Play in Steering Mechanism
 

I noticed yesterday that I can turn my steering wheel ('86 Carrera) about 20 degrees without any resistance before the wheels move. I drove the car yesterday morning and didn't noticed it. In the afternoon I was going to get groceries and noticed the play. I parked the car for now until I can fix it.
I searched the forum to find out where in the steering mechanism the fault could be to cause this, but didn't find anything. I have Turbo tie rods installed just two years ago and a Momo wheel. Any suggestions where to look first?

Juergen

Look at the joints in the shaft and in the rubber coupling. You can see some of this stuff by opening the smuggler's box. The rest of it is under a black cover next to the smuggler's box.

JR

Its the Momo, Italian wheel with built in play!
Reality, starting at the steering wheel, down the steering shaft, to the universal joints, the rubber steering coupler and to the rack. Finish with the turbo tie rods to the steering arms on the struts.
Check to be sure that the steering wheel nut is tight and secure and then check the tie rod ends at the struts.

Thanks for the advise. I picked up my tools from my hangar at lunch time to take them home. I will start digging into it tonight.

Juergen

Wow 20 degrees, really, can you post a video?

In any case I just posted a tutorial on servicing the rack.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/830003-heavy-steering-fix-service.html

I hope you can watch the video. I looked into the smugglers box and the connection was tight. While I had the front wheels lifted my Daughter was holding the steering wheel and I could not detect any play in the system at all. So far I can not detect any free play.

Juergen

http://vid1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj597/Pacer42Z/Porsche/SteeringWheelPlay_zps30dc7960.mp4

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...ps30dc7960.mp4

Whoa, that is allot, almost liken to a full tooth on the spline.

Did you look at the upper U-joint as well? That requires removal of the fresh air system.

Jim

Newb question: Where would the rubber coupling be? I now where the U joints are, though I've never looked at mine. I'm wondering where I might find the rubber coupling to give it a once over. Thanks.

That is a lot of play. Mine wasn't that bad but it was very noticeable at a standstill. The culprit in my case was a loose nut that fastens the yoke to the pinion - it's the nut seen at the top of the photo below (stolen from another thread). The yoke is what the rubber donut/isolator/coupling attaches to and will be seen when you remove the black plastic shroud at the very bottom of the lower steering column. I rebuilt my rack and then replaced the nut with a nyloc nut and some red loctite!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1397008915.jpg

Moving the steering wheel watching the steering shaft through the smugglers box I can tell that the play is below the lower U-joint.

Juergen

I also noticed mine at a standstill. Can I get to that nut (yoke to pinion) from underneath the car? Is there enough room to slide the plastic shroud up? However, it looks like I would have to take the two bolts off to seperate the yoke from the pinion to get a socket on the nut.

Juergen

The hardest part about getting to that nut are the two bent over metal lock tabs that retain the screws to the rubber coupler.

The nut is inaccessible until you remove the rubber coupler. I just took a photo of my rebuilt rack - this is what you will see when you remove the plastic shroud. If you think this migt be the culprit, I would take this as an opportunity to remove and rebuild (or at least regrease) the rack at the same time.

http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/...psqs6q7v1u.jpg

That is not what I expected, so there are two long bolts going through the rubber disc connecting to the pinion?

I'm not sure if I have time to get into it tonight, but latest tomorrow.

Juergen

Not that difficult at all, but requires at least 2-3 hours.

Check out the PAG diagram, there are 2 U joints, 1 Needle bearing under the donut bushing. My tutorial also has some details. Remember no need to remove the sway bar, it is a biotch to replace. when car is raised.

I have the car raised and the metal cover plate off so I was able investigate where the play is. I was able to pretty much determine it was not in the steering shaft and the two U-Joints and it is not in the tie rods and attachment to the wheels. The Turbo tie rods are only two years old and I replaced the ball joints (bottom of the struts) just last winter. I can't wait to get in there to see what I find. I miss my Porsche, especially since we have such nice fall weather right now.

Juergen

The 2 bolt heads that you see attach the coupler to the yoke (which is then attached to the pinion via the nut that can loosen). When you remove the coupler, you will then see another 2 bolt heads that attach the coupler to the lower steering column. All 4 mentioned bolt heads are secured with special locking washer plate thingies.

There is no way to get to the bolts and the nut while the steering rack is in the car. I can't even move the plastic shroud up high enough to look at the bolts. I only had an hour tonight to work on it. I started to take the steering rack out.

Juergen

I was able to get the steering rack out today. First look it all looked fine. However, when I took the bolts out of the rubber puck the metal sleeves just dropped out. It looks to me the holes in the rubber puck are about 1/8" too large. Can one of you steering rack experts just verify this?

I really appreciate all the help.

Juergen

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...ps848bddc6.jpg
http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/...pse05db5fd.jpg

The oversized holes in the rubber coupler are normal as I've purchased a new one for my rebuild and it also had them. Have you removed the puck to check the nut?