I have two steering issues with my car which I would appreciate some advice on. First, I just had my tires rotated and the front end checked at my BF Goodrich dealer. They advised the front end is in very good shape for the 240,000 km on the car. I am the original owner of the car. Only the idler arm was changed about 10 years ago along with the sway bar bushings and endlinks a few months ago. A new TDS steering brace was just installed. The mechanic advised there is a little bit of steering slop coming from the steering box. Second, my steering wheel inside the car is not centered. This is hard to explain. My steering wheel has the radio controls on it. Usually when the car is driven down a straight road this control is horizontal with the ground. Now when you drive down the road it is not horizontal rather it is askew such that it is now at 2 and 8 if the steering wheel was a clock face.

So I have been searching this suspension/chassis board and read the article about rebuilding the steering box and another about adjusting the back lash on the steering box. I have also been researching new steering boxes such as the AGR225153. Here are a couple of questions.

1. Do you think the steering wheel issue is caused by the steering box slop? What else could cause the steering wheel to be not centered like that?
2. I think I could undertake a steering box rebuild or back lash adjustment as described in those threads; however, is the AGR225153 unit so superior to a rebuilt OEM part not to warrant the time and trouble? Maybe start with a backlash adjustment and see what that does?
3. I note the AGR unit has a 12:1 ratio what is the OEM ratio?
4. Are there any other aftermarket steering boxes to consider. I saw one by Flaming River for a lot more money.
5. I read up on what rag joints are and I would think if I was replacing the steering box you would change this joint as a matter of course? Or do new steering boxes come with this joint?

 

1. A non-centered steering wheel can be fixed by a simple adjustment of the tie rod adjusters provided the car doesn't pull one way or the other if you let go of the wheel. Just use the sleeves to make one side longer and the other shorter each with the same amount of adjustment to keep the alignment, and that will clock your wheel to a more correct spot as long as the adjustment was made correct.

2. I'd think a back lash adjustment should be fine

3. I'm not too sure, but I believe stock is close to 12:1

4. I'd just go for stock, unless you'd want to try a manual steering box

5. A new box doesn't come with the rag joint, but it couldn't hurt to put a new one in.

 

Thank you for your advise.

 

Here is up date to this post.

I did a power steering flush, installed a new high pressure hose (as it was leaking), a new return hose and adjusted the backlash as the article stated. This produced a huge difference as the power steering fluid was black and had never been changed, only added to every several years, since 1989. We used some Lucas power steering additive which helped.

Before this work if you placed your index finger at the top of the steering wheel this finger would move about 3” to 4” in an arch with the steering wheel before the tires moved. The above work got this down to ½” to maybe 1”. A noticeable improvement!

I am considering new shocks in a couple of months so the car with need a wheel alignment. I will address the non centered steering wheel at that time.