Corrado steering or is that.... the QE2......!

[stu37 0]

Hi guys just a quick post my car is currently dismantled and whilst in the process of putting it back together have decided its time to sort the steering. When driving using the word.... vague.... is a bit of understatement. A freind drove my car the other day and said that he felt he had to constantly correct himself when driving, something I guess has just got progressively worse and I have compensated for :os.

 

I have had a search and many of you guys have mentioned the fixed steering colomn mod as a way of eliminating play tho looks a little involved.

 

I have had a look and thought track rods are a good bet but enure to replace the whole arms or just the ends???

 

Any help would be really really appreciatted.

[boost monkey 0]

what's the state of the suspension, things like wishbones? The suspension could be causing the wheels to wander if the bushes are wearing out.

[davidwort 0]

start at the wheels and work your way back to the steering wheel really.

 

usual suspects are suspension top mounts, bottom ball joints, rear wishbone bushes (ones that sit in subframe), track rod ends and inner joints (inners are integral to the rods) steering rack (although that's usually the least play), UJ from rack to column bottom and then the UJ that does height adjustment (which is why some of us have swapped to fixed columns)

wheel bearings can get play but they'll usually make horrid groaning noises first. Duff front shocks won't help either :)

Once all that is checked and fixed then proper wheel alignment will get it spot on, no point in doing that with play in other parts as the tracking will alter as you drive anyway.

[stu37 0]

Hello mate and thanks for the reply.

 

After your comment in thinking,

 

New,

Top mounts,

Track rod ends and inners,

Bottom ball joints.

 

Then... look at the colomn :os.

 

The wheel bearings are all ok with no signs of excessive wear. Its just such a shame that the poor steering ruins the drive of the car as a few of my freinds have effectionately named my car "the longboat" (.

 

Have you still got your adjustable steering colomn or gone for the fixed? (jusy to check its the 6N polo one to retrofit?

 

Many thanks for your comments guys really really appreciatted.

 

---------- Post added at 03:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:17 PM ----------

 

wishbones are a possible point as the suspension is new and might be showing the floors in the rest of it!!!

[davidwort 0]

fixed column is just a nice-to-have, (I changed that on my 16v, but the other car is a poverty spec 8v which came with a fixed column as standard) you can space the fixed column lower with washers if you require and it removes one whole joint from the system, so it feels better than a perfectly sound adjustable one,

polo parts are just a good source for the inner column (outer tube and plastic covers are corrado specific), inner column is the same part and they don't get much wear on a 1.0L polo :)

 

definitely worth getting a Corrado suspension, steering and all bushes sorted, they are so nice to drive on new bits :)