Steering Wheel Noise and pulling to the right

[gpotts200]

My 84 steering wheel column is making noise, sounds like u-joint failure on the steering shaft, and the car occasionally pulls to the right. It was just aligned and I brought it back to verify the alignment, but it still pulls to the right sometimes. It usually drives straight, the steering column noise typically shows up at highway speed. Are these two issues related or do I have I two problems? Any suggestions?

I have not had the wheels re-balanced, I am going to have them re-balanced this week.

[mikepellegrini]

The u-joint on the steering shaft is a fair long ways from the steering column - it's located kinda under your master cylinder - so if it was making noise, it wouldn't sound like it was coming from the column.

It could be something dragging inside the column. If it was mine, I'd take it apart and see.

As to the u-joints, they're pretty easy to check. All you have to do is watch to see if there's any play as someone turns the wheel. If you look down the hole by the brake booster (by the gas tank evap control unit on the firewall) you can see the u-joint (right where it leaves the firewall).

The pulling to the right really sounds like an alignment problem.

Most alignment shops don't know diddley about Porsches, mush less old machinery like 944's. I took my 951 to one of the supposedly best shops in my city and the guy - without any asking on my part - automatically set the toe way wrong, "Because most cars with wide front tires need a little more toe." That's what he said.

What it did was make it oversteer badly to the extent that it was almost uncontrollable in a corner at high speed. Amd, it made it veer to the left, at weird moments.

I took it back, and asked him, "Could you guys please put this in spec - to the Porsche specs?"

He just shrugged and told me again that most cars with wide tires in front needed a little more toe and that's why he set it that way.

So he re-set the toe to factory specs and it drives just great. Well intentioned, but dumb.

If you didn't already get one, have them give you a print-out that shows the settings for your front end. It should show the before and after settings for toe, caster and camber, as well as other stuff. Many times, it'll show the minimum and maximum permissable facortory specs as well. Just see precisely what they did to your car, and if it's within factory spec.

If any of the settings are not within the prescribed factory settings, I'd have them re-do it to spec and see if maybe that doesn't make a difference.

If the tires were out of balance, it'd make the front end vibrate, not veer off.

[gpotts200]

The vibration/noise goes away when the car is turning, it only happens when the car is going straight.

[running_cold924]

mine did the same. new steering shaft (a PITA to do on a turbo) new alignment, new front tires (found I had 2 bent wheels) and new balance on front tires. it vibrates because the tires are out of balance and the noise IS the steering shaft. its not so much that the u-joints wear out, its the little spacer/shim things on them that fall/rot off.

[Slam]

Does it knock or click when turning? Do you get a grinding noise when you turn the steering wheel?

If it knocks or clicks, try loosening the hex-head switch carrier retaining bolt and pull the wheel toward you, then retighten the bolt. It is possible for the upper U-joint to rub if the carrier's in the wrong spot. This little trick is also an easy way to get a little more legroom, too.

If it grinds, you may need to replace the plastic ring, as mentioned above. This is a little more involved, and to do it right you need to remove the carrier and insert a new sleeve from behind the assembly. Most folks try to slide the sleeve on from the steering-wheel side of the carrier but the sleeve fits/works much better if installed from behind the carrier.