streering wheel questions

darkblues24
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streering wheel questions

Postby darkblues24 » Sat Dec 03, 2016 11:17 pm

I really hope someone can help me out on this problem that I have. My steering wheel keep changing direction, for instance one day it could be as straight as possible when driving straight, but when I turn right and the steering wheel is crooked to the right and when I turn to the left, the steering wheel is crooked to the left when I drive straight. it happens with every turns I take. It does not feel loose or anything, I just don't know what the problem is. my car power steering btw. Thanks for the help guys!!

totta crolla
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby totta crolla » Sun Dec 04, 2016 1:04 am

What front suspension are you using and in particular, what top mounts ?

darkblues24
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby darkblues24 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 1:27 am

oem, the car is completely stock

totta crolla
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby totta crolla » Sun Dec 04, 2016 5:28 am

Ok that gets that out of the way (assuming your top mounts are in good condition)
Try jacking the front wheels up off of the ground and turning the steering from lock to lock without the engine running, check for any tightness.
Then with the front still up in the air, centre the steering wheel and start the engine. The wheel should stay where it is.
You may have air in the power steering system so you could also try bleeding it.

darkblues24
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby darkblues24 » Sun Dec 04, 2016 7:58 pm

thank you bud!! but when I turned the steering wheel without the engine running, I don't feel any slacks or anything. It felt really tight. ill try to center the steering with the front up in the air. what would be the indication if the wheel doesn't stay where it is??

totta crolla
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby totta crolla » Mon Dec 05, 2016 1:36 am

darkblues24 wrote:thank you bud!! but when I turned the steering wheel without the engine running, I don't feel any slacks or anything. It felt really tight. ill try to center the steering with the front up in the air. what would be the indication if the wheel doesn't stay where it is??


Hopefully just air in the system that can be bled out or a loose power steering belt. Make sure all of the pullies move freely on the P/S system.
Try turning the steering with the wheels off of the ground and the engine running to see if there is any pulling etc.

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ToeKnee805
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby ToeKnee805 » Tue Dec 06, 2016 2:36 am

check your inner tie rods for play. Chances are they are the original ones from 1986
1986 Corolla GT-S -- Unmolested -- Now Resto Project
1985 Corolla GT-S -- Turbo Levin Track Car
1982 Corolla 1.8 -- Sitting collecting dust

darkblues24
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby darkblues24 » Wed Dec 07, 2016 7:37 pm

Tie rod end has been changed btw..

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ToeKnee805
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby ToeKnee805 » Thu Dec 08, 2016 1:16 pm

not tie rod ends, inner tie rods. the ones that screw into your steering rack, not the ones that bolt onto the knuckle
1986 Corolla GT-S -- Unmolested -- Now Resto Project
1985 Corolla GT-S -- Turbo Levin Track Car
1982 Corolla 1.8 -- Sitting collecting dust

SgtRauksauff
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby SgtRauksauff » Thu Dec 08, 2016 2:19 pm

make sure that your steering rack bushings are actually holding it in place. with the wheels on the ground, have someone else turn it while you watch to make sure that it stays in one place and doesn't move. if it's still the original rubber bushings, they may have finally deteriorated, allowing the rack itself to move a bit....

darkblues24
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby darkblues24 » Fri Dec 09, 2016 9:54 pm

with the engine running, when I turned the steering wheel right and left there is about 1/8 of a turn I saw a slack where the wheels doesn't turn along with the steering wheel. What the problem could be??

taroroot
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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby taroroot » Sat Dec 10, 2016 1:01 pm

Sounds like the rack might be worn, but check your tie rods. All my corollas have had worn ends, either outer and inner or both. You can detect this by leaving one wheel on ground, jack the other up, then grab wheel at sides and rock it feeling for play. You might as well grab wheel top and bottom and try rocking that too, that usually means ball joint.

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Re: streering wheel questions

Postby SgtRauksauff » Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:36 am

It almost sounds liike the steering column shaft might have some stripped splines, or a loose bolt-clamp, so it's not actually turning things.. I'd start there and work towards the wheels.

Could also be a tooth or two broken off of the steering rack gears, but that's really something that happens even less frequently than worn steering rack teeth, which is also highly unlikely.

Does the movement or lack of movement affect both tires at the same time, or only one of them? I.e., when you turn the wheel, does the left tire turn immediatly, but the right tire delay for the eighth-turn, or do both tires start moving at the same time after the eighth-turn?

Were you able to ensure that the steering rack mounts and bushings were solid by verifying that the steering rack is immoblie while the wheel is turned?