Steering Problems, 1998 S70

RajDog · Post by **RajDog** » 06 Feb 2008, 12:12

Ok, where to start..This could be long but I'm going to try and keep it brief. My mechanic told me my passengers ball joint was bad. So I ordered 1 from fcp, they sent the wrong one didn't realize until I was getting the alignment done. Anyway ended up replacing both even though I replaced the drivers side 1 last year. Anyway got an alignment done drove about 800 miles on it. Right after getting the ball joints and control arms done I could feel every bump on the road felt really stiff and a little odd. Then my tires started screeching on my normal turns, not fast. The front tires are also fairly new, got them last year. So I thought it might be due to uneven wear because of the bad ball joints, so why not rotate them. So I did at my brother in laws. Then it felt horrible and the alignment was suddenly way out of wack. So I had my mechanic switch it back, cause I couldn't get back to my brother-in laws. My mechanic noticed my cv boots were spewing oil all over the inside of my tires. So I bought new axles cause the car has 189k on it and from what I've read I should. My mechanic was about to put the axles in and he noticed my steering rack is leaking a bit. The car has been feeling really bad and I'm not comfortable on the highway. When I hit bumps the steering wheel jumps all over the place, it used to maintain position. I dropped lucas steering leak stop in yesterday read good things but the steering is still jumpy on bumps. I live in new york there is barely any smooth road. My mechanic said all the tie rods are good and I have no idea what it is. Any ideas? Do you think it's the steering rack? Maybe the cv boots? Sorry I couldn't keep it short... Oh I have also replaced the suspension with bilstein touring.

Post by **JRL** » 06 Feb 2008, 12:36

It probably does need a rack, many of these go bad.
About $230 at www.fcpgroton for a good quality rebuilt rack w/ core exchange.
(I've installed two of these and they are just fine)

RajDog · Post by **RajDog** » 06 Feb 2008, 13:17

I've looked at the steering rack at fcp but my mechanic says he can get me one for the same price. Do you think I should go that route or insist him using fcp. He said I might need some other parts and he wouldn't know until he got to actually removing it and that's why he would rather get it. So you think the rack is bad, even if the leak stops the steering will still feel horrible.
Thanks

Post by **JRL** » 06 Feb 2008, 15:02

RajDog wrote:I've looked at the steering rack at fcp but my mechanic says he can get me one for the same price. Do you think I should go that route or insist him using fcp. He said I might need some other parts and he wouldn't know until he got to actually removing it and that's why he would rather get it. So you think the rack is bad, even if the leak stops the steering will still feel horrible.
Thanks

If the steering is hard the rack is bad.
What is ahppening is that the inner tie rods are leaking back into the rack
(among other things) but that is what is probably causing the hard steer.
As for you mechanic, I don't know. As long as the rack has a guarantee (this one does ) I suppose they're the same.
It may BE the same, just he buys direct and saves (him) money

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 06 Feb 2008, 15:33

Right after getting the ball joints and control arms done I could feel every bump on the road felt really stiff and a little odd.

I wonder if they bolted the control arms up without "pre-loading" them. The bolts should be torqued down with the control arm at its normal ride angle. If they had the car on a lift and bolted them down I can see how the ride and handling would be severely compromised.

...Lee

Post by **JRL** » 06 Feb 2008, 17:07

Ozark Lee wrote:
Right after getting the ball joints and control arms done I could feel every bump on the road felt really stiff and a little odd.
I wonder if they bolted the control arms up without "pre-loading" them. The bolts should be torqued down with the control arm at its normal ride angle. If they had the car on a lift and bolted them down I can see how the ride and handling would be severely compromised.

...Lee

He's got OIL all over the place, that wouldn't make any difference

RajDog · Post by **RajDog** » 06 Feb 2008, 20:30

The car isn't hard to steer, I can turn the wheel as normal. If there is a dip in the road on the drivers side only the wheel turns left, vice versa if there is a bump in the road on the drivers side only the wheel turns right. On uneven payment I feel like I am fighting the wheel to keep it straight, it will be shaking right left. I have no idea what it is, but it used to stay straight with no tension coming to the steering wheel on bumps/dips. Hope this description helps.
thanks

Post by **JRL** » 06 Feb 2008, 21:31

RajDog wrote:The car isn't hard to steer, I can turn the wheel as normal. If there is a dip in the road on the drivers side only the wheel turns left, vice versa if there is a bump in the road on the drivers side only the wheel turns right. On uneven payment I feel like I am fighting the wheel to keep it straight, it will be shaking right left. I have no idea what it is, but it used to stay straight with no tension coming to the steering wheel on bumps/dips. Hope this description helps.
thanks

That would be either inner tie rods, worn control arms, or broken strut mounts or a combination thereof of everything above!
The inners (tie rods) can be leaking into the rack (so it will be bad) but your mechanic should be able to tell that

julesr_23 · Post by **julesr_23** » 08 Feb 2008, 17:35

Hi, it sounds like your alignement is still off, both wheels are pointing inward. I had the same problem with my 93 850. The counter pressure on the rack is probably whats causing the leak. If your problem is the same as was mine, then it can most likely be fixed by getting a proper alignement, then get the mechanic to change the hoses coming from the power steering pump (50-70$ each). Obviously better than replacing the whole rack (get on this cause it gets pricey fast). If that doesn't do it, you can have the rack rebuilt (alot of people don't know they can be rebuilt) this can be done for ~150$.
Good luck!

Post by **JRL** » 08 Feb 2008, 17:49

julesr_23[b] wrote:(alot [/b]of people don't know they can be rebuilt) this can be done for ~150$.
!

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