help me diagnose my steering problem

Punisher302 said:

hey gents, here's the problem:

play in steering wheel, vibration on high-speed (45mph+) when turning

if i'm going 65 on the expressway and slightly move the wheel, it vibrates pretty badly

tie-rod? tie-rod end? bushings?

i'm not too savvy on these things, but i have a chilton's.

truth is i can't afford to pay for the work (buying an engagement ring for the gf) if i can fix it myself. thanks, guys.

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94-302-vert is right. You could have worn tie-rod ends, ball joints or bearings. Kinda odd that you'd only get vibration when turning at speed. The play in the steering wheel can also be at the connection points for the steering shaft. There's a large block on either end; one under the dash and one at the steering rack. Make sure the bolt on either end is tight - there shouldn't be any gap in the metal down there. Also, you can have someone move the steering wheel a bit while you're looking at the steering system, so you can see where the play is coming from.