Screamin Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I've noticed this the past couple weeks, the shuttering I noticed about a week ago. My car drives straight as an arrow when not touching the steering wheel but it is slightly cocked to the right and at 70mph speeds, taking a "tighter" corner on the highway there is a slight sporadic shutter in the steering. I rotated my tires two weeks ago and did a 300 mile round trip on a weekend but didn't really notice anything till I got back from the trip. I will rotate my tires again just to see if that has anything to do with it but I highly doubt it. My steering rack needs to be replaced anyway because it has a very slight deep coming from the top where the steering wheel connects to the rack. The seep came shortly after replacing my steering pump about a year ago from it seeping out the top and running down onto the exhaust. Any help would be greatly appreciated. All suspension except struts ares original and has 138k on everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTBwrench Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 My first step would be to get the front end on jack stands and start wiggling everything to see if I get any movement. with the car off, have someone hold the steering wheel so it doesn't move and see if you can grab hold of one of the tires and actually turn it. If it moves a lot without the wheel moving, you've got a worn steering rack(highly unlikely) or some other connective component such as a bushing/tie rod etc. Next, grab the tire at the top or bottom, and see if it wiggles in and out. If that's the case, then you could have a bad ball joint, bad LCA bushings (very possible), or a bad wheel bearing. I can say that at 138k, depending on where you're driving it, it may be time for some new bushings in some places. You can also visually inspect almost all the bushings by just getting under it and looking. The pancake shaped lower control arm bushings in the rear position love to tear and create all kinds of issues. Also, the steering wheel being cocked to the right, was it always like that? Or did you just recently notice? Mine's been cocked slightly to the left since I bought it, I know its because the last time it was aligned they did not center the wheel properly. The rest of the alignment is still fine and dandy though. MTBwrench's Stage 3 5EAT #racewagon 266awhp/255awtq @17.5psi, Tuned By Graham of Boosted Performance Everyone knows what I taste like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 When I had the car up on jacks I did check everything out that I could with the wheels off. I looked at all bushings and whatever else I could look at while I was down there on all 4 corners. The front LCA rear bushings are slightly tore but nothing to be too concerned about at this point. One thing I didn't do, which is dumb of me, is try to wiggle the wheel to see if the bearings are going bad or if I have any other play as in bad tie rod or ball joint. I will do that this week. With the steering wheel being cocked, that is new. I had an alignment 6-9 months ago and the steering wheel was as straight as could be. It's only been recently the wheel is turned to the right but still drives straight as an arrow down the road. A guy at work said there is a metering valve in the steering rack that could be causing the shuttering. He is an old school mechanic but tries to keep up with the new technology. He also asked if our steering has speed sensitive steering and could give him an answer for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTBwrench Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 That's actually a good question. Many cars have a proportioning valve that cuts the power assist to the rack slowly, based upon vehicle speed. This gives the effect of evenly weighted steering that feels almost the same at 2mph as it does at 80. I would be surprised if our cars didn't have that. MTBwrench's Stage 3 5EAT #racewagon 266awhp/255awtq @17.5psi, Tuned By Graham of Boosted Performance Everyone knows what I taste like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 I will take a look at everything I can and try to rule out all parts before I decide to replace the rack. It needs replaced anyway with it seeping. On rockauto.com they go for about $165 after core on a rebuilt ACDelco rack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJuan Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 It sounds like you're getting air into the P/S system. To test, park the car on a flat surface. Turn the steering wheel all the way to on side till lock, then turn the wheel all the way to the other side till lock. Did you notice any shuttering in the steering wheel during the rotation? If so, you have air bubbles in the system. My wife's balls are delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 I'll try that when I get home. I had issues for awhile with air in the system after replacing the steering pump. There was a procedure to try and get the air out of the system I found in the maintenance area on this forum and I did that 2-3 times but still ran into some air. The times I noticed air in the system was at low speeds when I had no power steering every once in awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 1, 2015 Author Share Posted September 1, 2015 No shuttering during full turns sitting still but something is up with my steering rack because it doesn't feel as smooth as it used to at no speed. I did notice driving home today the shuttering is a higher speed and turning shutter. I could feel it from no shutter to the more I turn the more it shook. It's not a bad shutter and it only shakes so much, which I'm sure some people wouldn't even notice it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I3eXa Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 I had this happen on a trip recently