Possible Play in Steering Rack?

Post by **schmidm90** » 25 Nov 2012, 11:56

Hey Everyone

I just rolled over 200k miles with my V70XC and am noticing something is off with the steering. I rotated the tires front to back with my last oil change yesterday. The last few days while driving the power steering hasn't felt the same (before and after moving the tires F to B).

Today I jacked up the driver side then passenger side and felt some play on the driver side from front to back (9 to 3). I laid under the car and wiggled the tire again could not find anything wrong with the ball joints etc. It looked like it was coming from the steering rack itself. I think this is the inner tie rod correct? There is also no movement from top to bottom on either tire.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Post by **confused_al** » 25 Nov 2012, 13:15

If you have the other side on ground (meaning only jacked up one side), you still have play at 9-3 then you one of the rods is lose. From what you described it does sound like the inner is bad.

Post by **schmidm90** » 25 Nov 2012, 17:22

Thanks confused_al. I did have the car jacked up, one side only and had some play and 9-3. I order a new tie rod, inner and outer from FCP today. Will let you know if this solves the problem!

Post by **schmidm90** » 28 Nov 2012, 19:10

Jacked the car up again tonight and tested the play on the tires. The steering wheel was locked and I only had 1 tire off the ground at a time, but it felt like I had more play than before. I took the inner and outer tie rod off because I planned on replacing them.

Tonight I noticed both wheel had some play in them and it looked like it was the piece of the rack that the inner tie rod screws into. It appeared to me to be moving slightly causing the movement. Not sure if this could be caused by something else or not. The power steering fluid is clean and I replaced it when I re-did the head etc. about 6k miles ago.

I am hoping that this is not the rack and the tie rods, but it seems more and more like it might be the steering rack. Help would be greatly appreciated!