Weird sticky steering
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From: Pocahontas, AR
Weird sticky steering I had a local shop install the parts that came with the car. New rack, ball joints, sway bar bushings, and an alignment. I picked it up after 5 on Friday and since the parts weren't theirs, I didn't want to take it right back. But the steering "sticks." Thought maybe pump just went bad while they had it. But it doesn't even try to return to center. I haven't had time to see if higher rpm helps it. But it feels sort of like my old Z28 did when I deleted the ps pump and looped the lines other than it would return to center. Just wondering if anyone had anything like this happen. I can turn the wheels by hand with the front jacked up so I don't think it's the ball joints. Could a bad pump cause it not to want to return to center?
Chris
*edit the fluid is green. Never seen green ps fluid before.
Chris
*edit the fluid is green. Never seen green ps fluid before.
Last edited by CHRIZ28; May 30, 2017 at 10:46 AM. Reason: additional info
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From: PDX-OR-USA
Isn the green stuff Pentosin ?
Also a lot of shops use generic ATF for power steering fluid which I've had cause weird problems with check valves and steering, some systems Need real Power Steering fluid not ATF..
Just a couple thoughts.
Also a lot of shops use generic ATF for power steering fluid which I've had cause weird problems with check valves and steering, some systems Need real Power Steering fluid not ATF..
Just a couple thoughts.
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From: Pocahontas, AR
I thought maybe the ball joints were just stiff, but I've never had any do this to me before. On older rigs anyways. Maybe the pump is just too weak and the ball joints are just a little too tight. But I can move the wheels by hand when it's up in the air. Like grabbing the tire on both sides and turning it back and forth a couple inches.
I have no idea what the green stuff is. I've never seen green ps fluid before. Might try to replace it with the normal stuff. Dunno. Hopefully I can mess with it some more after work. Car steered fine before the repair. But it had a vibration at 55-60 that was thought to be the rack. Vibration seems to be gone, but you can't hardly steer it.
Chris
I have no idea what the green stuff is. I've never seen green ps fluid before. Might try to replace it with the normal stuff. Dunno. Hopefully I can mess with it some more after work. Car steered fine before the repair. But it had a vibration at 55-60 that was thought to be the rack. Vibration seems to be gone, but you can't hardly steer it.
Chris
Last edited by CHRIZ28; May 30, 2017 at 08:21 PM.
Did they put a ton of caster in it? Caster being way out of spec can cause the wheels to not want to come back to center on their own. Did they give you a print out of the alignment specs?
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From: Pocahontas, AR
I didn't. As I was walking out she asked me if I wanted it. I called today and asked one of the guys about it. Said that he has had to loosen the nut on a rack that came in before that was too tight. Said it fixed it. Ever heard of that before? It's not that it just won't return to center. It's like the pump isn't working fully, and it's really stiff. But it's also so stiff that it won't return to center.
Chris
Chris
Last edited by CHRIZ28; May 31, 2017 at 02:27 PM.
The Pentosin is just a clear oil fluid. Basically mineral oil.
There is no green power steering fluid
Call the shop and ask them if they use green power steering fluid. I bet they put coolant in there
There is no green power steering fluid
Call the shop and ask them if they use green power steering fluid. I bet they put coolant in there
Last edited by chrysler kid; May 31, 2017 at 05:08 PM.
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From: Pocahontas, AR
Alright figured it out! They use a blue/green power steering fluid. Some kind of new universal stuff. Anyhow he mentioned the steering shaft was rubbing on the header. I didn't think much of it because it did before a little too. It has 1 7/8 primaries. Anyhow I checked that after work and noticed it was shinier and seemed bigger. I was able to seat the steering shaft further on the rack and gain some clearance. All is well now, drives like a different car. Hard for me to believe it had that much resistance. Anyhow, wanted to post up the findings.
Chris
Chris
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Glad you figured it out. I just had the same happen on my 97 TA after replacing the brakes myself. Car was on jackstands for 2 weeks (long story) and the steering shaft never hit the headers before the work I did. Took it off jackstands and it immediately felt funny when turning, My first thought was a sticking caliper. Got home, opened the hood and turned the steering wheel by hand with engine off and heard the scraping. On my 97 it was 2 metal tabs that used to hold the plastic piece on. Zipped them off with a dremel, no more scraping. Not sure why it started after the brake work but oh well.