Arctic White 91 RS

My RS has an alignment issue. Tire Barn said they couldn't do an alignment unless the shock towers were slotted which they won't do. The 2nd shop Don's said when trying to set caster something "clicks" in the steering column or steering box & the "click" throws the insturment out of calibration. The steering wheel has to be turned & panned left & right for the process. Steering has play. The suspension was rebuit at about 225,000 wiith new ttie-rod, ball joints & bushings etc. The steering box is orginal & has 376,000 miles on it as does the column.

Any ideas on what causing the problem?

Shop will try to determine problem Monday.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like it's time for a visual inspection.

At 376,000 miles, there should be A BUNCH of stuff that you can just LOOK AT, and see it's used up.

The "click" is likely the rag joint. See "visual inspection".

With the car sitting on the ground normally, have somebody get in the car and shake the wheel back and forth between the 2 points where it actually does something (probably 15° of wheel motion at least) while you watch the front end and look for loose parts, and listen for "clicks".

Arctic White 91 RS

How involved is replacing a rag joint?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Not.

You might want to consider this alternative however, about 3 posts down below this one. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...ing-shaft.html

SlickTrackGod

SInce I know you have Bilstein struts from you other post

{ Got the front Bilstien HD's over 3 years ago via AutoZone for $225 each. Took four months & paid for half of the $450 w/$220 of AutoZone reward card I had been saving on for a long time.

Love the Bilsteins on the RS w/Eibachs & Spohn' sway bars & LCA's etc }

You may want to consider checking them and retighten the body. I will guess they are coming apart like i have seen on a few of the other local's cars also.

SlickTrackGod

Also- don;tmess with the rag joint, it's not the problem

SlickTrackGod

FWIW- Jons old green t/a,( the car Don would work on and ended up buying for his son-in-law I hear when I turned down the offer from Jon) had the same issue with a mysterious front suspension noise. I found the problem in about 30 seconds. I didn;t buy the car because I found out Don was the one that did most of the work on it. THe Bilstein was about to fall apart the threads were so loose.

SlickTrackGod

When you are done making sure the Bilsteins are tight, and the click is still there, then you will next want to check the frame rail under the steering box. THey crack here. Start the car and have someone else turn the steering wheel lock to lock while you carefully inspect this area for the clcking noise. If it's craclked it can be rewelded. I looked at a post of your car and I see the front end was totaled back in 2001. You probably have alot of stuff rewelded up there already so maybe someones welds cracked from previous repairs.

But I am serious on the struts, check those. It that comes apart it could be a nightmare for you

Arctic White 91 RS

Yes my RS has been thru a lot. Front clip back in 2001. I've mentioned that to the shop looking at the car.

The Bilsteins only issue so far was the shop that installed then (not Don's) didn't torque the bolts to spindle correctly. This was addressed previously.

I've had Bilsteins on my 99 T/A for ten years & never any issues, likewise with the set of my 72 vette which are 14 years old but not a lot of miles.

Has Bilstein had a lot od issues on 3rd Gens?

Slick, which Don are you refering to? I'm confused by your comment on not buying a TA.

SlickTrackGod

There a local shop in So Cal name Don and Kevint hat do alot of work for guys on here- Im guessing now youa re not a So cal local. I saw the name Don and assumed you ment them since he is fairly well known on this board

Arctic White 91 RS

The US is a big country that includes far more than just southern Cali.

Indiania. & sometimes North Carolina here.

Arctic White 91 RS

Talked with the shop, the problem appears to be with the tilt mechanism being loose. A matter to tighting up a few screws.

SlickTrackGod

No offense ment but just an obvious statement- You couldn't feel that? A question posted to this forum about a click is hardly a easy thing to answer when the poster can not even grab a steering wheel and know its loose. You had to ask about a click? I think you need to venture out into the US a little more yourself and expand YOUR horizons partner.

How the hell is that going to throw off an alignment reading Ill never know. youg et all walks of life questions on these internet sites

Whatever(walks away puzzled with this bizarre outcome of this post)

Arctic White 91 RS

Slick I've been coast to coast in the US includling Cali, no need for you to get all hyper and touchy about the obvious.

As for the tilt being loose causing the issue, inot really sure. Will post up details.

Arctic White 91 RS

Update - service manager checked RS & didn't find or feel the "click" the alignment guys mentioned. Tilt mech was worn buut otherwise tight, moderate play in steering. Per shop all of this combined to be enough to cause problems with the newer most precise alignment equipment.

Don's sent the car to a local dealer that also has the prior generation of alignment equipment. The strut towers were slotted & the car finally aligned.

The moral of the story is if your 3rd Gen encounters alignment issues similar to what my RS did, it might be worth having the car checked on one of the older alignment devices.

On the not so good side the car still pulls left & has to go back for an adjustment.