Steering column vibration in 92 4x4

[mochester]

This is my first post here; i'll really appreciate any help you guys have got.

When my truck is idling, and especially when i first start it up, there is a loud vibration from the steering column. When i turn the wheel and hold it (still parked and idle), it will go away, but eventually come back unless i move it some more. doesn't seem to do it while driving but maybe i just don't notice. It sounds like something in the column is rubbing against something else, but i looked the best i could and did not see anything. Also, i was reading about a way to get rid of the cracking sounds when turning at a tight radius, something about a couple of bolts that rub against part of the suspension...i couldn't find these, could someone help me locate them?
and finally, my mechanic says my truck has an exhaust leak. It makes a sort of rattling sound coming from the exhaust manifold, not all the time, but at different rpm's when reving the engine in neutral, or while accelerating. The truck has some big a/t tires on it (i bought it like that)...it seems to have very little power uphill, but it is a 4 banger, so i don't know if that is due to turning the huge tires, or loss of power because i need a new cat...i don't really have anything to compare it to, since the truck has been running this way since i got it. AAAND...when just starting off in reverse or 1st, i will sometimes hear a sort of clinking sound, not comming from the engine but probably from the transmission...the best i can explain it, is that it sounds sort of like someone tapping on an empty tin can with a pencil. it makes the sound a couple times, then once i'm going its either gone, or too quiet for me to hear

One more quick one: the right front CV boot is ripped. My mechanic says it looks like it is pretty worn, but i can go with it untill i hear a clicking sound. He said i /could/ get a boot kit from kragen and just fix the boot, but recommends replacing the whole axle, i guess. Anyone have some advice on this? how long can i go? Why exactly should i not just put some more grease in it and put a fresh boot on it?

Thank you very much for your help...i want to get all this stuff fixed and get this truck running perfect, even if just to get rid of the annoying sounds it makes

Ryan

[Black&Blue]

Okay, Ryan, since your truck has "big" tires on it, there is alot of abnormal stress put on the steering shaft, particularly the lower main shafts that connect to the gearbox. Open your hood, reach down and try to move the shaft sideways. If you can more than a half-inch or so, the coupler(s) in the shaft or wearing out. You didn't specify whether the truck had a lift kit or not, but if it does, they're notorious for not providing a shaft extension or compensating for rubbing or stretching.
Is your 22 injected or carbureted? That makes a big difference. If it's fuel injected, you may need to flush the injectors. Either way, it sounds like you need a new fuel filter. A 22-R or 22 R-E should be able to pull up a hill; it's pretty torquey.
22-R exhaust manifolds LOVE to crack after so many miles. To check it, you'll have to pull off the heat shield (a few 10mm bolts). If the manifold's not cracked between #2 and #3, the heat shield is your likely culprit.
The longer you go without replacing that axle boot, the more likely you'll need an axle. Regular front-drive car axles are cheap, but yours is $$$! Get a boot on it ASAP. If you hear that clicking on turns, the axle's wasted.
Check your tranny mount for that clinking sound; could be a u-joint as well.

[mochester]

Thank you. I am planning on putting stock size tires on it and selling these sometime soon. It is fuel-injected. I am going to check all this stuff out tomorrow with a friend of mine who is a mechanic, i really appreciate the advice, because now i have some directions to point to give him a better idea of what seems to be happening...it took me a few days of driving around to recognize and distinguish all these noises, if the thing had a cd player in it, i probably wouldnt have noticed half of them by now
That axle...i thought that since the hubs can be unlocked, that it is not turning unless the hubs are locked, but i guess that's not correct. I haven't taken it offroad yet and don't plan to untill i get these things taken care of, especially that axle. I'll buy the boot and put it on tomorrow, but i'm worried that it might be too late to save it, because the mechanic said it looks pretty worn.
Are these normal problems to run into when buying a used toyota like this, this old, or do you think i've got a lot of problems here? Not too stoked on all the money i'm about to spend but what can i do. Are these signs of abuse to the truck, or just normal wear and tear at 112000 miles?

[mochester]

Originally Posted by Black&Blue

If the manifold's not cracked between #2 and #3, the heat shield is your likely culprit.

What do you mean? The heat sheild is cracked? i didnt think the heat shield did anything with the flow of exhaust...do you mean that it could be just rattling and that is the sound i hear? i don't understand how that works. A mechanic said it looked like someone replaced the gasket to try to fix it before, and another said that with an exhaust leak, the catalitic converter is probably backed up, so i mean obviously if there is a crack in the manifold then that is my problem, but do you think it was caused by a bad cat, or that it's likely to happen on its own? oh well i guess i'm going to find this all out tomorrow, i appreciate your advice man