and it ended up being the front LCA bushings. Only would do it at 60-75mph and on left turns on the highway due to it loading up the front right wheel. Shook like bad and would come and go. Felt like the lug nuts weren't on all the way. Funny thing is, it went from no issue at all to the next day it happening so the bushing must have torn just sometime then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJuan Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 ^^ This. Check out your LCA bushings, if they are ripped they will shake the wheel. Also, check out your wheel bearings, when they start to go you'll start hearing and feeling it. My wife's balls are delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 Well I just put the car up on jacks and checked out the front end. The front LCA rear bushings look worse compared to 2 weeks ago when I rotated the tires. The outer tie rod ends look fine and, with the wheels on and tires off the ground, there is no wiggle in anything. So even though the smoking gun looks like it's the bushings, I went ahead and rotated the tires again just to see what happens. I'll find out tomorrow if it still does the same thing. I won't be able to replace the bushings till next weekend, I'll be out of town this coming weekend, so hope it doesn't get much worse. I drive about 30 miles round trip 5 days a week mostly on the highway. So far there is 1 turn on the way to work and 1 turn on the way home where I get the shuttering. And I just sold my Whiteline KA334 bushing kit a week ago.... While I have the LCA's off the car I'll be replacing the top hats, rear bushings, and the ball joints. Is there anything else I should replace while I'm at it? The struts were replaced 38k ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJuan Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Wouldn't hurt to replace the front inner LCA bushings while you're replacing the outers. Also check the ball joints for tears or grease coming out of them. My wife's balls are delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 The left ball joint boot is tore and grease has come out but it's not a mess. The right ball joint looks good but I'm going to go ahead and replace both of them. Would this be causing my steering wheel to be cocked slightly? What boggles my mind is it still drives as straight as it could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compsurge Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 You may want to invest in a ball joint tugger or air hammer. They are terrible to get out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJuan Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Final question, when have you had it aligned? My wife's balls are delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 It's been about less than a year, or something like that. I'm sure I need another but I'll for sure need one once I take my suspension apart. If the steering wheel is still cocked to the right a little bit then I'll investigate at that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 You may want to invest in a ball joint tugger or air hammer. They are terrible to get out. I'm a aircraft mechanic so I'll be going up to work to press in and out the bushings anyway so I'll remove the ball joints then. Anyone happen to know what they used/size of object they used to press out the bushings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compsurge Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I can measure it later. I have a set of tools made for this purpose. When would you need to know by? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 I will be replacing them two Saturday's from now. Do you have a tool to press out both front and rear bushings on the front LCA? If you do, would you want to loan them for a small fee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compsurge Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 I do have the tools. I can send them in a flat rate envelope. They are made out of some material drops, so if you have access to a lathe and some scrap you can easily make them as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 I would rather pay shipping and a fee you see fit to use yours if you don't mind, for me it would just be easier. PM me your info and I will send the money this evening. Thank you very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I3eXa Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Mine drove straight too but once those bushings finally went I was up a creek without a paddle. Happened on my way to a vacation and ended up paying a remote Subaru dealer my firstborn to get it fixed. Ruined vacation. If you can fix it now I'd do that rather than throw 30 miles a day and hope it makes it. Sent from somewhere in Potatoland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 Man, hope it can last a bit for me. Think I'll be taking the city streets till I can replace them, keeping my fingers crossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJuan Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 If you go with OEM bushings, you can find a set of inners and outers for around $100 on Ebay. Then pull off the Control Arms and take them to a local auto shop or machine shop and have them press out/in the new ones. I had a shop do mine for $20 each side, total $40. My wife's balls are delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screamin Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 I have found all 4 OEM bushings for less than $50 from online stores like Fred Beans. I am also going to go ahead and replace my ball joints, top hats, and end links. That way I won't have to worry about anything wearing out and I can get an alignment once and it'll be good for awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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