95 240sx; New Tie rods, Alignment, and Steering wheel vibrations

[Kingtal0n]

Hello!

I have changed tie rods on a 240sx before; however, this is the first time, after I have done it, that the steering wheel is vibrating during a turn. And it vibrates MORE if I make a right turn than a left.

The vibrations seem to be going away the more I drive, so I have a feeling it will dissipate once the cars gets some miles. But that still leaves me wondering...

What causes the steering wheel to vibrate, during a turn, after tie rods have been changed?


My guess would be air, but since I did not mess with the PS lines or fluid res, how can air have gotten in? Unless when you take the inner tie rods off and move the rack by hand something changes.

[awdlv2xlr8]

did you make sure to put the jam nuts on the tierods?

[Kingtal0n]

did you make sure to put the jam nuts on the tierods?

Do you mean the inner tie rods? are you referring to those large thin plates that keep the inner tie rods from backing out of the rack?

If so, then yes, I put them back in place- but not perfectly. Getting them off the old tie rods I had to bend them up a little bit. So putting them back on they did not look as pretty. But they are in place, nearly solid, holding the tie rod from turning.
that was honestly the hardest part of the job, under the car in the dark trying to get those things lined up.

[Hashiriya415]

If you didn't hold the rack&pinion with a wrench and you loosened the tie rod, you most likely destroyed the rack. Same for tightening it down.
Put locking compound on inner thread to rack or use the locking tab.
Double check make sure inner to outer is tight
Check wheel for any other play.
Check tension rod bushings
LCA bushings, when I say check, not just look at it. Get a pry bar and see if it will move around like a worn bushing will move.
Check upper strut hats.
Check rack for leaks and play, check racks bushing.
Check sub-frame/ cross-member bolts.
Check bearings.
Check brakes.
If still have problems, take car to shop.

[awdlv2xlr8]

Do you mean the inner tie rods? are you referring to those large thin plates that keep the inner tie rods from backing out of the rack?

If so, then yes, I put them back in place- but not perfectly. Getting them off the old tie rods I had to bend them up a little bit. So putting them back on they did not look as pretty. But they are in place, nearly solid, holding the tie rod from turning.
that was honestly the hardest part of the job, under the car in the dark trying to get those things lined up.
no, there is one nut that keeps the tie rod from spinning and getting out of alignment, there is ANOTHER nut with an opposite thread pitch that keeps the first nut from backing off.

[Kingtal0n]

no, there is one nut that keeps the tie rod from spinning and getting out of alignment, there is ANOTHER nut with an opposite thread pitch that keeps the first nut from backing off.

I dont think mine has a second nut. Theres only a silver nut that holds against the outer tie rod to keep the inner tie rod from rotating (adjusting) by itself.

[Kingtal0n]

If you didn't hold the rack&pinion with a wrench and you loosened the tie rod, you most likely destroyed the rack. Same for tightening it down.
Put locking compound on inner thread to rack or use the locking tab.
Double check make sure inner to outer is tight
Check wheel for any other play.
Check tension rod bushings
LCA bushings, when I say check, not just look at it. Get a pry bar and see if it will move around like a worn bushing will move.
Check upper strut hats.
Check rack for leaks and play, check racks bushing.
Check sub-frame/ cross-member bolts.
Check bearings.
Check brakes.
If still have problems, take car to shop.

thank you!
I did try to hold the rack steady while removing/installing.
I used the locking tab, I would have never thought to use thread locker on the rack threads. TC bushings are brand new. The control arm bushings are old and worn but they arnt broken nor have excessive movement.
The struts are OEM and also old and worn, but the shocks are good and the original springs never seem to wear out (lol). I am not sure about the strut hats but thats good you mentioned it I will take a look.
The rack doesnt leak but the lines do (typical 240)
rack bushings are brand new, just installed this a few months ago.
Bearings I cannot see without removing alot of things, I dont know how those are but the spindles are from a S14 with low mileage so they ought to be good.
Subframe and crossmember bolts feel tight, but I dont have a torque wrench just a regular 1/2" drive and under-car bent elbow strength (about 80-100ft/lbs I feel I can apply)

brakes are original from the S14 silvia, still about 30% pad left.

[Kingtal0n]

I think its just the rack fighting to move stiff brand new tie rods. I had someone turn the wheel while i was under the car, and the more I "fought" the steering racks movement the more the steering wheel would start to shake.

does that make sense? Stiff tie rods cause a vibrating rack/steeringwheel?

[Hashiriya415]

no. it shouldn't vibrate
You don't need to take anything apart to check wheel bearings. You just check the wheel if it moves for bearing play and turn it and listen if you hear abnormal noise from bearings. The wheel should spin very freely, just small drag from brakes.

[Hashiriya415]

Excessive scrub radius? Spacing the wheel too far out.
Maybe your tires are rubbing if you have none OEM size wheels/tires
try different wheels in front

[Kingtal0n]

Actually there is something different about the right compared to the left. I wonder if it is the shock.

I just realized this is something it's been doing since before the new tie rods, I just feel it more now with the new tie rods. The car had a slight vibration that got worse when turning right at higher speeds, about 40mph. Does that sound like the shock might be low on gas?

[Kingtal0n]

The lines were causing it. I replaced the soft lines that run from the reservoir to the rack and that solved the issue. thanks guys