turning radius

92yotaman

92yotaman

Active Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Location
boone, nc
my turning radius sucks! i know the rear diff being welded makes it worse, but its ridiculous. My stops are in all the way and nothing rubs, so is there a toyota steering box that will give a better radius? or anything else that will help. Am i doomed to 3 point turns every time i want to park? Its on a sas ext cab pickup with 85 front axle
 
hi-steer knuckles? Does the knuckle actually get to the stops on a hard turn (test while parked)?
 
A few more questions. Lifted? How much? Is the 85 axle swapped in to a truck that was IFS? Tire size?
 
Do you have hi-steer? On the knuckle or the hi-steer arm measure from the center of the king pin to the center of the hole for the draglink. Then measure the length of the pitman arm from c of sector shaft to c of draglink hole. The shorter the pitman arm is than the knuckle the less turning radius you'll have. Does it turn the same amount in both directions? Do you have the same amount of turns left to right in the steering wheel.
Then you need to check the front spring bushings to see how bad their worn. If all this stuff is good Id say you need a longer pitman arm.
 
3in body lift, RUF so about 5in of lift probably, 35s now, and yes highsteer. all the bushings are good. the stops are in far enough to not limit the steering, and they are the same on both sides. so it sounds like the pitman arm is the problem. would mounting the steering box straight up and down help any? and should i run a flat pitman or less bent. it needs to be streetable.
 
Man... that's weird. If you turn the steering wheel back and forth does the truck move side to side before the tires turn? I would think that pitman arm should be long enough. It sounds like there may be some play in the spring bushings letting the axle move side to side when you steer.
Did you ever get a chance to measure the hi-steer arms and pitman arm for length?
 
no never got a chance, ill get back to my parents and measure it. and its got a little bit of play in the wheel when i go side to side, but the spring bushings feel good? im lost too, it seems like my friends yotas with 85 fronts have better steering
 
Take a straight board and stand it up against the sidewall of a front tire that will reach from the ground to the fender. Hold it there while someone turns the wheel back and forth just enough to make the tires start to turn and see of the truck moves side to side when he turns it. There shouldnt really be any change in the gap from the board to the fender when he does.
 
Yea unless its moving more than a couple inches side to side I dont think thats your problem but that'll narrow it down more.
 
Did it steer ok before you welded the rear?
 
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