Thread: Steering - how much free play?

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

Is there a cold drink in your fridge?

Cheers
Mike

Always mate!!
I'm tied up all weekday eves this week, but (for now) the weekends looking relatively free....

Cheers,

Originally Posted by AussieAub

These attachments help any?
Page 888/1672 of RAVE -> Workshop Manual -> Steering

Had a look at them and why can't they just say. turn this bolt to adjust the slack in your steering????

Cheers

Matt

I was watching a repeat episode of wheeler dealers on austar the other day and they were adjusting the steering box on a D1, it takes a bit of care because you can adjust too far and make the steering heavy in one direction, i've also been told that you can over adjust and stuff it all up. They ended up replacing the steering box on the D1 because there was too much play.
Cheers Matt

Originally Posted by AussieAub

Not so sure it's the lift thats the prob. It's been on 2 years this month and all has been honkey dorey since then.
The +2" springs and 235/85r16's went on at approx the same time.
Steering has been fine up til now, with very little extra play that I can remember. Admittedly it's a little more "wallow-ie" with the 85 tyres on, but that's to be expected.

No, this I'm sure is something to do with steering mechanism (bushes, damper, etc).

Pretty sure I've not had this much free movement at the steering wheel before now.

I would check your last wheel alignment data, and verify the castor setting on the front end. If the vehicle has been lifted, it is bound to have reduced the castor ( the castor gives the vehicle it's directional stability and self centre out of corners ) Worn tyres, bushes or other suspension components will just make it worse.
The steering box is bound to have internal wear, but most of it will be at the straight ahead. The risk in tightening the adjustment bolt you are contemplating, is that the you will reduce the straight ahead play, but as the box turns off centre onto lesser worn parts/gears, it will bind up.
I would be investigating further before going for a quick fix.

Get some confirmation on the wheel alignment settings and the general suspension condition first up.

Castor corrected front arms seems that are a solution for some users lifted.

I'm going for box adjustment. Wear on the sector shaft and bushes ends up with slack. Pretty straight forward tweak providing you dont have to do a full on centre adjustment but an extra pair of hands makes it a bit easier.

Worthwhile doing a steering fluid flush and change while your at it.
Pull all the lines drain everything then do all the box adjustments. Put all the lines back, fill, bleed at the box, start, bleed while running and top up reservoir.
An hour at the most.

Andrew


I am not a moderator, I am a human being!!!

Mine was deadly on the highway,, change lanes like an F1,, and sometimes involuntarily/quicker! Had an alignment done, all within specs BUT! the wonderful tech took all the freeplay out of the steering box,, now it just changes lanes,,,









I am a Moderator.
I EAT human beings for breakfast.

Hey Kieren,

I took mine to Pedders in Joondalup before the warranty ran out for their $14.95 check, all good except one bush had the slightest little bit of play in it. He showed me which one and really had to force it to show me the play, since then I can feel it slowly getting worse from feedback through the steering wheel. Also not sitting quite on centre which it did before. Time to get some replacements.

Cheers,

Peter.