steering not straightening out after turning

[vic_325]

Hi, one day my steering got stiff when turning and wouldnt return back to center after turning left or right at any speeds... then after a few days it just started working normally again.
but now it started acting up, and i doubt its gona fix itself again.

has anyone else had this problem? what could it be?

Thanks.
Vic

[dvmotorsports]

have you checked you fluid level? how about bleeding the system?

[Aptyp]

Wait a second, so the car goes straight, but the steering wheel doesn't straighten. Or the steering wheel doesn't straighten and the car follows it until you set it straight???

If first, then you have alignment/tie rods problem and you pump is taking a dump.
If second, you may need to check your PS fluid or start looking for a new steering rack.

Difficult to say. Check fluid, check PS pump belt, check tie-rods. Report back.

[vic_325]

the car keeps turning until i set it straight.
i have fluid.. and the belt is good. the tie rods seem fine(not bent or anything)- but what else should i be looking for when checking them?

[dvmotorsports]

when you go into and out of a turn, is it very stiff? almost as if it doesn't have p/s?

[vic_325]

it turns easily like its PS from 12o"clock to 2'o'clock then its very stiff then smooth again but then its time to straighten out so i have to straighten it out myself (very stiff going back to straight)


i checked the fluid again and its over the max line. could too much fluid be the cause?

how do you bleed the steering system?

[E30_fiend]

tie rods bro. for sure.

they will pop out of adjustment and then pop back into adjustment. It pulls to the side you turned to right?

[dvmotorsports]

it turns easily like its PS from 12o"clock to 2'o'clock then its very stiff then smooth again but then its time to straighten out so i have to straighten it out myself (very stiff going back to straight)


i checked the fluid again and its over the max line. could too much fluid be the cause?

how do you bleed the steering system?

turn the wheel lock to lock several times and have somebody man the pump and watch for bubbles. if there are no bubbles, you are air free. if there are bubbles, the fluid level will go down. continue filling it until no bubbles are present.

[vic_325]

ok i will do that, i do recall seeing little bubble spots when i checked the fluid after driving.

[Aptyp]

Disagree with fiend there. Inside tie-rod joints do pop in and out, but it wouldn't make your steering stiffer.

It's the rack. Good time for an e36 rack swap.

[jlevie]

It sounds to me like something might be binding (bad rack, tie rods, outer ball joints, upper strut bearings).

[e304me]

what about the upper strut mounts?

[Aptyp]

If he has fluid, the steering rack would self bleed during normal driving with in hours. It wouldn't come and go. You could flush your steering rack, as in take both hoses off and run cleaning fluid through it for a little while, but I think your steering rack is catching somewhere.

Just out of curiosity, check you steering knuckle. Is it possible that one of the u-joints on the knuckle went out and pops in and out, not allowing him to turn?

Just a thought.

[vic_325]

thanks for all the input guys! greatly appreciated. ill check the knuckle tommorow,

also the fluid is new, and i replaced the upper strut mounts just a few months ago when i installed the vogtland/kyb suspension

[DCColegrove]

Indeed check your ball joints, strut bearings and indeed your outer tie rod ends.