Strange Steering Scenarios

Good afternoon all.

Had a few dodgy issues with the steering since the car has been back on the road.

1 - the steering would be easier to turn one way than the other, resulting in the steering only self returning to centre after a corner on one side.

2 - steering wheel seems to be off centre then back to straight position on it's own.
Also had a slight pull to the left like tracking was out (Just had 4 wheel alignment) then no pull all of a sudden.

All tyres less than 500 miles, had recent laser 4 wheel alignment, new running gear completely up front. Using a mk3 rack and mk3 widetrack.

I'm thinking the rack has had it....?

Thanks, Rich

 

Sounds like an issue in the rack hydraulic spool.

 

Had same problem on a transit just before christmas by coincidence and it was the rack. Was told it was a valve in the rack. Changed the rack and all good.

 

Thanks for the reply, is this something that can be fixed or is it a new rack?

I'm very tempted to just grab a new one and whack it in but they are a lot of money to maybe not need it!

Also today, the steering wheel was pointing at 11o'clock....I pulled into a layby and gave it some hard left and right at slow speeds...set off and the steering wheel was dead straight at 12o'clock

I must admit, it's slightly worrying!
I'm thinking a good look around the column to tighten up any loose bolts then a new rack? That literally would leave nothing that isn't new! The column has had a new lower bearing when I rebuilt.

 

@Tristan - I've just looked up what the spool valve is and now understand how that would give all the symptoms if there was play / wear around there. Hmmm....new rack it seems!

 

Anyone got any ideas where I can get steering rack parts from? All I seem to find online are seal sets for rebuild kits.

Also call me crazy but what would it be like running the tdi mk2 on a manual steering rack? Like dragging a skip?

 

Have a spare rack if interested

 

Is it a mk2 pas rack? Will this allow for mk3 track rods as I'm widetrack up front? Give me a pm, Cheers

 

That's what I thought but it's all torqued up as it should be.
I did wonder if maybe the rack itself was slightly bent causing the stiff left cornering and some wear causing the wheel to float about slightly.

Anyway I've been to pick up the rack from LA9V today so I think that's all that is left for me to do - see how that goes then!

Thanks.

 

I know, It's so annoying! Thing is I had this rack (mk3) and the rack out of mk2 that I since sold to @Joehough .

The newer one is caput and joes is in and cleared up his loose steering no problem

Can't make it up!

Off out to have a go now, thinking I don't need to drop the subframe but I'll be wrong

 

So I did have to drop the subframe down, if it was a manual steering rack I think it'd slide through the gap into the wheel well but this did not.
Old rack out, transferred bits on to new rack, new rack in...called out to work till Sunday

Good job I kept the mk2 column to rack UJ as the mk3 item is different on the rack end.
Think they match at the column end!?

Just need to connect back up the pipes and I think flush it with red atf and fill with red atf as I had used green with the mk3 rack.

 

Cool, I've got both so all good on that issue.

Is it worth flushing the green stuff out or will the small amount not matter?

 

That's what I'll do then. Worth the extra half hour of work isn't it.
Just debating on lemforder rod ends or not.
Any good?

 

I had to heat up the offside to get it off and has melted the rubber boot. Won't harm replacing although the current ones are 700miles old