Need Help! Strange Steering Issue...
11-17-2009, 07:50 PM
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QUOTE (Stocker @ Nov 17 2009, 09:21 AM)
Or the steering rack per se? With the car off, how much can you turn the wheel before the wheels turn?
Rack and bushings are in great shape. The rack doesn't even flex when steering with the wheels on the ground.
Play is about normal for a rack and pinion. There is just the very slightest amount of play. Part of what makes it so puzzling is that
when driving at a steady speed the car is super stable. Hands off the wheel stable in fact.
Oddly, I am beginning to adapt to the quirk. When I want to pass someone I step on the gas and the car veers left before I even have to
turn the wheel. After the pass is complete, decel shifts me back to the right. smile.gif
11-18-2009, 07:42 PM
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Vehicle: 99 rd2 coupe 1.8
I was getting massive amounts of torque steer and bump steer. The culprit was the front control arm bushes. With age they perish and one of them was cracked. So I replaced all four with nolathane ones, and the left front rear one with a +0.5 degree caster offset to compensate for the left hand corners here in australia. From then on, I haven't had a problem. Alot of people forget that the factory rubber bushes start wearing down after only 3 years due to heat, dirt and stress. The nolathayne ones should last a lifetime. Just make sure you have the new nolathane bushes greased up very well otherwise they will squeek. And don't do it at home, because you have to burn the original bushes and chisel out the sleeve to avoid bending the control arm due to the fact that 99% of the factory bushes have been frozen with nitro during the instalation.
11-20-2009, 05:28 AM
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QUOTE (mrrock @ Nov 18 2009, 10:42 PM)
I was getting massive amounts of torque steer and bump steer. The culprit was the front control arm bushes. With age they perish and one of them was cracked. So I replaced all four with nolathane ones, and the left front rear one with a +0.5 degree caster offset to compensate for the left hand corners here in australia. From then on, I haven't had a problem. Alot of people forget that the factory rubber bushes start wearing down after only 3 years due to heat, dirt and stress. The nolathayne ones should last a lifetime. Just make sure you have the new nolathane bushes greased up very well otherwise they will squeek. And don't do it at home, because you have to burn the original bushes and chisel out the sleeve to avoid bending the control arm due to the fact that 99% of the factory bushes have been frozen with nitro during the instalation.
I have checked the bushings. I used a 3 foot long pry bar and tried to twist the control arms to check for play and they seem tight.
I replaced the left end transmission mount with a new one and it did not help at all. The old one was shot so replacing it makes the car feel stiffer but it
did nothing to help the steering issue. A mechanic I know suggested that the rack could be "separated" and suggested that I find a way to lock the wheels
then look for slop in the steering. I pulled up tight against a curb and tried steering both ways and did not see any play in the assembly.
Still stumped.... sad.gif
KK
11-22-2009, 08:22 PM
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QUOTE (mrrock @ Nov 22 2009, 09:37 PM)
What about your tie rod ends?
Tie Rods are OK. I checked them when I separated them to install the struts.
I broke down yesterday and took it back to the shop where I bought the tires and had the alignment done to be sure they had done a
4 wheel alignment. They had so I asked them to have one of the mechanics take it for a spin. His assessment is that I need to replace all the motor mounts.
So far I have replaced the right transmission mount and the rear center mount and I am waiting on the front center and right side mount to be delivered to the local parts store. I should have them in on Tuesday.
The mechanic said that it could also be that the engine is mis-aligned in the bay. I doubt that since it did this before the engine swap also.
KK