Ive got a couple of problems with my steering:

1) Rack and Pinion - Its getting worse evertime I drive the car. I can hear it give a few cracks while turning. My car is old and I autoX and do drifting where appropriate at the track.

2) Steering wheel Tilt - Its not sturdy. It moves up and down a little and doesnt feel strong. Im sure this has happened because I hold onto it in turns and I use it to pull myself out of the car.

Now my questions...
How bad is it to continue driving with this condition?

What do you think the problem is with the rack and pinion? How much of it do you think needs to be replaced? Is this a hard project? (looking at it... I am inclined to think I could do it. But I am very weary that I might not fix it completely due to parts Im not familiar with.)

The steering tilt, is there an easy fix? Or what is the fix?

Since there Im having problems throughout the steering, is it a good idea to look into replacing the whole steering column? Or is that still good? This is unfamiliar to me.

Thanks in advance.

 

Just r&r the horn button and internal parts on the steering wheel and tighten up the screws.If the wheel tele scopes then make sure you don't tear up the big spring inside.
I would replace the steering rack not that expensive.
If you are auto crossing you would need to replace the lower control arm bushings.Those I would let the dlr install about $500.00.

 

Replacing the faulty rack is important ONLY if losing control of your car doesn't sound like fun. Stop driving it until you fix this or it could get ugly. If your rack is making cracking noises, it's on they way out. Yes, you can do it yourself. It's not a fun job, but it's not particularly difficult either. Buy a good remanufactured rack and just replace it, don't try to rebuild it yourself. Just be sure to mark your tie rod positions so you can get the toe settings close enough to drive it to the alignment shop when you're done.

Why would you pay a dealer $500 to do your lower control arm bushings when they can be done at home with a dremel and a bench vise for around $70? The only catch is you need a press if you want to replace the lower ball joint, but the lower bushings are very simple to replace.

Side note on the rack noise.....are you sure the noise isnt' coming from the intermediary shaft.....the one that runs from the firewall to the rack? These are prone to separation at the junction. They are made with an injected plastic that hardens and deteriorates over time, and causes a clank you can hear and feel in the steering wheel.

 

I replaced the lower and upper ball joints several months ago. They were totally spent. One of them splintered into several pieces when I pressed it out.

The intermediary shaft looks like its aluminum. I can kinda feel the crack when I hear it. I noticed it started to do it when I am stopped and turn the wheel, so I had a friend listen while I turned and he said its coming from the rack. I dont think its the shaft. Should I replace that anyway?

I cant believe this car, Im always fixing stuff on it. Sometimes, I do feel like fixing everything related to a small issue because I have had to go back in fix or replace something else that was there a few times.

 

Have him listen again. With the engine off, turn the steering wheel side to side. Get a cheap mechanic's stethascope and listen on the junction of the intermediary shaft ( I will try to post a pic tonight to show you where I'm talking about). The noise you are describing is symptomatic of the intermediate shaft separating, which is very common. You should be able to feel a clunk in the steering wheel, and he will hear it.

If you can't isolate the noise positively, but suspect the shaft, remove it (takes about 30 minutes), put one section in a bench vise, and turn the other section with vice grips. You will feel some play in there if there's a problem....and hear a clicking noise.

The shaft isn't available new anymore, at least it wasn't 3 years ago when mine went south. You can take it to a machine shop and have them drill and install a large steel pin through the two sections. For added security, you can attach a hose clamp around the pin so it can't come loose. Total cost to fix mine....$32.

Do a little troubleshooting prior to replacing parts.....throwing parts at a problem can get very pricey. Steering racks on these cars don't typically make noise when they are going out....they usually develop what is known as "morning sickness"....that is, they have no power steering or a dead spot when they are cold, that goes away when it warms up. Your rack could still be the problem, but I would suggest doing a little investigative work before condemning the rack.

Let us know what you find out.

 

OK, here is a pic. I could be wrong (it's happened once or twice ) but from what you described, your intermediary shaft is going on strike. Here's where to look.



Notice the hose clamp. That's where the steel pin is. The pin is in there pretty solidly, but I put the clamp on just as a backup.

It's an easy fix....I hope this all that's wrong with yours.

 

Dude,

You Rock! great info and advice. However, my intermediary shaft looks a bit different than that. I could be wrong though, because I dont have as good a view of it as that picture shows.

 

Ahhhh....I think I know why yours looks different. Something I didn't realize, there are apparently 3 (not two like I thought) different design revisions of this thing throughout the C4's lifespan. The first covers 84-85 models, the second 86-91, and the third 92-96. Mine is an 84, which explains the difference in appearance. Looking at your profile, I'm assuming we're talking about your 92.

Now, here's the good news. Corvette Central does offer the two later designs. The 92-96 is part #564010, and is $145.00 rebuilt. Looking at the diagram in the catalogue, it appears to be the same basic design, but the coupling looks to be further up the shaft.

So, unlike us poor 84-85 owners, you have a source for a rebuilt intermediate shaft.

You should still verify that this really is the problem before buying anything, but like I said, this is a common problem on these cars. Hope this helps.

 

I cant believe this car, Im always fixing stuff on it. Sometimes, I do feel like fixing everything related to a small issue because I have had to go back in fix or replace something else that was there a few times.[/QUOTE]

You're into autocrossing and drifting and can't figure out why your car needs parts replaced???