froggy47

Just another of many f ups that make me cringe EVERY TIME I let someone else (so called expert) work on my car.

Long story short, I am driving today & suddenly feel about an inch in free play at the steering wheel that is NOT supposed to be there.

I pop the hood & turn the steering wheel with one hand while looking with a flashlight at the steering column.

The free play is at the lower steering shaft connection to the steering gear. The bolt is tight but I can see the play.

The plastic cover is slid up (where he left it).

Question: Can I loosen the pinch bolt & slide the shaft down flush with the steering gear? Is there supposed to be any distance between the lower shaft connection (with bolt) and the gear, or should they be flush together?

Then slide the cover down where it should be?

I don't know how far down the connector is supposed to be as I was not the one who undid it, just the one who has to fix it.

No codes or warnings, just 1 inch play in steering wheel.

NO GUESSES PLEASE.

Pics:

trackboss

Can't see how someone screwed that up. It's been a while, but last I remember the input shaft is "D" shaped and the connection only goes on one way. Just loosen the bolt pull it out and re-attach. When you are sure it's all good clean with brake cleaner and draw a stripe with a paint marker on the bolt and connector so you can keep an eye on it if it likes to loosen.

froggy47

It needs to slide down more on the steering gear shaft that sticks out, right? Then you are saying there is a cutout on the shaft that the bolt slides thru?



Thank you.

Glad I didn't notice this on a track.

redtopz

What job did they do? One time when I had free play in my steering wheel I found my whole steering rack was moving side to side an inch due to loose bolts and broken mounts.

mgarfias

The only way you're having play there, is if the bolt isn't tight. It can feel snug in the hand, but it needs to be torqued properly... Ask me how I know.

travisnd

Take the bolt out and move the steering shaft a bit so you can see for yourself how it attaches to the stub that comes out of the rack. Then re-install it with some loc-tite and get it really friggen tight. I think the OEM spec is around 30 ft/lbs, but I make it as tight as I can get it with a 1/2" ratchet. Use common sense and feel.... i.e. make it friggen tight, but know when enough is enough... for all I know you're Heman and could break the thing.

Good tip on checking the rack bolts/connections if they had the rack out of the car.

There is supposed to be space between the end of the shaft and the rack housing... that is normal.

froggy47

Front engine cover gasket

travisnd

That means the balancer had to come off which means the entire steering rack was removed.

froggy47

I put a ratchet on it with a long extension on it, it's plenty tight.

Is the nut on the other side "captured" or a loose nut that I have to put a wrench on the other side?

froggy47

Yes, that means I need to check all those fasteners too.

travisnd

There is no nut... the back side of the bracket on the end of the steering shaft is threaded.

Check the rack bolts, check the tie-rod ends etc. It'd still take it back and make them re-do it on their dime if they're the ones who re-used an OEM crank bolt, but that's just me

froggy47

Your picture looks about the same space on the stub as mine. And I know the bolt is NOT LOOSE.

Something between the stub to pinch bolt connection is wrong.

IS THERE A CUT OUT ON THE STUB THAT THE PINCH BOLT IS SUPPOSED TO PASS THRU, LIKE AN ALIGNMENT CUT OUT?

I can't get to it today, but it's not drivable, the lower shaft is loose to the stub, even with a properly tightened bolt.

travisnd

No... it can only go together one way (or 180 degrees the wrong way)... the stud is rectangular, not square. The steering shaft simply sidles over it and you tighten the bolt. Even if you push the shaft all the way down on the "stub" it will "ride up" a little as your torque the bolt.

Any play between the steering shaft and the stub on the rack means something is damaged, or the bolt isn't tight like it's supposed to be.

My advice is go to www.ls1howto.com and read through the C5 heads/cam swap pictoral... should give you a good understanding of what you're dealing with and what's involved in getting to the front of the motor etc.

mgarfias

What travis said. When I put mine back on I tightened by hand. It felt tight. Got in the car and 1" of play in the wheel. Read the manual, it tells you how to put it on, and torque it. Theres no nut, the other side is fastened, and no channel for the bolt to be captured.

It must be TIGHT. Tighten that bastard until the play goes away.

froggy47

Thanks guys,

I brought it to the shop & watched as he double checked every bolt he loosened. I will witness mark all to enable a quick check b4 events to see if any loosen,

The pinch bolt was probably @ 20 ish ft lbs and needed about 35 min. So he torqued it & because of a long extension & u joint on the wrench I had him go to 40 on the dial.

Feels fine now.

Why some guys think hitting it with an air gun is sufficient, I don't know.

I have checked what my IR air gun does to a lug nut before I torque it and it's not a lot. You need the gun on max setting & hammer it a lot to get up to higher torque measurements.

What are the big sub frame bolts supposed to be at?

froggy47

travisnd

David has an OEM torque reference PDF on his website - http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/

froggy47