Steering has become dead feeling

It's my 1997 Toyota T100 4x4. Over the past few months, the steering has become progressively numb. To the point now where there is no feedback in the steering, regardless of what I'm driving over or through.

Everything seems to be in perfectly fine working order. The power steering does it's thing, the ball joints and tie rod ends are all fine. Nothing is binding.

It's just become dead feeling. Which makes it a bit spooky in turns, as there is no feedback to tell me what the tires are doing.

I'm at a loss as to what has caused this. Curious what some of you folk might think of.

Just an idea: Has the PS become overboosted somehow? That's the only thing I could think of that could create that symptom apart from free play created by wear, or binding.

Check your alignment? I remember after I replaced the rack in my E36 M3 and it had a ton of toe-out when I was driving it to the shop, the steering felt as dead as could be.

^ Good suggestion to check alignment, but I'd think toe-in is more likely to cause this than toe-out. In my experience a lot of toe-out makes things way too lively!

I was going to suggest alignment as well

Alignment.

My steering feel sucks on these snow tires. It's 1000x nicer on the summers.

alignment....dead ringer symptoms.

If front end stuff checks out, alignment is the place to go next. Tires can make for weird steering feel if worn unevenly too.

Didn't some around that era toyota truck suffer from broken steering shafts?

If it's not tires it could also be the steering rack/box. When they wear out, the steering isn't quite right until it's fixed.

Seconding MR_Clutch42. Start it up and have someone jerk on the steering wheel and watch all the linkages. If they're definitely moving in unison, watch and see if the pitman arm on the steering box moves in unison with the steering input shaft. If not, the box is likely toast.

You or a quickie lube place haven't overinflated the tires recently have you? Lack of positive caster will deaden steering feel but if that's the case you should find something worn (or remember bashing a parking lot divider at high speed!).

I might be the only one to take the bait here but...

Wait a T100 seems like it's not alive? Did it come from the future to kill John Connor?

Have it shaken down by a professional, sounds like alignment but I prefer my internet friends be safe.

OK, thanks for the suggestions.

It's been years since it's been aligned. Worth checking. I have to confess to some surprise to the notion of it creating a dead feeling. I've driven many cars with wonky alignments, never had one feel dead as a result of it. Darty, squirrely, weird; but never dead. But, I shan't argue the point.

Pump over pressurizing. I think I've got a gauge I can pressure check it with. Not blowing any seals or doing anything else that would lead me to suspect this, but worth checking.

Don't see how a dead steering box would cause dead feeling steering. Normally it just causes lots of slop, and I'm well experienced with that. There's no increase in slop, just a total lack of feel.

Toyota did have a recall on these trucks, to replace the relay rod (the one that goes across from the steering box to the idle arm). I have had problems with the tie rod ends coming loose on the shaft since Toyota did the replacement. It's almost like the taper isn't quite right, and the shafts wiggle, causing the nuts to loosen. Though how a cotter pinned nut becomes loose I have yet to figure out.

Tire pressure is high, in pursuit of gas mileage and to quit rolling the tires over and wearing the outsides of them off. Nothing new with me playing with high pressures.

Only other thing I'm thinking of trying is disconnecting the steering damper. I replaced it about a year ago (I think). Maybe it's somehow changed and is creating weird drag that I don't feel turning the wheel. Though maybe I am. Not sure, but maybe turning the wheel when not moving seems a bit stiffer.

Caster?? And toe will cause the issues you are describing. I just put a stock alignment back in the 924s and it has less camber and 0 toe and the stearing is now really light and there is a lot less feed back through the wheel.