my steering has issues.....

[blue109]

something is seriously wrong with my S13s steering. i was noticing that my steering wheel wouldnt stay centered. now its getting worse, and slightly dangerous. sometimes it feels fine. sometimes ill jerk the wheel and the car will think about it, and then slowly decide to go the direction i point it in. i hit a twisty road yesterday to mess around with it, and at one point i had to turn the steering wheel about a turn and a half to make a easy corner at speed. its not the lower universal joint thing, i tightened the crap out of that, and marked both sides, and its not slipping. think the gear could be stripped? if i turn the wheel to full lock, and try to crank it some more...it wont go. there are not steering stops on the actual steering shaft, right? so if it was just a stripped gear i should be able to force it to slip a bit? or am i way offon that? is it hard to rip all that stuff out? anything else i should check? the consensus so far is just to change the rack...any other ideas?

[Var]

the steering stops on your LCA's where the tie rod hits it.(i think)

Maybe your tie rods are loose or something..or your steering rack. Your situation sounds hella dangerous. you shouldnt even drive around like that.

Turn the steering wheel at a stop and see if the front wheels move in proportion to your inputs.

I'd guess the D brackets for your steering rack have come off and it's being held in place by the crossmember and the tie rods.

[blue109]

its up on jackstands now, and ive just been driving it around the neighborhood to test things. at low speed, it works ok, just feels a little slugish, but the steering wheel is never in the same place after a tight turn, like a U turn. im hoping to pick up a rack from a friends parts car this weekend.

[vvtisupra]

air bubbles in the power steering pump ?

[Var]

but the steering wheel is never in the same place after a tight turn


that's crazy . never heard of this. new rack should fix it? :ughd:

[blue109]

i found a butload of racks at local junkyards. even found a hicas one, and im told it has a better steering ratio, so well call it an improvement:)

[nightwalker]

check all your front suspension for sloppy bushing too. They can cause delayed steering as well.

[IchigoMae]

Yes, check your steering rack bushings, they crumble and crack as they get old which leads to your steering rack to shift. My car was having the same exact problem.

[blue109]

ill check it out today....would make sense. thanks.