self adjusting steering

[shelbyone]

Hi there!

had a weird observation today...steering wheel all of a sudden was not straight anymore, but some clicks to the right...going straight...

then...the opposite...some clicks to the left...after driving a while with no curves...it was straight again while going straight...

checked rack&pinion and all parts of the steering mechanics everything is tight and fixed...( all new bushings, axles, suspension...all of it is a littel over a year old!)  never experienced a self adjusting steering wheel before...there is no weird sound, it does not pull to either side....

 

any input?

 

Hemi?

 

 

[Hemi Dude]

Sounds like retaining bolts holding the rack & pinion have come loose.

[shelbyone]

Just now, Hemi Dude said:

Sounds like retaining bolts holding the rack & pinion have come loose.

THANKS Hemi!...hopefully, those bolts are still there ( after driving 400 miles)....

[Hemi Dude]

1 minute ago, shelbyone said:

THANKS Hemi!...hopefully, those bolts are still there ( after driving 400 miles)....

They are mighty long, I have never seen any of them fall out, unless they had just been installed loosely during rack replacement.

[shelbyone]

16 hours ago, Hemi Dude said:

They are mighty long, I have never seen any of them fall out, unless they had just been installed loosely during rack replacement.

well...rack bolts were secure.....what else could it be?

[Hemi Dude]

1 hour ago, shelbyone said:

well...rack bolts were secure.....what else could it be?

Tough to say without feeling the looseness. 
Is there more left / right free-play in the steering wheel when the engine is off, than before? Have you had the steering column out or part in any way lately? You are the best diagnostician at this point since you are the driver.

[shelbyone]

28 minutes ago, Hemi Dude said:

Tough to say without feeling the looseness. 
Is there more left / right free-play in the steering wheel when the engine is off, than before? Have you had the steering column out or part in any way lately? You are the best diagnostician at this point since you are the driver.

steering feels tight, even when engine is off...no real free play....I removed the dashboard again....that might be it...maybe, it is not seated correctly....

[shelbyone]

On 7/30/2023 at 5:04 PM, shelbyone said:

steering feels tight, even when engine is off...no real free play....I removed the dashboard again....that might be it...maybe, it is not seated correctly....

Well, what can I say.....ALL 4 BOLTS securing my struts were loose! Thanks to the Alignment place 10 months ago.....nicely done....

now, everything is fixed and no more issues.....

[mensanguy]

Well, i can say " You were DAMN LUCKY!

 

I had an alignment shop decades ago 'forget" to tighten several bolts on my front end after an alignment, and when I picked it up and was driving it home that night the whole frigging front end dropped out, causing the truck to roll completely over!  I wasn't hurt, but after i crawled out where the windshield used to be and examined the wreckage it was obvious the most of the components were dangling or just plain not hooked up!

 

Talk about incompetent workers!!

[Hemi Dude]

16 hours ago, shelbyone said:

Well, what can I say.....ALL 4 BOLTS securing my struts were loose! Thanks to the Alignment place 10 months ago.....nicely done....

now, everything is fixed and no more issues.....

Goes to show you, there is no 100% accurate way to diagnose such a condition EXCEPT direct eyeball visual diagnosis.  Glad you found the cause, hope you can find more competent repair in the future.

[Nile]

Worn bearings in the strut bearing plate can also cause that phenomenon. 

 

 

[rmtroutman]

Speaking of self-adjusting steering, it would be nice if they would come up with self-adjusting wheel alignment too!

[shelbyone]

On 8/7/2023 at 12:12 AM, Nile said:

Worn bearings in the strut bearing plate can also cause that phenomenon. 

 

 

nope...everything....and I mean everything....is new!

[shelbyone]

On 8/2/2023 at 3:20 AM, mensanguy said:

Well, i can say " You were DAMN LUCKY!

 

I had an alignment shop decades ago 'forget" to tighten several bolts on my front end after an alignment, and when I picked it up and was driving it home that night the whole frigging front end dropped out, causing the truck to roll completely over!  I wasn't hurt, but after i crawled out where the windshield used to be and examined the wreckage it was obvious the most of the components were dangling or just plain not hooked up!

 

Talk about incompetent workers!!

UNBELIEEEEEVABLE......:)