Steering feeling vague

[secondchance]

I have a 94Z with 146,000 miles. The car has been freshed up over the last 5 years - poly bushings, brakes, interior, etc... including bore, stroke, porting and cams.

Theother day, while driving, I noticed a dead spot in steering between the left and the right - top of the streering wheel. Anyone had similar experience? Is this from rack & pinion being worn out? Is there a gear lash adjustment? If deemed necessary to replace the steering rack, how difficult a work is this?

Any and all input is appreciated.

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by secondchance

I have a 94Z with 146,000 miles. The car has been freshed up over the last 5 years - poly bushings, brakes, interior, etc... including bore, stroke, porting and cams.

Theother day, while driving, I noticed a dead spot in steering between the left and the right - top of the streering wheel. Anyone had similar experience? Is this from rack & pinion being worn out? Is there a gear lash adjustment? If deemed necessary to replace the steering rack, how difficult a work is this?

Any and all input is appreciated.

Do you mean were the steering wheel can play at the top center left and right a little bit and continue straight? Mine has always been that way its not like my wifes mercedes SLK it has a immediate response to any steering wheel input

[secondchance]

Originally Posted by GOLDCYLON

Do you mean were the steering wheel can play at the top center left and right a little bit and continue straight? Mine has always been that way it not like my wifes mercedes SLK it has a immediate response to any steering wheel input

Exactly what you are describing. Either I have gotten a lot more sensitive or rand and pinion have developed extra clearance.

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by secondchance

Exactly what you are describing. Either I have gotten a lot more sensitive or rand and pinion have developed extra clearance.

I would be interested in what other members have to say about this but mine has always been this way. I always assumed the ratio was just not as "Gut and tite" as my wifes car but you do noticed the differnce. I know there are a few Multiple Z owners out there so maybe they can post up what they are seeing and feeling at the top center of the wheel

Im running poly everything and coil overs and my front sway bar is also relocated by Guldstrand I wonder if thats the slight difference? I dont know

[WVZR-1]

Grab the intermediate shaft while someone else twitches the wheel left to right to left and you should likely be able to feel either the wear in the intermediate shaft OR feel some slack in the rack. Do this with it not running. I believe not running would limit the travel to the top of the rack at the spool valve.

I've never attempted the adjustment but there is a spec in the FSM for adjustment that is similar to what I've always done on older 800 steering boxes. I measured a rack a few days ago for someone and I believe M22 and a 1 3/4 for the locking nut. The 1 3/4 would need to be a very thin spanner of sorts, I've not had my hands on a plumbers sink wrench in several years but it might do well. I didn't try an M22 but I'm quite sure of that on the hex. Perhaps someone has a rack near their tools to confirm.

Something like this but like I say it's been a very long time:

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Plumber.../dp/B000BQQMUU

I don't know that the plumbers tool would fit "in the car" but it would require something of rather diminished thickness. A 1 3/4 end wrench I doubt would accomplish it but then again I haven't tried. In the car it could be quite a task, maybe there's one on someone's lift to check.

[Hib Halverson]

Last week, I had the exact same problem with the steering rack in my Camaro.

The bolt which holds the intermediate steering shaft to the steering pinion splines had loosened up.

I retightened it to the spec. in the FSM and the play in the steering was gone.

In fact, it's prompted me to check that same bolt in my ZR-1 this weekend.

[Hib Halverson]

Originally Posted by WVZR-1

Grab the intermediate shaft while someone else twitches the wheel left to right to left and you should likely be able to feel either the wear in the intermediate shaft OR feel some slack in the rack. Do this with it not running. I believe not running would limit the travel to the top of the rack at the spool valve.

I've never attempted the adjustment but there is a spec in the FSM for adjustment that is similar to what I've always done on older 800 steering boxes. I measured a rack a few days ago for someone and I believe M22 and a 1 3/4 for the locking nut. The 1 3/4 would need to be a very thin spanner of sorts, I've not had my hands on a plumbers sink wrench in several years but it might do well. I didn't try an M22 but I'm quite sure of that on the hex. Perhaps someone has a rack near their tools to confirm.

Something like this but like I say it's been a very long time:

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Plumber.../dp/B000BQQMUU

I don't know that the plumbers tool would fit "in the car" but it would require something of rather diminished thickness. A 1 3/4 end wrench I doubt would accomplish it but then again I haven't tried. In the car it could be quite a task, maybe there's one on someone's lift to check.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that big adjuster nut on the front, driver side of the rack is like the free-play adjustment on a Saginaw 800 series recirculating ball steering gear.

That's the pinion being preload adjustment. The preload adjustment is as follows, loosen the lock nut (45-mm, I think), turn the adjuster in just until it bottoms, then turn it out 50°-70°. Finally, retighten the lock nut. Adjusting that will likely not fix the problem being discussed but you can try it.

If the problem is not a loose intermediate shaft and you're getting noise when you move the inner tie rod ends up and down, you probably need a new or rebuilt steering rack.

[Billy Mild]

Why must the steering rack be replaced? Can't the tie rods be replaced instead?

[secondchance]

Originally Posted by Billy Mild

Why must the steering rack be replaced? Can't the tie rods be replaced instead?

I didn't say that it must be replaced. Just that if pinion and rack are worn to a point of being sloppy, I Sam guessing, would have to be replaced.

[mike100]

I test drove a 92 vette yesterday with 209k miles on it and the chassis and steering felt about the same as my 39k mile car. The interior and typical C4 wear items were another story, but the chassis/suspension and steering would seem to be a strong point on these cars (for street use anyways).