Steering Rack on 2016 Limited.

Looking for any info on this. Has anyone ever replaced the rack and pinion steering bushings on a 5th gen 4Runner ( 2016 to be specific).. The steering is very loose and almost sloppy.. The rack moves about 3/4 inch without any movement in the wheels..Thanks..

 

I have a sr5 2016 runner..no steering problems. I do the tire rotations and brake checks.no slop on the front end components.. jack it up and check for any damage .. grap the tire and feel and slop / pop etc..

 

The dealership has looked at it three times in the last few months, once at the request of Toyota Corporate. They claim it is normal for the 4runner to have a loose steering.. I have checked all front end components, no evidence of wear or looseness. Except all of the movement in the rack bushings. I can move the steering wheel about 20 - 30 degrees with the wheels on the ground and get no movement at the wheels. I can watch the rack slide back and forth at the bushings. I know in 3rd and 4th gens the bushing replacement was the apparent cure for this complaint, but this rack is very different..

 

so do you drive it on some roads , then runner wanders ? if so then the toe wheel alignment is off.. front tires need a toe in setting so the runner does not wander. reason this occurs is the front springs take a set then the toe is out then it wanders down the road..tires have to point in so the vehicle is more stable going down the road. you can check the toe by using fishing line.. run line from front tires to rear.. front tire forward should have a 1/4inch gap inward..

 

This one is used strictly on the highway.. During the last visit to the dealership, they did an alignment and the toe is set to 0.04 and 0.035 on the front wheels. The truck does track in a perfect straight line. Just that the steering will wander as it picks up any imperfection on the road surface or if drive through any water puddles, large or small. I think the truck requires too much input and correction to keep it on the road.

 

looks like your toe is off slightly ..this is the middle toe spec

Left front : camber 0.2, caster 3.0 toe 0.07
Right front : camber 0.0, caster 3.0, toe 0.08
Front: total toe 0.15, steer ahead 0.00

toe .07 on each side total toe .15... your toe needs more toe so you will have less road interference on wandering.. I had it because of the spring sag... max toe .11 ,,,,, mid is .07.....//// .o4 too little on your alignment

 

Below is the recommendation from the dealership. Thanks.

 

need more toe .15 total mid range spec.only .07 now too little..
if the runner is on a bouncy road the toe will change when it drops down then the wheels will point out then the wandering.

more toe will reduce wandering.give it a shot.''''edit .18 '''

 

Could you take a quick video of the rack moving that much and post it? That seems waaaaay too much.