the tie rods, even bend or break them. Seen it happen on the trail several times. Whenever I feel resistance when turning tight, I just let off a hair until I feel the steering let up some. I’f that line doesn’t work then I back up a hair and try again. Sometimes you can’t do that though and lay to the fate of the rocks. The rocks will win in this case.


Bobby

[chayos00]

Originally Posted by Darklight

Yeah turning hard and rocks will stress the tie rods, even bend or break them. Seen it happen on the trail several times. Whenever I feel resistance when turning tight, I just let off a hair until I feel the steering let up some. I’f that line doesn’t work then I back up a hair and try again. Sometimes you can’t do that though and lay to the fate of the rocks. The rocks will win in this case.

Bobby

Exactly what I do when I feel the turning stop. Kinda go what the heck when it first stops and you are like it should move more... LOL

Originally Posted by blue.yota

Please explain the TC explain the cam tabs debacle? How did Toyota screw it up?

If the cam bolts aren't loosened enough and the tech tries to adjust them, it can stick enough where it bends the thin metal tabs for the cam adjustments. IMO if a person would of put a small bead of weld behind the tabs it would prevent them bending in the first place. But the cam tabs are basically much thicker steel that now won't bend if an idiot goes to do your alignment as well as if it's a tech who doesn't know how to do an alignment when the tabs don't exist. I had to call around and find a place that could do the alignment without the tabs so I could drive around till I got the TC ones swapped in.