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Help! Steering is now sloppy.

2K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  bierry 
#1 ·
I put my car in the shop to have the rearend swapped and the clutch looked at and after getting it back there is a large amount of play in the wheel. Basically if you turn the wheel it will spin freely for approximately one inch before you meet resistance. I have been out of the car for a month, but I know it wasn't like that before I dropped it off. The installer claims that they did not touch the suspension or steering at all, but something had to cause this. A friend of mine says that there used to be an adjustment that could be made to remove the play in older vettes, but doesn't know if that is the case with the C-5. If anyone has any ideas or thoughts on the situation please let me know. I really don't like the feeling of driving with all that play in the wheel. Thanks!
 
#3 ·
It is possible that the C clamp connection is moving.
Normally, I will raise the torque on the bolt to 50 ft lbs and see if it changes first.
If it does not, and the joint still moves on the shaft, I will replace it.
Simply have someone turn the steering wheel while you monitor the lower joint to see if it moves.
As for the rest, I have not seen alot of problems with the steering and suspension, it is only when it is messed with that the problems occur.
 
#4 ·
Do you have headers??
The reason I'm asking is that if they loosen the drivers side header for clutch work, they need to undo the steering box coupling and if they don't reconnect it correctly, YOUR PROBLEM!!
The coupling from the steering wheel to steering box, seems like a slam dunk to the tech! If it isn't aligned, torqued, rocked back and forth, retorqued, driven , realigned and torqued!! You will have slop from the factory feel!
Had the problem when I did a cam only!
Brought it in, steering tight as hell, I think about changing lanes and it does it!! However, when I leave the shop, I'm listening to the cam or headers sound !! Woo Hoo how cool !!
BUT, halfway home I'm rowing the steering wheel like a stock car
video and realize the steering blows!!
I've heard everything from airbubbles in the steering rack to it's like that from the factory!!
Total BS :bs: :bs: :bs:

I've still got about a half in dead on dead spot but I also have 30K with no part replacement!!

Just MY .02
Ken
 
#6 ·
Thanks Ken, I do have headers and the sticker on the steering shaft is chewed all to hell. The shop had torn down the drivetrain chasing a problem with the car not going into reverse. They couldn't correct the problem the first time, so they did it again (on their own dime) and while they had the headers out the second time I had them coated. I wonder if they were trying to hurry it back together and might have missed something. I guess I'll have to call them because I really don't like the way this thing drives with all of the play in the wheel.
 
#8 ·
MADNOLA said:
Well, I just tightened the piss out of the bolt and it made about 3/4 to one full turn and the play is gone! Man this is great! Thanks all!

Right on,dude. Can you tell me exactly which bolt you tightened? Pics if possible. My steering is a little sloppy too,but not sure if it's as bad as yours,but still like to see what you did. Thanks.
 
#9 ·
Not sure what people are refering to when they mention tightening the "c-clamp" (I'm a mechanical contractor, so I think of beam-mounted hanger clamps when I hear "c-clamp"), but I've had to have the steering shaft knuckle tightened, retightened, and then finally replaced. In my situation, there was the same slop in the wheel as mentioned here, and it felt as though it "knocked" when the slop was taken up side to side. I don't know if the knocking what audible or just a sensation through the wheel (or a little of both), but it all went away when the (2?) bolts at the steering shaft knuckle where tightened down.

Follow the shaft from the firewall down to the knuckle. That's what I had to have tightened. Seems like these can loosen over time, and that some lock-tite ought to be applied.

-Kirk
 
#10 ·
I had a problem with my steering shaft where the plastic collar that goes on top of the lower shaft where it joins the upper bit (about level with cylinder 2 looking down from the drivers side), melted !

IT turns out that the turbo on this side gets so hot that the heat melted the collar allowing about a 30degree turn in the steering before the woodruff key on the lower shaft kicks in.

The collar would harden up again when the car was cold giving almost perfect steering, then it would get sloopy again as it melted next time the car was driven. Look for black goo leeching out around the joint or from the small hole in the upper collar.

Best solution in my case as this has happened twice now despite insulating the shaft, is to drill a hole thru the collar and shaft and insert a small bolt.......
 
#11 ·
OutlawDon said:
Right on,dude. Can you tell me exactly which bolt you tightened? Pics if possible. My steering is a little sloppy too,but not sure if it's as bad as yours,but still like to see what you did. Thanks.

I'll try to get some pics tonight and see if I can post them for you. It's not hard to fix, but you may want someone else inside the car to hang on to the steering wheel. It will turn when you try to wrench on the bolt.
 
#12 ·
Go in on the driver's side between the alternator and brake fluid reservoir.



Just under the alternator you will see this bolt connected to the end of the steering rod.



Get a ratchet and a 13mm socket and tighten it up until you remove the play in the wheel. Be careful not to over tighten and break it or strip the threads. I can't give torque figures because we couldn't fit the torque wrench in there. Another helpful tip is to have someone else hold the wheel steady because it wants to turn on you and makes it difficult to torque the bolt. Hope this helps anyone that might be plagued with this problem. I know it makes my driving experience much more pleasurable!
 
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