Heavy steering??

[shaun1988]

Hi guys,

 

I have some kind of steering problems with my car, to keep the steering wheel straight it kinda feels like I got to almost force it to stay there, the steering feels like it wants to fall to the left rather then sit happily straight, hope that makes sense, when driving if I keep the steering wheel strait it does drive in a straight line.

 

any ideas what it could be?

 

Thanks for your help

 

Shaun

[caled]

Probably either the wishbones or the tracking.

[Ahmotorsport]

Sounds like you're describing bump steer. Steering arms look straight?

[shaun1988]

what is a steering arm?

 

apparently the car has just had new "track rod ends"? no idea what that means, he did say the tracking might be out, but I thought if it was tracking it would not drive in a straight line with the steering wheel being straight?

[Ahmotorsport]

To be honest, if they did the track rod ends they should have checked the tracking.

 

As you say though, it wouldn't drive straight with the wheel straight.

 

Is the steering always heavy or is intermittent? A steering arm or track rod is what the track rod end attaches too, which is attached to the rack.

 

Did it have this problem before they did the track rod ends?

Edited December 8, 2012 by Ahmotorsport

[hicksy]

Probably either the wishbones or the tracking.

 

 

This man speaks sense, its either one or both of them

[shaun1988]

To be honest, if they did the track rod ends they should have checked the tracking.

 

As you say though, it wouldn't drive straight with the wheel straight.

 

Is the steering always heavy or is intermittent? A steering arm or track rod is what the track rod end attaches too, which is attached to the rack.

 

Did it have this problem before they did the track rod ends?

 

Hi,

 

The steering is always heavy, didnt notice it at first, but when I drove the car home and got on the motorway I noticed it (test drove round an estate basically).

 

is a steering arm/track rod, also some times refered to as "wish bones" or "lower arms"?

 

The guy I bought it off told me the car failed an mot of "track rod ends"? so he said he replaced 3 out of the 4(unless it was something else he was on about), but when he checked one of them it did not need to be replaced so he did not change it (he was a car mechanic) and just gave it to me brand new in still in the wrapper.

 

so to do with the steering is it simply just "wish bones" and "track rod ends"?

 

the guy done (i'm fairly sure he said) "track rod ends" him self so the tracking was not done.

 

maybe I should start by getting the tracking checked?

 

Thanks for your help.

[hicksy]

The steering arms or "rack ends" are what the track rod ends screw onto, they are the part between the track rod end and the steering rack

 

To be honest, if they did the track rod ends they should have checked the tracking.

 

As you say though, it wouldn't drive straight with the wheel straight.

 

Is the steering always heavy or is intermittent? A steering arm or track rod is what the track rod end attaches too, which is attached to the rack.

 

Did it have this problem before they did the track rod ends?

 

Hi,

 

The steering is always heavy, didnt notice it at first, but when I drove the car home and got on the motorway I noticed it (test drove round an estate basically).

 

is a steering arm/track rod, also some times refered to as "wish bones" or "lower arms"?

 

The guy I bought it off told me the car failed an mot of "track rod ends"? so he said he replaced 3 out of the 4(unless it was something else he was on about), but when he checked one of them it did not need to be replaced so he did not change it (he was a car mechanic) and just gave it to me brand new in still in the wrapper.

 

so to do with the steering is it simply just "wish bones" and "track rod ends"?

 

the guy done (i'm fairly sure he said) "track rod ends" him self so the tracking was not done.

 

maybe I should start by getting the tracking checked?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

The car only has 2 track rod ends, one each side. Maybe he replaced 3 out of the 4 wishbone bushes?

[shawdreamer]

have you tried tying some helium balloons to it?

[hicksy]

have you tried tying some helium balloons to it?

 

That only helps if its pulling to the right, he said it pulls to the left so that wouldnt cure it

[Rockerrob666]

have you tried tying some helium balloons to it?

 

That only helps if its pulling to the right, he said it pulls to the left so that wouldnt cure it

yeah, helium is only used if it's pulling to the right you need to check the tracking if it's pulling to the left. the tracking should be checked everytime you do any work on anything in that sort of area; suspension, track rods, subframe, wishbones etc. most places will check it for free and only charge if something needs doing, but it's normally a fixed price £25 - £30.

[shaun1988]

well the plan is to try and fit the other track rod end tomorrow and take the car to get the tracking checked and adjusted if needed, and will probably change power steering fluid to just for my peace of mind.

 

I did try the helium balloon but it did not work, so like said it must only work when the car is pulling to the right

 

Thanks for all your help