Hey guys, I've been experiencing some strange steering issues lately and am looking for some input.

The steering on the car sometimes feels like there's a slight drag on it. When I make a sharp turn, the wheel seems reluctant to "self-center" again. It's very hard to describe the feeling. This feeling started pretty much overnight and has been going on for several weeks now.

After doing a search, I ruled out the following:

*the steering rack is solidly bolted, no bolts missing or loose
*the alignment is good

I don't notice any thing obviously wrong with the power steering but I wouldn't rule that out if this could be a cause.

Any suggestions?

 

this thread may offer a decent suggenstion or two:

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ghlight=memory

 

alignments go out of spec even if you have just recently had it done...if the steering wheel is not recentering with ease that means your tires are toe'd inwards ...i am an alignment technician at the shop that i work at..and this is a common problem ...have the alignment rechecked ...have the put the sensors on all for tires and compensate each sensor..and i am almost positive that the computer will show that your toe is too far inward...make sure that you watch the technician do the alignment because sometimes they dont tighten the tie rod nut that much and it can go loose from a big jolt to the suspension. this is just my knowledge from doing alignments for quite awhile...

 

When the steering feels "reluctant" is it only when it's at nearly full lock? This could perhaps be a worn balljoint. Normally these are audible with the car switched off.

A friend here (RedBaronII) has a similar problem. His steering wheel seems to "stick" for an instant at times when winding it back and forth. It still functions fine but you can feel an unmistakable "bump" feed back through the steering column. It's not unsafe but it's noticeable and it's not right.

IMO his car feels like it's an internal problem of the power assist in the steering rack or perhaps the pump iteself. I assume it's not his gear teeth because the "bump" doesn't happen in the same place everytime, I think it's just the assist dropping out for an instant. Just driving around the street you feel it on occasion but if you quickly shuffle the wheel back and forth and weave around at low speeds in a parking lot you could make it do it every time. Never a loss of control or a real raising of effort but you'd feel a bump or click as you turned the wheel almost like it got hung up for just a moment.

My gut felt it was actually a hydraulic problem inside the rack but I'm not sure if he's had the rack replaced yet to verify if that was in fact the problem. Try sending him a PM. I know I already looked up parts prices to rebuild the rack and they were actually quite reasonable.

 

Thanks for the replies so far.

gdnimr0d: I understand what you are saying but I didn't have my alignment done at Goodyear or Midas...it was last done by a performance shop who really knows RX-7s. I don't have any other alignment-associated issues, such as uneven tire-wear or ill-handling, so I'm fairly confident that's not the problem.

DamonB: Hmmm.....I don't feel a click or really a change in steering boost from the pump (I have experienced that before and this isn't it). It's more like a sensation that the steering wants to stay turned after a turn. It is worse after sharper turns. It feels more like some kind of mechanical friction issue than a pump/hydraulic issue, but that's just my mostly-uneducated opinion.

My mechanic has taken a look at it and hasn't seen anything obvious. Perhaps it is indeed something internal to the rack (great!.... ).

 

Rynberg, I had a problem with the steering , the wheel sort of dragging and not coming back to center & checked and rechecked steering and alignment. It turned out to be the clockspring in the wheel. Somehow it had gotten bent. No idea how or why but when it was replaced, all was well.

 

it does take a decent amount of miles to start to show toe related tire wear. that said the most common reason for that is like gdnimrod said. i assume the tie rods have been checked for play? i would tend to think it is not hydraulic as the tendency of the car to self center is alignment driven not hydraulic

 

Did you check all your bushings, and joints? Its better to take off the wheel and look then trying to guess.

First I would lift the car in the air(front end). Then put my hands on sides of one of the wheels and try to wiggle it back and forth hard, then up and down. If there is any movement you have problem in your front end. If not then I would check fluids and lines.

Its just a matter of troubleshooting before you find the problem, just takes time.

-good luck

 

Make sure your tire pressure isn't low - that causes all kinds of funkiness .

Dale

 

Did you rotate or change to a different set of tires? Change tire pressures significantly? Different tires or pressures can sometimes give an "over-center" feeling to the steering response.

 

i have nothing useful to add, except...

wow. i've never seen rynberg *start* a thread before

 

Tire pressure are fine and have been running the same tires since April. Tires are in good shape.

Thanks for the comments everyone, I will try a few of the suggestions.

Yeah, I don't start too many threads, I guess....

 

Any abnormal tread wear on either of the front tires??

 

I might have the same problem but only when I turn the wheel all the way right, the steering wheel just does not want to get back... So I started with all the things that were worn anyway and ended up changing the bushings, top & bottom suspension arms with newer ball joints, tie-rod ends and still same problem. I even changed the steering rack bushings, which were definitly toast.

But I did visually notice something strange...when I turn my wheels all the way right the inside of the rim is very close to the the lower control arm. Almost looks like the wheel is turning *too* much on the right side. I'm checking out the rack next...

 

Try checking your rear control arms. Sorry, I don't have time to read the other replies. Good luck.