Steering rack looseness ??
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 0
From: Bowie MD
Steering rack looseness ??
OK folks, next question.....
While I was under/over/inside/around the engine compartment yesterday, I checked for play in my front end. ~90K miles on the car now.
12:00-6:00 NO play...... good bearings..woo hoo.
9:00-3:00 LOTS of play. watched while I was rocking back and forth and there was REAL minor movement on the outer tie-rod end but I could rock back and forth enough to see the tie-rod moving about 1/2 inch either direction.
Is my steering rack tired, my inner tie-rod ends shot, what????
:confused:
[Modified by MCPOWHITE96, 2:04 PM 10/17/2001]
While I was under/over/inside/around the engine compartment yesterday, I checked for play in my front end. ~90K miles on the car now.
12:00-6:00 NO play...... good bearings..woo hoo.
9:00-3:00 LOTS of play. watched while I was rocking back and forth and there was REAL minor movement on the outer tie-rod end but I could rock back and forth enough to see the tie-rod moving about 1/2 inch either direction.
Is my steering rack tired, my inner tie-rod ends shot, what????
:confused:
[Modified by MCPOWHITE96, 2:04 PM 10/17/2001]
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Re: Steering rack looseness ?? (MCPOWHITE96)
check this first - there are bolts that hold the rack on...they can go loose. if they are tight, then check tie rods...
could be the rack itself...
could be the rack itself...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 34
Re: Steering rack looseness ?? (MCPOWHITE96)
I noticed the same thing on my 90. at ~112K miles. (the new rack has 14K on it and does this)
I also noticed with the car off, I can turn the wheel like 2 inches each way, from outside the car, and watch the steering shaft turn but the tires are not moving.
It is also a pain to drive, as it need my constant attention, but is not out of control. I picked up a new rack tuesday, just need to get out of work to put it in.
I also tried tightening the rack up, there is an adjustament on there (I made a post about this before http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=155564 ). It fixed it for about a week then it was loose again. When I retightened it a little more, the tires would not return to center. I was warned not to overtighten it and did not, I had it backed it off 1/8 a turn from full tight as I was told. it still would not return to center. so I backed it off another 1/8 and now it returns, but it is still loose.
I gave up and I am going to put in a new rack as the old one with 14K miles or whatever is beat and was set wrong from day 1.
I also noticed with the car off, I can turn the wheel like 2 inches each way, from outside the car, and watch the steering shaft turn but the tires are not moving.
It is also a pain to drive, as it need my constant attention, but is not out of control. I picked up a new rack tuesday, just need to get out of work to put it in.
I also tried tightening the rack up, there is an adjustament on there (I made a post about this before http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=155564 ). It fixed it for about a week then it was loose again. When I retightened it a little more, the tires would not return to center. I was warned not to overtighten it and did not, I had it backed it off 1/8 a turn from full tight as I was told. it still would not return to center. so I backed it off another 1/8 and now it returns, but it is still loose.
I gave up and I am going to put in a new rack as the old one with 14K miles or whatever is beat and was set wrong from day 1.
