Steering Issues

[BD2003]

This car is beginning to drive me crazy.

Been having an issue with the steering, where the wheel does not smoothly return back to center after a turn at low speeds, particularly noticeable in a parking lot and such. It'll usually get caught up at 90 degrees or so, left or right, even if its already at full spin.

For example, if I turn all the way to the lock, and let go as I move, itll get caught up several times at 90 degrees several times as it revolves back, sometimes requiring a bit of manual help to get it past the trouble spots.

The mechanic I brought it to had the steering rack replaced under warranty.

Now, the steering is much tighter overall, although he says thats due to it being a new rack, and it needs some time to loosen up. The problem with it getting caught up still appears to be there, although the pull towards center is now stronger.

But a new issue is that the wheel now turns more in one direction than the other. It tracks perfectly straight when the wheel is dead center, but I can turn about 90 degrees more or less in one direction than the other. I'm not 100% sure, but I think it turns more in one direction than it ever did, rather than less.

So I'm guessing the new rack wasnt installed properly?

And could the wheel getting caught up issue be a power steering thing after all, rather than a mechanical part of the steering?

 

[BassBomb]

low speeds, but how much throttle applied?

 

[SJP0tato]

Try rotating the tires? I know when I rotate the rears to front it affects this somewhat each time.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: BassBomb
low speeds, but how much throttle applied?

Doesnt seem to make a difference - more throttle spins it faster as I move faster, but it still gets caught up.

 

[RKS]

Text

 

[LTC8K6]

Does it have a filter on the PS fluid?

 

[exdeath]

Being able to turn it more to one side is a result of a cheap alignment that only adjusted the tie rod lengths to even out the toe and didn't zero the rack first.

As for the snagging you might also consider a strut problem. The strut is the upper pivot point for the front wheels and must rotate freely without binding, and also controls caster angle which determines auto-centering characteristics.

Getting caught up that often and at a consistently repeated interval does sound like something inside the rack though, like a bent pinion shaft. Nothing else in the steering system rotates more than a just a few degrees, compared to the steering input shaft that makes several complete revolutions lock to lock (racks are around a 15:1 ratio).

There is the steering shaft itself and a firewall bearing, but any problems there wouldn't possibly compare to the torque from the wheels trying to self center and be able to lock the steering.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: exdeath
Being able to turn it more to one side is a result of a cheap alignment that only adjusted the tie rod lengths to even out the toe and didn't zero the rack first.

Is it a safety or reliability issue in any way, or purely just a cheap shortcut job? Main question is, when I bring it back to these guys to get it done properly, is it a quick fix to do it right, or do they basically have to reinstall it from scratch?

As for the snagging you might also consider a strut problem. The strut is the upper pivot point for the front wheels and must rotate freely without binding, and also controls caster angle which determines auto-centering characteristics.

I've changed the right strut, but there is some issue with the strut mount making a popping noise.

Getting caught up that often and at a consistently repeated interval does sound like something inside the rack though, like a bent pinion shaft. Nothing else in the steering system rotates more than a just a few degrees, compared to the steering input shaft that makes several complete revolutions lock to lock (racks are around a 15:1 ratio).

Can't this be ruled out if the whole rack has been replaced?

 

[njmodi]

Could it be worn strut bearings? They go on top of the struts between the mount and the car body - they help the struts rotate freely (strut/spring combo) when you steer the car.