Sudden play in steering
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From: Woodstock, GA
Sudden play in steering In the last several days, my steering has developed some play that is a little disconcerting.... to the point that I've had visions of putting the TA into a wall at 75mph because my intermediate shaft has cut loose.
There is no vibration or anything. I'm leaning towards the intermediate steering shaft. Has anyone seen or experienced this? I'm gonna have to inspect it all this weekend but don't feel comfortable driving it until I find the issue.
There is no vibration or anything. I'm leaning towards the intermediate steering shaft. Has anyone seen or experienced this? I'm gonna have to inspect it all this weekend but don't feel comfortable driving it until I find the issue.
There are two slotted joints in the steering shaft by the driver side header. All that pinches them shut around the shaft, is a single bolt for each. Check those two bolts to make sure both are tight. Second thing to check, is that your tie rods are okay. Shake down the front end with the wheels in the air and the steering locked.
You can also check, there is an adjustment for lash in the rack and pinion. You can use a large set of channel locks or a giant adjustable end wrench to loosen the sheet-metal looking outer nut on the steering rack, tighten down the center a little, and then tighten the outside. I would mark it first (on the center hex), if you do this. Since it just suddenly changed though, I would suspect this is not the issue.
You can also check, there is an adjustment for lash in the rack and pinion. You can use a large set of channel locks or a giant adjustable end wrench to loosen the sheet-metal looking outer nut on the steering rack, tighten down the center a little, and then tighten the outside. I would mark it first (on the center hex), if you do this. Since it just suddenly changed though, I would suspect this is not the issue.
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From: Woodstock, GA
Thanks for the response. I am well familiar with that steering linkage. I think those are 8mm bolts clamping that shaft. I tried to eyeball and see if it was slipping ... but a flashlight and a wife turning the steering wheel revealed nothing...but I'll check for tightness first. If I had a tie rod issue I would think there would be a vibration - and there's not. I've adjusted those racks lash too .... but that rack is only a few years old. We'll see. Guess I'll have to drive my `79 Firebird to work tomorrow. Oh well.
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From: Woodstock, GA
I just had my intake off a few weeks ago. I had to remove the STB and all 6 nuts that hold the shock mounts. I wonder if I got them torqued to 32 ft/lbs? I'll have to check that out when I get home from work. I believe that would have that symptom.
If you shake it down with the wheels in the air, any loose bolts, bushings, ball joints, etc. should become obvious. Place your hands at 9 and 3 o'clock and shake back and forth. If it has play, you may need your wife to look for what is loose underneath while you do that.
I would expect that a fast-degrading situation would be a mechanical problem outside of the steering shaft. Since you have noticed it degrade, the car would not be safe to drive. (If you do have bolts that weren't torqued properly, they could be loosening to the point where they are ready to come off...)
^ I expect getting the wheels in the air and knocking things around will be telling.
^ I expect getting the wheels in the air and knocking things around will be telling.
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From: Woodstock, GA
I agree. It has the symptom of the rack and/or/intermediate shaft being loose. This morning I went to drive my `79 and the battery was dead ... so car # 2, a `07 G6 that I bought a few months ago (it has not been driven at all) overheated on me so I turned around and came back home and picked up the TA. I hope to God I get home without anything coming loose. If a tie rod end, ball joint or bushing was the culprit, I would imagine that I would have some vibration which I have absolutely none. I'll shake it down tomorrow.
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From: Woodstock, GA
I'm not digging the looks of that connection. First off the torque spec is only 35 ft/lbs. Not only does the head of that bolt not look so great, but I'm not seeing any gap for it to close by tightening down. I think I'll pull the bolt out, clean it and replace if need be, and reset the shaft and re-torque.
Based on that video, I don't see anything slipping there. It looks fine. Did you try shaking down the front end yet? Make sure to remove your key from the ignition to lock the steering first.
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From: Woodstock, GA
I did pull the intermediate shaft and inspected it; it's fine. I have to install an alternator on it today so I'll shake it down then. I suspect it's the rack ... or inner tie rod(s).
Yeah, if there is significant play in the bushing, that could definitely cause the steering and alignment to jump around on you. Here is what I did when I replaced my front bushings and ball joints: Order a full set of front end bushings (4/side) and ball joints (2/side). I used Rockauto. You can also replace tie rods, especially outer, and front shocks and even springs at this time if you wish. It's also a good idea to order the top parts of the shock isolator if you will be doing shocks/springs, as those often collect water and rust over time. But back to the bushings. If one is bad, the rest are likely pretty cracked by now. So remove the wheels, brakes, uprights, and take the upper and lower A-arms to a machine shop with the new bushings and ball joints and they can press them in for you. Some people do this themselves, but honestly, for the price, I'd just rather have a shop do it with a decent press. Then you put it all back together and get an alignment immediately, as things will definitely be out of adjustment after. You can also do the rear trailing arms (2 bushings/side) and any other bushing that might be cracked, but it is definitely best to do the front end all at once if you take it apart. You will be amazed when you are done. It will drive like a new car.
