Ultra Light Steering

eeyaychiq · 15-05-2008, 02:24 PM

Hi everyone, Im not sure if this is where I should be posting this. Basically my AUII has reeeeeaaallly light steering. Ive spoken/complained to other AU owners about how light my steering is and they have said their steering is lightish, but definatley firm. Mine could no way be descibed as 'firm' no way. I even avoided driving down south as I new it would be a fight to keep it nice and straight on the bumpy roads.
What could be causing this?

V3RSAC3 · 15-05-2008, 02:37 PM

it shouldn't be like that but it's not rare, my fairmont's fair firm on steering, then agian the TL50 is lighter but still firm same as my AUII wagon ... however Riksta's (on this forum) i've driven his car acouple of times and it sounds like urs ... it's EXTREMLY light on steering :S, so i dunno ... could just be one of those things?

BFD83 · 15-05-2008, 04:46 PM

I notice that the steering in mine is pretty light aswel, when i get a wheel alignment the steering feels pretty good and then goes loose so yeah i dunno why it does this?

eeyaychiq · 15-05-2008, 09:32 PM

Does the AUII have anything that reduces power steering the faster you go?

V3RSAC3 · 15-05-2008, 11:47 PM

no ... if anything should be the other way around, you'd want it tighter on steering as you're going faster!

JC · 16-05-2008, 12:12 AM

It could be a worn bush on the intermediate shaft. When you say "light", do you mean that the slightest nudge of the steering wheel results in a lot of turning movement of the front wheels, or is there excessive play in the steering wheel?

eeyaychiq · 16-05-2008, 02:24 PM

yes, its hard to explain. Its like a car with no power steering feels a certain way when you drive it, then a car with power steering,it takes a lot less effort to go round a corner,and a lot less turns of the wheel. Ok mine is even further on the spectrum, I just have to think about changing lanes, and ill be in the next lane. lol, ok its not that bad, but that the best I can explain. Its almost as if I want the power steering to just turn off when im driving!!!!

**Jastel** · 16-05-2008, 06:20 PM

Do you have high kms on your car?

All my taxis do it after 200000kms or so, the seals and o rings just get worn out in the rack I guess and it gives too much "assistance", there is hardly any "feel" left to it.

If it is not leaking oil it is not a serious problem

Change (or recondition) the rack and it will feel normal again.

Chippar · 16-05-2008, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyaychiq

Hi everyone, Im not sure if this is where I should be posting this. Basically my AUII has reeeeeaaallly light steering. Ive spoken/complained to other AU owners about how light my steering is and they have said their steering is lightish, but definatley firm. Mine could no way be descibed as 'firm' no way. I even avoided driving down south as I new it would be a fight to keep it nice and straight on the bumpy roads.
What could be causing this?

Your answer could be in this post, but it'd be easier to read and understand these comments, then for me to explain it. Hope it helps.

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...=steering+rack

LPGUTE · 16-05-2008, 10:40 PM

i always thought that the AU was known to had "feather light" steering. how long have u had the car? did you feel any changes in steering in that time?

eeyaychiq · 17-05-2008, 12:40 AM

Hmmmm, i think changing the rack sounds a good place to start. So AUs dont have speed sensitive steering racks. and this item on ebay, (from a link in a link u posted) http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Ford-Falcon-P...2em118Q2el1247
so is this good or bad for my car...

mik · 17-05-2008, 11:01 AM

it looks ok,..... if you do the rack change you will need an alignment as well, i was under the impression that Fairmonts had the speed sensitive steering?

**Mechan1k** · 17-05-2008, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

It could be a worn bush on the intermediate shaft. When you say "light", do you mean that the slightest nudge of the steering wheel results in a lot of turning movement of the front wheels, or is there excessive play in the steering wheel?

On a side note ... I have excessive play in my steering at the moment ... probably 5 degrees either way off centre is literally dead ... it starting to become unnerving on rougher country roads as it take more steering input to keep it on track.

Is the bush replacable????

Or is it just best to get the rack replaced (I have already replaced it once about 125,000km ago.)

mik · 18-05-2008, 12:51 AM

if the looseness is in the rack you might be able to tighten it up by tightening the plug on the back of the rack(assuming the rest of the rack is ok, the inner tie rod ends like ball joints.... might be tired if it has a lot of k`s), the plug puts a bit of pressure on the rack shaft pushing it towards the pinion, i had to weld a nut to a big bolt to fit the plug, a special tool would normally be required ,it does have a correct tension, it might be a pain to to do under the car, i did mine on the bench , http://img174.imageshack.us/my.php?i...type059ln1.jpg
see the plug ,spring and piston shaped rod, you can see were it goes, i have been meaning to give mine a bit of a tighten, the plug is a very tight fit in alloy the housing i dont think they take that in to account, i would`nt bother rooting around with one of these again, 200 odd for change over plus alignment cost which you might need anyway.

**Mechan1k** · 18-05-2008, 12:53 AM

That's what I thought ... might be just easier to replace with a reco/exchange unit again.

JC · 18-05-2008, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

On a side note ... I have excessive play in my steering at the moment ... probably 5 degrees either way off centre is literally dead ... it starting to become unnerving on rougher country roads as it take more steering input to keep it on track.

Is the bush replacable????

Or is it just best to get the rack replaced (I have already replaced it once about 125,000km ago.)

It's probably not the rack, but the intermediate shaft. The bush that wears is part of the shaft, so you need to replace the whole bit.

T-Pak Addict · 21-05-2008, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jastel

Do you have high kms on your car?

All my taxis do it after 200000kms or so, the seals and o rings just get worn out in the rack I guess and it gives too much "assistance", there is hardly any "feel" left to it.

If it is not leaking oil it is not a serious problem

Change (or recondition) the rack and it will feel normal again.

Mine feels the same as the wifes AU 160k mine 825k no difference... both are series 1's