Wiped out

[bal]

So im in vancouver and weather started going downhill.

I had a break and somewhat nice weather. Planned on hitting the bank and insurance place to cut the insurance on the car until april march.

Taking a left turn i guess combination of a wet man-hole cover and wet roads my back end slide out without any hope of control.

Luckily no one behind me or in the lane i was turning into.
And yes i wasn't messing around, my tires are near end of life and just combination of bad luck.

When it spun around, i did a complete 180, and tapped the divider. The divider isn't a big one, rounded edge and about 9 inches high.

Anyways the front passenger tire tapped it, i have 20 inch bullit wheels and no dings scratches or anything, the tire had a small scuff mark.

The car stalled out right away, i tried starting so i can stop facing oncoming traffic and leave. Car took a good minute before it started. Drove away thinking it was a light tap.

Car drove fine until i found a spot to pull over and inspect more carefully.

Power steering was gone, the tank was dry so i assume some where i line got pinched/cut and it drained.
( or you think axel damage, rack damage?) i thought it was pretty soft tap.

also brakes are gone hard, fluid is still topped up. But i noticed when i was waiting for the garage to open and had my foot on the brake it started making a loud clunking noise. only when i had the foot on brake though.

Car is now parked, insurance is cut.

Wondering if anyone has any ideas of the potential problems have started. too cold right now to pull the tires and look closely. Just wanted a gameplan for when weather is better.

Bad news is i was planning to save these insurance payments while car was in storage for a programmer or gears for when the weather got better. i guess ill just dump it all back to getting it running again.

 

[trinity_gt]

The power assist for the brakes comes from the power steering pump ("hydroboost.") If you leaked all your P/S fluid, you'd lose power assist on the brakes too.

Check the rack and lines for obvious leaks. Any drips under the car?

Silly question: Is the accessory belt still in place?

 

[bal]

the engine bay is so open on the car i love it compared to the g35 coupe. But looking around i didn't find any clear spot. I purposely waited a few minutes before parking the car inside and checked the floor. Only had one drop of fluid, it was on black top so couldnt tell colour but saw the rainbow affect through it.

Maybe on impact while the car stalled it all leaked out.

But i guess i would have to get under the car and check the power steering rack.


Belt was fine, fluid missing was only sign of any change.


So you think brakes might be okay? just power steering issue?

 

[trinity_gt]

So you think brakes might be okay? just power steering issue?

The reservoir for the power steering fluid being empty to the point that the steering assist was gone tells me that what you feel in the brake pedal is related to that, not to a particular problem in the brakes.

See this post: http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/683008-hydroboost-major-problems-ehhh.html#post6686531

regarding bleeding the HB system. You might have to locate the leak(s) before proceeding with a bleed of the system though...

 

[bal]

thanks for all the help trinity. better weather and ill check for leaks. hopefully the brakes won't be an issue once i get power steering addressed.

hopefully small leak and not a whole new steering rack or any major costs.

thanks again

 

[bal]

Update,

Finally got around to decent weather and checked out the damage.
Both inner tie rods and the rack were covered in fluid. The inner tie rods were S-shaped so i guess the little tap after the wipe out was at the weak point and demolished everything.

Picked up a new rack ($230), new outer tie rods (80$) and replaced everything. New fluid, only took a quart of automatic trans fluid. bleeding was easy, lock to lock and no bubbles or foaming.

Brakes and power steering are back, but new problem. I tried my best to count revolutions of outer tie rods so i could keep close to orginal alignment. I just couldn't get one off so i had to eye ball the alignment. Now when i parked the car from front garage to rear garage, power steering feel was fine but still very loose in the wheel. when making a turn it really didn't feel like the car was going to go where i was pointing it. You think the alignment is just so out of whack or did i mess up with the rack install.

One part i was struggling with was the rack to the steering linkage, you think the little rubber joint ( steering wheel rod to rack) might also be bad and giving bad feedback resulting in bad steering?


Im still planning to store the car as we have recieved threats from weather canada for last few weeks saying were going to get snow but nothing has happened as of yet. So i wont be able to take it for an alignment soon, hopefully not the rubber joint for the linkage.

let me know any ideas of what might be the problem. thanks again.

 

[LarsD]

You could have trashed the rag joint on the steering shaft. It might just need an alignment though. I've rebuilt suspension on cars before, and on the way to alignment shop they have felt pretty weird, so it could be that.

 

[bal]

larsD im hoping your guess is best.

I bought this car for pleasure use, plan was buy and drive it. So far changed the heater core, a/c charge same time, wheel studs were garbage, two 20 inch tires and headunit.
Now the power steering rack and tie rods.

put in just over 2100 and driven it only 800 kilometers. I guess i got a lemon.

ill update the post incase the alignment doesn;t work. We just got snow in vancouver so probably wont do anything until end of the month.

thanks for the input

 

[LarsD]

larsD im hoping your guess is best.

I bought this car for pleasure use, plan was buy and drive it. So far changed the heater core, a/c charge same time, wheel studs were garbage, two 20 inch tires and headunit.
Now the power steering rack and tie rods.

put in just over 2100 and driven it only 800 kilometers. I guess i got a lemon.

ill update the post incase the alignment doesn;t work. We just got snow in vancouver so probably wont do anything until end of the month.

thanks for the input

Don't worry. You'll get it. I've had my Dart for 13 years now, driven it about 2200 miles, and put over $10K in it. lol

 

[bal]

230 rack
80 outer tie rods
30 fluid - forgot to return the extra.
280 for 2 tires - archilles -cheap but good reviews
40 to mount and balance
75 for alignment
total 735 and everything is back to normal, almost.

The toe was off by 3 inches, i guess my eyeballing technic is not to accurate.

One issue i have and asked the alignment shop, the steering wheel has a little play still. Alignment shop said the uni-joint was fine but might have play in the steering column. Wondering if you guys have normal play in the steering or is it pretty tight? last few cars never had play. Annoying when you doing highway driving and the wheel shakes a bit.