Dodgy steering - A cure

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah - my pet mechanic stuck his jemmy bar in all the joints a while ago and pronounced all to be A.O.K.

 

Which is exactly what I was talking about !

 

It seems that method is not thorough enough. I watched Vince do the same to my balls and they didn't budge either. Replacing them solved the problems.... get your mechanic to explain that then :lol:

[benson 0]

 

I watched Vince do the same to my balls and they didn't budge... :lol:

 

Sounds painful... with a jemmy bar?!!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

G.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Nah, I had my cricket box on :lol:

[Scott 0]

VAG only please :wink:

 

They're only £13 odd each.

 

When you get the aligment redone, take it somewhere decent as the Corrados are very fussy with geometry. It has to be spot on or nothing.

 

K

 

Might explain why mine still pulls to the left a little after four wheel alignment...... :mad:

[benson 0]

Gents - Where would be a good place to go for 4-wheel alignment for my newly lowered VR6 in Surrey? (once I've had me balls seen to!). It's only down 25mm on the H&R springs (kit# 29872)

 

My local Colbournes (Woking) says their pukka VW approved 4-wheel kit is "rubbish" because they don't have a proper ramp!

 

G.

[dr_mat 0]

Yeah - my pet mechanic stuck his jemmy bar in all the joints a while ago and pronounced all to be A.O.K.

 

It seems that method is not thorough enough.

 

Mine too...

TWO separate places, along with an MOT tester have both attempted to find any play in my BJs with methods of extreme force. We will see soon if they are actually "ok", like everyone is insistent on telling me.. I'm convinced they're not!

[Andy Brookes 0]

The steering rack was replaced on my car due to dodgy steering, but in the end it was found to be the lower ball joints. So that proves the theory further.

 

Cheers Andy

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I'm glad I stickied this now because I want to prevent people from forking out on racks and columns because of their BJs being mis-diagnosed as fine.

 

The wear on the BJs might not be enough to show up when levered upon with car in the air. But on the ground, with the weight of the car on them, it's a different matter. I have had a BJ show up as faulty by levering on it in the past and yep you could clearly see the play, but at the same time, the car behaved in a manner you would expect from a BJ that worn.

 

So.....if any doubt, just change em regardless.

 

K

[monVR6 0]

Thanks for all the detail and sticky Kev - another visit to Stealth methinks !! Just one question. Steering feel definitely improves dependent on the wheel position - (currently on it's lowest setting). Do you think ball-joints will solve this - or could there be wear in the column? I know I should get ball-joints done anyway - just want to try and prepare for the worst !! Thanks again.

[dr_mat 0]

I think, personally, that the majority of the detectable change when adjusting the steering column is "weirdness factor" - you're not used to it feeling like that, so it takes a while before you settle in and start detecting the problems again.

Both myself and Kev found the same thing - initially a change of column position would help, but the problems would return shortly.

And anyway - ball joints: £40 plus an hour labour, steering column: £630 plus several hours labour.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The steering column feels tight in all planes now, so it was a combination of the ball joints and a geometry refresh that has sorted it in my case. It looks like the Corrado is very fussy in the steering department. Everything has to be spot on otherwise the ride and handling can be ruined.

 

If you want your C to steer like a brand new one, then only a rack and column replacement will give you that, but if after you've done your balls & angles you're as pleased as I was, then you will forget about the rack/column.

 

Before you take it in, make sure you hunt out some local roads and get a feel for them. Then go over them again with new balls and angles and you should have a big grin on your face :lol:

[davidwort 0]

The steering column feels tight in all planes now, so it was a combination of the ball joints and a geometry refresh that has sorted it in my case. It looks like the Corrado is very fussy in the steering department. Everything has to be spot on otherwise the ride and handling can be ruined.

 

If you want your C to steer like a brand new one, then only a rack and column replacement will give you that, but if after you've done your balls & angles you're as pleased as I was, then you will forget about the rack/column.

 

Before you take it in, make sure you hunt out some local roads and get a feel for them. Then go over them again with new balls and angles and you should have a big grin on your face :lol:

 

Anything else that's worth doing, my 1990 130,000 mile 16v is starting to feel quite odd at high speed when changing direction, top mounts were replaced not long ago with uprated dampers on eibach springs, but all the other rubber bushes and ball joints etc will be original.

What do you reckon needs doing? at least one front wishbone bush is starting to look like it's splitting when the car is up on the ramp although it passed the MOT fine.

Should I do rear axle bushes, ball joints and wishbone/roll bar bushes as a matter of course?

