Very Annoyning Shift of the Subframe

[EZ4U2ENVY]

Alright,
This is happenning often now that its so aggravating- When i turn the steering wheel- it first has about 2 in of play before the wheel even thinks about turning- than right when i feel it to turn- theres alot of force to turn it but than also the subframe shifts.. this happens alot when they become loose(the subframe bolts) but when i retighten them there is still somewhat a shift- its never completly gone

oh yea i have aluminum subframe bushings also

what does the front strut bearing do- does it make the steering somewhat easier to turn- correct

and a bad strut makes your car impossible to have traction correct- because theres no force anymore to keep it down..

what can i do to help my front end

heres new parts

New:
Inner and Outter Tie Rods
New Front Sway bar Links
New Subframe Bushings
New Driver Lower Control arm
New Strut Tensioner Bar Bushings on Driver Side

I need New Struts Front Strut Mounts and Strut Bearings and a passenger axle

 

[projectSHO89]

It is the job of the SFBs to prevent excessive movement of the subframe relative to the body of the car.

If the sub-frame is still moving, either the mounting nuts in the body are shifting or the play is still in the SFBs/bolts.

The strut bearing/plate is there to allow the top of the strut/spring assembly to rotate. That allows the assembly to rotate without twisting and adding additional torsional stresses to the entire assembly.

Actually, it sounds like you might have a bad rack. Check the seering shaft linkage connection to the input shaft of the rck and make sure there is no slop in that part of the system. If there is still that 2 inches of play after verifying the integrity of the linkage, then the rack is bad. There should be no "delay" in movement of the rack ends (the inner tie rods) when the input shaft is rotated. There especially should not be a "dead" or a "hard" spot in the center of the rack, which is a definite diagnosis of a bad rack.

The strut works to dampen the movements and effects of the spring. It also assists the spring by pushing the wheel downward in conjunction with the spring. A soft or worn-out strut will cause a drive wheel to hop or skip excessively, especially when driving over bumps or very rough surfaces.

Steve

 

[EZ4U2ENVY]

Hey project- thanx for that good explanation of it- i think your exactly right about a bad rack- but i dont want to change it unless its really bad- but i know 2 in of play and hardness of steering im pretty sure its bad..

and the subframe bolts always come loose- i need to somehow fix that.. maybe some locktite would help

How hard is it to replaced a rack- and what are some helps and hints to change one.

Thanx for anyone who replies

 

[sdpatt]

If you can't find the play in the rack, you may want to check the bolt on the steering column clamp. This is accessible through the driver's footwell. See SHOtimes for the fix for this.

 

[projectSHO89]

EZ,

Scott and I have both replaced racks in our cars. neither of us really want to do it again.

I've posted some tips in the past, I'm too tired right now to SEARCH for them...

Steve