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.

[lbszr]

I've got the same problem. Mine also has a knock when the engine is off and rock the steering wheel back and forth, pulling up and down on the left tie rod also causes a knock in the rack. It also at times, had a catch, or bind, point while turning the wheel, not at center.

When on the ground, I have about .5 inch at least of steering wheel movement with no steering output.

Compared to a C5, there is no play. I can't imagine there should be any play on these either.

If you can get your power steering lines loose on the rack, the change wouldn't be too bad. I had mine all disconnected and ready to come out except the lines. Second attempt I'll try taking the power steering pump out so I can get better leverage on the lines, probably radiator hoses also and try it from the top side.
So I'm not enjoying the rack change.

I have a rebuilt rack, might be a while, but I'll post back on play when I get it in there.
I hear turnone has a good reputation of rebuilding them.

I tried the factory adjustment with no help.

[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.

[WVZR-1]

Originally Posted by Hib Halverson

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.

I didn't assume it was for free-play adjustment and referenced the FSM for preload adjustment. 45mm (1.77165) is quite close to the what I measured and I don't believe that I measured quite that so I referenced it to what I felt most might have access to locally or inexpensively.

The physical mounts of the rack to the chassis could also create a similar feel but I would think that more easily checked from underneath under power when checking inner/outer tie rods. A person if they felt an issue when holding the intermediate shaft could of course increase the effort and likely see the rack move if it were a mount issue.

I believe a reasonable number of potential intermediate shaft issues would be found vs. actual steering rack issues, maybe not the bolt at the rack coupling or the bolt at the column coupling but the "rag joint" on higher mile cars.

[secondchance]

Thanks guys. I'll check steering shaft joint, rack to chassis mounting, tie rod ends and go from there.
Anyone replaced the steering rack? How difficult?