Steering Issues

How much slack are in the tie rod joints and universal & flex joint steering shaft couplers?

The universal and flex joint steering shaft couplers can be inspected with the car parked on the ground. With the engine off, have a helper rock the steering wheel back and forth while you inspect the universal and flex joint steering shaft couplers for excessive slack. You'll need a sharp eye and a strong light to do a good job.

Support the car on jackstands with the jackstands placed as close to the wheel as possible. With the steering locked, have a helper try to move each front wheel just like it would move if you turned the steering wheel. While they are rocking the wheels, you are under the car watching for slack in the tie rods.

The steering wheel shat fits in a steel tube formed to fit the shape of the shaft. If wear on the tube and shaft gets excessive, you can have problems like what you are seeing.

Im trying to remember, but on a tilt column there should be another joint in the steering shaft that thebbolts will back off causing an issue. The was a thread a few years back about this. I'll try and find it. Try looking in the upper column fornloose joints or brackets.

sen2two said:

I just replaced the stock steering parts with a new Summit Racing 20:1 rack, MM Manual rack shaft, Steeda bump steer kit, and solid rack mount bushings. Then had it aligned.

Still I have a dead spot in the steering wheel. I can turn it a few degrees in each direction which does not effect the steering. Really, nothing got any better. Even though everything from the firewall forward was replaced with solid parts. Could the steering column be the issue?

I also have VERY bad tram lining. The front tires are 275 wide, which is rediculous... But thats how I got the car. I am on the hunt for some Prostars right now. But still, I have other cars that do not have tramlining issues with similar width front tires. Why are Foxbodies so prone to tramlining and how can the issue be corrected?

Click to expand...

So when I installed the MM hybrid shaft I had a dead spot as well. May be apple to oranges, but the a few tips to check ( an extra hand/eyes will help):

First get someone in the car and tell them to turn the wheel until the dead spot. Watch the connection at the rack and shaft meet. I used liquid white out to see if it was loose and slipping. Remember the pinch bolt has an orientation of how to be inserted, which is through the non threaded to threaded side (easily overlooked).

Second, the bolt between the steering shaft and steering wheel shaft inside the engine bay by the firewall. This bolt is a PITA for me due to headers and master cylinder. It's a self locking nut and may feel tight, check again. This was my dead spot btw.

Third, remove the covers around the steering wheel and remove the turn signal. There are I think two 13mm bolts that are prone to come lose and can cause slop. Check and retighten.

Lastly, on the super rare occasion there is a bearing in the steering wheel that can go bad....but rare.

As for the tramlining, these cars have what I think is a terrible scrub radius that gives the tires leverage against the steering. The wider the tire, the worse it seems to get, and if the tires have any conicity in their wear (e.g. more tread on the outer edge than the inner edge), it gets awful. If you have wheels that stick out further than stock, it gets awful. If you run aggressive amounts of negative camber, it hurts too.