I drove the RS around a few times this week after its been sitting for awhile and I noticed that the steering on the car is real squirrly.

I know its never been tight like a new car but its seems really bad now. I can turn the wheel about 1.5 in with nothing happening to the wheels and I can do that back n forth thing with the steering wheel real quick and get nothing.

Now I haven't checked anything such as hoses or belts or anything, basically because I dont know what I'm looking for. So if anyone can give me any ideas what this might be and what I should be looking for that would be great.

Some one did tell me in passing awhile ago that Chevy trucks were notorious in the 80s for Power Steering boxes to become loose over time causing steering problems. Could this also be true with camaros?

The tie rods, ball joints are about 1.5 years old, it had an alignment the same time. The tires are inflated to 32psi.
The car has bout 170XXX on it so It wouldnt suprise me if it was the box, or the pump.

Any help would be great guys.


Pork

 

bad PS pump would leak, make noise, or be hard to turn wheels. i'd suspect you have some worn parts in the front end

 

does anyone know if there is an adjustment to account for wear of a stearing gear?

 

Yes. Someone does know...

 

...and Im sure he would like you to elaborate Vader. Hell, I wouldnt mind much either!

 

the first thing i would check would be the pitman arm then the tirods and such. after that i would look at the box.

 

The idler arms are a known weak point in our steering systems. Get a Moog arm if you ever have to replace one, since the bearings are a lot heavier.

Search the archives for "Steering" and "lash". You should find a few pointers.

Here are some that I found:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...threadid=22835

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...threadid=82682

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=162998

 

My bet is on the center link, and maybe the idler arm. Get someone to sit in the car and move the steering wheel back and forth while you watch the steering components. You should be able to spot where the slop is coming from.

 

I have the same problem. It has been there since the car got stolen. The power steering was out of the car when I got it back. I replaced it an have noticed it there since then. I brought it to an alignment shop and they couldn't help me out (Granted that was several years ago). I've taken apart the steering column and tighten up the star nuts in the bottom without any improvement. While it was apart, I checked the play in the tilt mechanism and there was no play. So I'm figuring the play is not in the column, but I could be wrong. I guess I'll try to find someone else who does good suspension work here in town. I need to get the springs and shock changed anyway.

 

The lash/preload adjustment is not in the steering column, but in the steering gearbox itself. The proper method involves removing the box and testing the input torque with an inch/ounce torque wrench. The recirculating ball preload adjustment is done by loosening the adjustment lock nut, turning the adjustment screw until the correct input load is reached, then tightening the lock nut to hold the adjustment.

 

Trial and error will get you in the ball park also. Here's what I do.
Unlock steering and shake your wheel back and forth till you get the play at the top center of your wheel. put wrench on the nut and allen wrench in hole and loosen the locknut about 2-3 turns while holding the allen wrench still. Then, with one finger to prevent over tightening rotate wrench clock-wise till you feel resistance and back it up 1/8 of a turn and lock the nut. Test drive and fine tune as needed. I don't have a universal galiatic in. oz. torque wrench so I have to do it the po earth-man way. (If you know what I mean!) BTW, This is not the proper way to adj. the steering gear and I am not resposible for damages!

 

...but it will work to get you close if there is noticable lash in the gear/*****. Just be careful not to overtighten the preload adjustment screw, since the ***** will gall/wear into the sector gear and destroy the entire steering box. I've adjusted quite a few through the "feel" method with good succeess as long as a little judgement is excersized.

 

I have messed arround with the lock nut and the socket set screw on my old truck and all that seemed to do is make the wheel harder to turn, it did not remove any slop.

 

Well then, Guess that wasn't the problem.

 

if the wheel is hard to turn then its too tight. Slop in an old multi-llinkage steering system is inevitable.