Do 4runners tend to wander more than the average vehicle?

I wouldn’t expect the allowable slop is any greater than any other car with rack and pinion steering. When I turn my wheel in the driveway, there is no slop. If there were, I’d be replacing tie rods or looking of other worn ball joints.

The “slop” some people describe sounds more like the extra motion allowed by all the soft comfy rubber bits isolating the driver from the road, including taller tires, control arm bushings, and body mounts.

The 4runner may seem like it wanders more than others I’d say. It probably is due to the combo of rubber and steering geometry that leans to the unstable side. Compare 4runner castor numbers to other similar trucks.

Personally I like the “involved” drive.