3rd & 4th Generation (1992–1996 & 1997–2001)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 1992-1996 & 1997-2001
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So a friend of mines (1995 LE V6) whom I do repairs on her car is having a current issue that I want some other input/opinion.
The car just recently been having issues with steering. When turning the wheel (either direction, from center to left and right), the steering will be easy then hard, easy then hard as you are turning the wheel. When the steering is turning, I hear the power steering pump making a slight wine, although I know that some noise is normal. The steering on the car has always been very 'loose' and 'sensitive', more so on the freeway where it almost as seems the power assist is always on high. The steering will also not return back to center. So when your turning and it is giving the 'easy hard easy hard', when you let go of the wheel in a turn, it will return back as long as it is still in the 'easy' spot, but stop when it gets caught in the 'hard' zone of the wheel. You'll have to then manually return the wheel back to center.
The car has at times when say the car's weight shifts on one side of the front wheel (say going over a storm drain near a driveway at an angel) there is a loud knock/clunk sounds like metal on metal is shifting/popping.
I've pin point it to a few things for just the steering issue (I know there are other things wrong with it, but more concern with just the steering issue)
1) Rack and pinion
2) U Joint bad
I don't suspect the power steering pump as when I jacked the front part of the car up with the car off, the steering still felt lumpy (hard easy, hard easy) when turning the wheel.
Anyone has come across this before? The car has 263K.
Had an identical problem after swapping out a couple of front struts on my old Mazda, from the local PnP. The problem was that the bearings in the top of the struts were a mess, corroded, sticking, and dragging. Really this sounds exactly like what I came across.
__________________
Domesticon Prime
93' LE V-6, 303K Km., fully optioned including Leather Interior. ES300 rear discs, twin piston front calipers, Depo Chromes with HID projectors, 17" OZ' summer's, 96 corner lights, MAF, timing, exhaust and intake mods, 2001 Toyota/JBL sound, + more and always more coming.
I was thinking it could be the strut mount also. To be honest though, pretty much everything on the front end is still factory components, so we're talking about 263K on every front end component. I know just from looking at the car in previous work I've done, everything is pretty worn. I've been worrying about the rack going out since I've felt the steering wheel.
I'll be doing a search of possible rack replacement, but anybody have any advice on how hard it is to do? From the looks of it, the hardest part would be to just be getting down there and getting the rack aligned right? I've also been looking around for my friend on the possible cost for the work. Been seeing around $1000 with parts and labor.
So a friend of mines (1995 LE V6) whom I do repairs on her car is having a current issue that I want some other input/opinion.
The car just recently been having issues with steering. When turning the wheel (either direction, from center to left and right), the steering will be easy then hard, easy then hard as you are turning the wheel. When the steering is turning, I hear the power steering pump making a slight wine, although I know that some noise is normal. The steering on the car has always been very 'loose' and 'sensitive', more so on the freeway where it almost as seems the power assist is always on high. The steering will also not return back to center. So when your turning and it is giving the 'easy hard easy hard', when you let go of the wheel in a turn, it will return back as long as it is still in the 'easy' spot, but stop when it gets caught in the 'hard' zone of the wheel. You'll have to then manually return the wheel back to center.
The car has at times when say the car's weight shifts on one side of the front wheel (say going over a storm drain near a driveway at an angel) there is a loud knock/clunk sounds like metal on metal is shifting/popping.
I've pin point it to a few things for just the steering issue (I know there are other things wrong with it, but more concern with just the steering issue)
1) Rack and pinion
2) U Joint bad
I don't suspect the power steering pump as when I jacked the front part of the car up with the car off, the steering still felt lumpy (hard easy, hard easy) when turning the wheel.
Anyone has come across this before? The car has 263K.
Thanks
Really, really! The weight shift, metal on metal popping thing, sinches it. It's the front strut springs shifting, and popping through the stuck/messed up bearings at the top of the struts. I've driven a car with this situation, at least check this first! Your one and two, would not produce this symptom, they would only produce lumpy, or dragging effects.
__________________
Domesticon Prime
93' LE V-6, 303K Km., fully optioned including Leather Interior. ES300 rear discs, twin piston front calipers, Depo Chromes with HID projectors, 17" OZ' summer's, 96 corner lights, MAF, timing, exhaust and intake mods, 2001 Toyota/JBL sound, + more and always more coming.
Really, really! The weight shift, metal on metal popping thing, sinches it. It's the front strut springs shifting, and popping through the stuck/messed up bearings at the top of the struts. I've driven a car with this situation, at least check this first! Your one and two, would not produce this symptom, they would only produce lumpy, or dragging effects.
Hmm, it could be a possible thing. It crossed my mind as I was reading that a messed up mount.
I'll try see if I can get a video of it (the sound).
If I had my word (and they had money), I'd say to replace everything in the front end. The front shocks are pretty dead already thats why too and who knows what else is broken on the front end.
Raise both front wheels off the ground, with the engine off spin the steering wheel lock to lock. It should move very easily, and the father you get to the left or right lock, there will be slightly more resistance. If there is anything wrong with the strut mounts/bearings you'll know right away.
__________________ 2000 Lexus ES300 Millenium Edition1MZ-FE 64,000 Km 1993 Camry V6 LE3VZ-FE 164,000 Km SOLD but still in the family 1990 Camry LE2VZ-FE 202,000 Km 1987 Camry LE3S-FE 435,000 Km 1971 Corolla 2-door Coupe2T-C 260,000 miles
I told my friend to come over and I decided to spray the U joint with some PB blaster.
After test driving the car around, it looks like it resolved the issue (no more hard easy sorta thing going on).
I guess the U joint needed to be lub'ed. Gotta buy more PB blaster, that thing is awesome
Quote:
Originally Posted by 71Corolla
Raise both front wheels off the ground, with the engine off spin the steering wheel lock to lock. It should move very easily, and the father you get to the left or right lock, there will be slightly more resistance. If there is anything wrong with the strut mounts/bearings you'll know right away.
Yea, I did that. Everything felt good except for the easy hard easy hard. You could still feel it minor, but there was still that 'slight' resistant. I guess the issue was the U joint (see above)
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