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From: Woodstock, GA
Thanks for the response. I think it was a 150k miles or so ago that I replaced all bushings. I know that lower front LCAs take a lot of stress on these cars. Fortunately I have a good press, and did it last time and will do it again. Now is also time, as you said to change anything else in that area. I have some Koni shocks that's been sitting around ... time to put those in!
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From: Woodstock, GA
I'll tell ya ... Im getting pretty fed up with this car. I suppose this is why most people don't have daily drivers with 360,000 miles on them. Lately every fricken weekend has me blocked off to work on this phuckin car. Saturday I was driving it to the store and the check gauges light comes on .... SOB!!! My alternator is not outputting anything!! Once I get moving .... it's jumping up and down. I make it home thank God. I've put 5 alternators on this car. It's a major pita on this.
So there's that to deal with. When I get all that straight I can deal with the phuckin oil leak that's sliding down the rear of my block from somewhere.
SMITH.
So there's that to deal with. When I get all that straight I can deal with the phuckin oil leak that's sliding down the rear of my block from somewhere.
SMITH.
I bought a Chevy Volt 2 years ago and I haven't gotten in my Firebird since. So, I think it's almost "time"... The electric car never needs an oil change, the brakes don't wear, (regenerative braking) and the only thing I expect to need to do before 100K miles is to pop in some new shocks and replace the tires. (Hopefully before I die, these things will hover and I won't have to deal with this other stuff, either.)
I am having fun tidying up the Firebird for a future owner, though.
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lol I was adding up your mileage numbers and was wondering when we'd get the grand total.
I bought a Chevy Volt 2 years ago and I haven't gotten in my Firebird since. So, I think it's almost "time"... The electric car never needs an oil change, the brakes don't wear, (regenerative braking) and the only thing I expect to need to do before 100K miles is to pop in some new shocks and replace the tires. (Hopefully before I die, these things will hover and I won't have to deal with this other stuff, either.)
I am having fun tidying up the Firebird for a future owner, though.
I bought a Chevy Volt 2 years ago and I haven't gotten in my Firebird since. So, I think it's almost "time"... The electric car never needs an oil change, the brakes don't wear, (regenerative braking) and the only thing I expect to need to do before 100K miles is to pop in some new shocks and replace the tires. (Hopefully before I die, these things will hover and I won't have to deal with this other stuff, either.)
I am having fun tidying up the Firebird for a future owner, though.
LOL .... Define "grand". When I'm done with it? I'm not there yet and I rolled over 360k on my way to work this morning. I think the only reason that it's still going, is because I take care of all the repairs quick enough so that they don't stack up on me... and I feel it's not worth it. I haven't had a car payment in 14 years.
What may happen after or during all of this, is justifying getting a lift for my garage. I have a sheist ton of tools; that's the only thing missing. We'll see what happens. I did make it home and back into work this morning without incident. The voltmeter is jumping around, I'm smelling oil smoke, and the play in the steering hasn't caused me to put it into the guard rail yet. So that's good!
Yea. The Volt is MUCH faster off the line. In City driving, the Volt is much more fun to drive. (Highway is different.)
In an electric car, that's replaced by the crunch of the squirrels' bones. The little buggers never hear you coming in an electric car. (In all seriousness, this really happens and is really gross and messy. Being careful of wildlife is a new dimension of electric driving.)
Wow! You are wayyy too late. Just one transmission job pays for a lift! 
In an electric car, that's replaced by the crunch of the squirrels' bones. The little buggers never hear you coming in an electric car. (In all seriousness, this really happens and is really gross and messy. Being careful of wildlife is a new dimension of electric driving.)
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From: Woodstock, GA
I understand. I had a cat once get pulled around the belt system in a `77 Camaro. God rest it's soul.
I've never pulled an automatic transmission; my `79 is manual and I've groveled on the ground with the T-10 ... and not fun. So yeah ... I'm late to that game.
I can tell that the play is getting worse while driving it to work this morning. I'm going to do the control arm bushings this weekend; just hoping it'll go a couple of more days.
I've never pulled an automatic transmission; my `79 is manual and I've groveled on the ground with the T-10 ... and not fun. So yeah ... I'm late to that game.
I can tell that the play is getting worse while driving it to work this morning. I'm going to do the control arm bushings this weekend; just hoping it'll go a couple of more days.
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From: Woodstock, GA
Well I received all my Moog bushings so I'm all set. I'm going to do both lowers and uppers in the front and also the lower ball joint (Moog). I'm also going to install the STRs that I've had for a few years with new Moog shock mounts. It's going to be nice because right now ... it's squirrely as hell.
I need to find a good place to do my alignment according to my specs. I have the alignment tool, because I've never seen an alignment shop that had one.
I need to find a good place to do my alignment according to my specs. I have the alignment tool, because I've never seen an alignment shop that had one.