Help steering problems - undrivable !

[Shayne]

For no reason i can fathom the steering on my truck has gone very vague . I reversed out of the back yard last night on full lock and while straightening up still reversing i heard what i thought was a plastic pop bottle getting crushed . When i checked there were 2 plastic bottles at the side of the lane and an empty can of pop , none were crushed but i figured one had just been clipped and sprung clear .

Either that or the noise related to my front anti-roll bar bushes which are in bits , new ones are on the way .

However as my journey continued i couldn't help feeling the steering was very light and when at the first 90 degree turn i realized i had just turned the steering wheel a full 360 to get around it I drove home slowly with my foot on the clutch ready to slam on the brakes .

It was too dark to see anything and pouring down with rain last night so i've been out this morning searching for a fault . I can't find anything ?

The only thing that raises my curiosity is the sliding joint a couple of inches above the steering spacer i fitted with the body lift . I removed the locking nut and still can find only very minor play , but i'm curios because while looking through the slot in the collar the flat piece of rod inside looks shiny which makes me think it may be slipping .

Surely no bush in the anti-roll bar can't be the cause ?

Any suggestions ?

 

[Julian T]

I would think it highly unlikely to be anti roll bar/stabilizer bar related as that is a suspension component, I would suggest having a someone turn the steering while you watch the shaft to see if you can see anything happening or not, try with engine off first so that if anything is slipping you will hear it. There may be something else to try but its somewhere to start.
Keep us updated and good luck.

 

[Shayne]

Done all that and can't see anything , steering seems fine until i drive ?

 

[Shayne]

Steering fluid seems low will wait for it to cool before checking again , last thing i looked at because no sign of any leaks and had a very expensive full service just a few months ago at a Toyota main dealers !?!

 

[Julian T]

Not going to ask a silly question like wheels on ground so steering system is loaded, engine off so the power steering is not assisting.
Is there the normal feel to the steering when stationary as opposed to the new feeling when driving?

Does the steering fluid reservoir have a dip stick built into like the 80 series?
If so what level is it registering at as it may appear low when the engine is running and the steering system is "pressurised".

 

[Shayne]

Truck weighs a couple of tonne at least trying to turn the steering without the engine running and no power steering while its stationary , not to mention BIG tyres requires more than a little muscle .

It makes sense that low fluid would require more pumping (turning the steering wheel) to produce the desired effect . It just seems odd how it went suddenly with no warning and no sign of leakage ?

Cap says use Dexron type ATF , can that be ignored and i just use whatever Halfords sell or should i make a point of searching out the right stuff ?

 

[Julian T]

Dextron ATF is just plain Automatic Transmission Fluid, should be no issues with generic halfrauds stuff.
low power steering fluid would have the effect of making the steering heavier, no assistance, you would also get a strange screech or rumbling sound from the pump with insufficient fluid.

Is there any excessive play in the steering when changing direction? and is there a direct response from the wheels when you move the steering, any movement of the steering wheel should have corresponding movement of the road wheel.

 

[Shayne]

Steering has always been very light , apart from when i fitted the body lift without loosening the sliding joint just above the steering spacer , but with that done it went back to normal . No noises of any kind other than a bit of metal on metal when i reverse out of my yard on full lock dropping maybe 8 inches into the lane . It only happened once as i straightened up and i just assumed it was my roll bar realigning itself and scraping on the steel brackets where rubber bushes are supposed to be .

Pop bottle ? It definitely sounded like a plastic bottle being launched because the tyre caught it ?

 

[sae70]

I've had power steering leak into the steering rack bellows at each end, showing no sign of a leak until you undo the tie for a look inside them. Well worth a check if your getting low fluid with no sign of a leak!

 

[Julian T]

I once had a 40 series pick up do something like this, no noise steering just went very vague and a large steering input resulted in very little movement at the wheel, witch eventually became none, fault was traced to splines worn out on steering shaft at flexi coupling due to lose bolt, your fault sounded similar.
At the moment I seem to have run out of ideas but I will keep thinking about it and if I come up with anything will ask, perhaps some one else will have a idea.
Meantime until the issue is solved I would be very cautious about using the vehicle.

 

[Shayne]

Rack bellows were wet but nothing that suggests a new seal is needed . No point in searching for faults until i top up the fluid so i think i will sail it down to Halfrauds and see how it feels on the way back .

 

[mrdelmonti]

If you're worried you're leaking fluid put a capful of brake fluid in when you top it up.

 

[Shayne]

Seems ok now its topped up , how odd i would expect low fluid to result in heavy steering rather than anything else . I will get a second opinion on how it drives before my minds fully settled though .

Whats the break fluid about , is it a trick to seal leaks or is it thinner so just makes leaks easier to find ?

 

[mrdelmonti]

Makes the seals swell slightly to stop smaller leaks.

 

[Shayne]

Makes the seals swell slightly to stop smaller leaks.

Great tip i will remember that , i have no idea how old my seals are but i guess it couldn't do any harm if they were a bit tighter due to swelling .

 

[Julian T]

I have always considered that a short term solution to get you out of trouble, a leaking seal is frequently due to wear or hardening, softening it with brake fluid will lead to short term effectiveness but I believe will accelerate the wear in the longer term.
Just my two pence and a ha'penny worth

 

[mrdelmonti]

Agree that it's not a proper fix as such, the seals will fail at some point and need replacing, but I've known it to last for few years before getting worse.

Probably should have pointed out that it's no replacement for replacement.

 

[Shayne]

It goes without saying that seals don't last forever , but we all know they can weep slightly for years before they need replaced . I'm inclined to think any leak no matter how minor encourages deterioration more than any other factor . Nothing is identical so maybe a little swelling even on a new seal might prolong its life ? just an idea i guess we would need a very expensive laboratory to find out the truth of the matter .

 

[AndyCook]

Also check steering knuckle upper and lower ball joints, as steering can go a bit weird when they start to fail.

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