Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[mrgreen]

my 98 saloon has play up and down on the steering rack! does anyone know where the problem would be (or is it new rack time?) and how much of a pita it is to fix! tia.

[Jimbob]

its a steering box, not a rack, and there is a procedure to remove play, think there is something in the guide section....

[Jimbob]

cant see one actually.

iirc there is a nut on the steering box you tightly 1/8th of a turn or something.

Sure someone will be along with the full info.

[Kevin Wood]

Is the play on the steering column? i.e. steering wheel moves up and down?

If so, I imagine there's a bush or bearing that locates the shaft in the steering column outer.

If it's left-to-right play (lost motion between the steering wheel and the pitman arm) they all so this to an extent if the steering is not pointing dead straight and/or the engine is stopped.

If there's noticeable play at the straight ahead position you need to first ensure that the steering box is correctly centralised with respect to the steering wheel, and then the damper nut on the top of the steering box can be adjusted in very small increments, road testing in-between, until the play is reduced but self-centring action is not compromised.

If there's up-and-down play in the pitman arm, you have a problem with the steering box.

Check also the idler arm on the opposite end of the central steering tie rod. The bush that supports these often fails causing play here.
 

[mrgreen]

thanks for the replies, it's definately up and down movement on the steering wheel (which is what i meant to say in the first post!!) and must say very noticeable and when i wiggle it it seems to go down the whole column could it be just loose? and if i remove the plastics will i be able to see it, i geuss that's my first port of call anyway, Kevin mentioned a bearing on the column outer does anyone know if these are replaceable, sorry for all the questions tia.

[charlie]

I would say yes there are replacable,bushes etc but a known good column would be a more viable opition imho

[feeutfo]

Intersted in this, current car is ok, but have witnessed play in others and not sure where to start.
2woody re aligned my steering column and I was able to see some areas that might cause play, but none that would wear as I understood it.

There must be a bush or baring behind the top section of the column surely?

[Osprey]

Shoot me if I'm stating the obvious but is the steering height adjuster properly located?  The lever should be sprung to return away from the driver. 

[mrgreen]

Shoot me if I'm stating the obvious but is the steering height adjuster properly located?  The lever should be sprung to return away from the driver. 

i'll get me gun! no it's not the adjustment lever as i have set it to different levels to check it's not only there in one spot but i will check to see it's locating properly tomorrow as i geuss if whatever holds this in place is worn........food for thought!

[mrgreen]

o.k had the cowling off today it seems the movement goes only down to the first plastic ball joint which joins the column to allow for tilting , i'm geussing it's in the tilt mechanism somewhere but i don't have the time or patience to pull it all apart as it's up for sale tomorrow and hopefully some foreigner will come and export my car!! looking around on the net it seems that the tilt mechanism is a good suspect also when the steering lock is on it doesn't have any play so the lock is holding everything in place.
i think it's along these lines have a look here:http://www.sn95mustangs.com/index.php?page=articles&op=readArticle&id=59&title=Steering-Column-Fix

[hoofing it]

Intersted in this, current car is ok, but have witnessed play in others and not sure where to start.
2woody re aligned my steering column and I was able to see some areas that might cause play, but none that would wear as I understood it.

There must be a bush or baring behind the top section of the column surely?
There is a bush  at the top of the colum that is held in place with 1 sheer bolt and a normal nut.
It's a pure pig to get off and its also an MOT failure

[mrgreen]

Intersted in this, current car is ok, but have witnessed play in others and not sure where to start.
2woody re aligned my steering column and I was able to see some areas that might cause play, but none that would wear as I understood it.

There must be a bush or baring behind the top section of the column surely?
There is a bush  at the top of the colum that is held in place with 1 sheer bolt and a normal nut.
It's a pure pig to get off and its also an MOT failure

[/highlight]

well i won't be offering any refunds then!!