Took my mustang out for its first real drive since I bought it. The steering is VERY loose. Have at least 15 degrees on the wheel both ways before it actually turns, and it is very squirrely. Makes comfortable driving impossible. Is this a full rack and pinion change or could it be just tie rods? This is my first Mustang (Camaro/Firebird guy) and not to familiar with all there little quirks. TIA
Suspension 1995 front end very loose
- Thread starter veaceonee
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Before you start replacing parts, you'll need to get under the car and see where the slop is.
Take note of where the steering shaft connects to the rack. Have someone turn the wheel and note how much this connection moves, or doesn't move. It could be the rag joint that has the slop, or even the pinch bolt at the top of the steering shaft.
With the front wheels off the ground, grab each wheel and tug and pull at 3 and 9 o clock to look for play in the tie rod ends.
15 degrees of slop is quite a bit. Gotta be some worn parts but would hate for you to replace the rack and that wasn't it
Take note of where the steering shaft connects to the rack. Have someone turn the wheel and note how much this connection moves, or doesn't move. It could be the rag joint that has the slop, or even the pinch bolt at the top of the steering shaft.
With the front wheels off the ground, grab each wheel and tug and pull at 3 and 9 o clock to look for play in the tie rod ends.
15 degrees of slop is quite a bit. Gotta be some worn parts but would hate for you to replace the rack and that wasn't it
Mustang5L5 has the right idea. I'd also check on the universal joint under the dash, that hooks the steering wheel shaft under the dash, to the steering shaft that connects to the steering rack. The bolts on either end of the universal joint can come loose.
Will check it out when I get a chance. Thanks for the suggestions. If it turns out to be the rag joint in the steering shaft is there a way to eliminate it and switch it to a Ujoint? When I had my 88 Firebird a popular mod was to swap the intermediate shaft for one out of a Jeep Cherokee ( the boxy ones) and that eliminated the rag joints and replaced them with Ujoints. Anything like that?
