Anyway, over the last week or so my 31 has developed an issue where after turning the steering wheel will not centre itself; it sits about maybe 20deg. either side of centre and happens on both directions.
I sat in the car with the engine off and tried rocking the steering wheel, seems to have free play of about 30-40mm each side before it "grabs".
I'm seeing things being thrown up like steering rack or ball joints? Has anyone experienced this? Are there any on-vehicle tests I can do to try to determine what it is? Don't know where to start with this one.
Monday, May 05, 2014 - 09:46 am, by: Tom Richards(Tomr)
i have had "steering not self centring" after turning a corner twice, both times the LCA ball joint had failed. I also had "wandering" when driving and steering wheel off centre and that was the steering 2 rack bushes shown above by dave.
Yours looks like the rack bushes. get someone to turn the steering wheel while you look at the rack.
Monday, May 05, 2014 - 10:35 am, by: Allan Langford(Allan)
or new bushes from PT and worry about it again in another 100,000km if you still have the car and not have more NVH and rack wear...
Bushes are soft to absorb shock loads, if you solid mount or hard poly bush stuff it causes those parts to wear out quicker, yes you get a bit more feel but unless it's a track car avoid solid mounting stuff like the plague!
Allan, new bushes from PT? Would like more info please.
*** EDIT *** Sorry, you're referring to the Branz bushes correct (sorry, 5am starts take a toll on me lol). I thought he wasn't doing these bushes anymore?