How much play should steering column have for a 93 Toyota pickup Also what are some normal signs of bad steering gearbox?

Answer 1

The most usual cause of steering problems looseness include bad or worn worn tie rod ends, a worn idler arm or center link, a worn steering gear or a bad or very worn steering rack.The steering wheel should not have much more than a quarter inch of play or less. More play means something is defect or loose and needs to be repaired. The inner and outer tie rod ends should not be loose. Bad or worn tie rod ends are dangerous, if one breaks the you will lose steering control. Worn tie rod ends will also cause much unnecessary wear of the tires. Refer to a manual for the specifics of the play allowed in the steering system for each part. On conventional steering gear boxes, there's an adjustment screw that can be turned to take the slack or looseness out. Loose and worn wheel bearings can also make the steering problematic, heavy or loose. Be careful to add grease and oil to the important parts as required.