 

ta,

David.

[dr_mat 0]

We should mention, before anyone plans their life based on this thread, that Kev has been troubled with very similar symptoms AGAIN, only a week after the fitting of these new ball joints. I'll go ahead and get mine swapped too next weekend, and report back, but I'm beginning to suspect I need a new rack...

[benson 0]

Me too,

 

I've now replaced top mounts, bearings and lower ball joints together with a camber and tracking refresh. Still got the same odd rattly feeling over bumps in a turn - feels like either play in the trackrod joints, rack or maybe the column bearings or universal joint. The cheapest place to start was column bearings, so I've ordered a pair (Stealers - £2.06 each from memory) and will post an update once fitted (how on earth this is done I'm yet to fully investigate!)

 

G.

[dr_mat 0]

Column bearings?? You've got the old, non-variable column I take it? There are no serviceable parts on the variable column that we have on 99% of the late VRs.

[PhatVR6 0]

mine felt a bit funny the other day, I seemed to be getting a slight "delay" i the steering that was worrying me.

 

I found out that the strut to hub bolts weren't quite tight enough, and allowing movement, so my camber was changing whilst cornering!

 

handles like a go kart now it's sorted.

[benson 0]

Column bearings?? You've got the old, non-variable column I take it? There are no serviceable parts on the variable column that we have on 99% of the late VRs.

 

Good old dealers - they didn't mention that.

On ETKA, it mentioned both adjustable and non-adjustable columns on the same page, but my pet parts guy didn't stipulate that the bearings might be different between the two.

From memory, there is a plain bush at the top and a needle roller cage affair at the bottom end.

 

I'd attach the picture, but company IT rules block me from doing so.

 

G.

[dr_mat 0]

I mean I'm sure the adjustable column is refurbishable, it is, after all, an assembly, so it can surely be disassembled. But the bentley etc only lists a single part number for the whole column, and insists that it should all be replaced as a single unit, which is HUGELY expensive.

Personally I doubt that they column itself could cause the kind of symptoms that we're experiencing, tho. The only point that could is the UJ on the column, and that's not easily serviceable...

But you are welcome to try.... :)

[Andy T 0]

I get a bit of rotational play(knock) in the steering at low speed - when driving over rough ground, or slowly driving over big potholes. When cruising, or driving hard it is totally fine (supension/wheel alignment is spot on)

 

Could this be due to the rack ball joints, or more likely the rack itself?

 

The rack was changed about 35k ago by previous owner (VAG dealer diagnosed 'play' in steering column at 50k) I think the rack was a refurb item as the part only cost £120!

 

Cheers

[monVR6 0]

I'm all geared up to get ball-joints changed at some point. Considering the costs involved it sounds worthwhile - considering I've done virtually everything else !! Today, after accelerating hard in third round a gentle long left bend, I had to slow and get in a filter lane to turn right at some lights. The wheel was pulling hard to the right as I slowed and when I stopped, the wheel sort of steered itself off centre and a quarter turn to the right. I don't think there was any road imperfection or camber - but will check next time I'm there. Is my car haunted - or is this another alignment, ball-joint, steering column thing??

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Mine's going in for a new rack next week and new tie rods and wheel bearings etc. The entire chassis will be new after that lot and if the symptoms persist, it's definitely either UJs or the column bearings.

 

I got a brand new (not refurbished) VW rack off ebay for £150! VW want £390+VAT for a refurbed one! Sod that!

 

I'll let you know how it all goes, but again, this week I've had the seat right down and the column on it's lowest setting, which again has improved matters a lot. Strange.

 

I'll get there in the end!

 

K

[dr_mat 0]

Mine has been fine again this week, Kev. And I've done nothing at all to the steering column...

[Jim 2]

I think mines going to need looking at soon.. generally feels quite light at speed (though not as bad as my old 16v did) and seems to pull very strongly at low speed in certain directions if there is a pothole or the camber of the road changes quite steeply... though I think the poor road conditions in Coventry have contributed to this. All those knocks and bangs from potholes and poor road surfaces must wear suspension / steering parts out quite quickly?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Nah the chassis components are tough as old boots and can take knocks from pot holes but if you've got tired dampers or slack anywhere in the steering, the car will feel like it's weaving about, especially in lorry ruts!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

And here she is, my bargain rack from ebay :lol:

 

I suspect our slop is caused by worn pinion bearings, which you can see in the zoomed-in pic. These are obviously new and slop free but I will be thoroughly examining the old one and will report back my findings!