Vague steering issues

[Philshaw]

Where to start?my steering is vague and sloppy!Where should I start?

[BlackGTX]

Bit of a vague description....

Look at the ball joints on on the controle arms, anti roll bar bushes, sttering rack bushes

Possibly tracking too

[Philshaw]

Thanks a new year project!The car has done 147000 miles so I guess things may be a bit worn!

[Philshaw]

Thanks a new year project!The car has done 147000 miles so I guess things may be a bit worn!

[the edmundator]

If you’re renewing the bushes, I’d recommend oem rubber bushes rather than poly, especially if you are going to have non-stock suspension.

[the edmundator]

The tyres can make a big difference too. A mk1 I owned had unmatched, old tyres on the front when I got it. The steering was vague and the steering wheel didn’t sit straight when driving in a straight line. Just matching the tyres on the front axle sorted it out.

[Philshaw]

Tyres are mis matched so that may not be helping matters!

[mark1gls]

Try and feel for any play before just sticking on new parts which may not need replacing.

Jack up the front and grab the wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock and feel for play and again at 3 and 9 o’clock, grab hold of the track rod and pull in and out and feel for play or knocking sounds.

Have a look at the brackets which hold the steering rack on to the car, it’s not a strong part of the car and some cars have suffered from cracks in the bulkhead.

Get in the car and wobble the steering wheel, pull it towards you and away from you, grab hold of the UJ at the bottom of the steering rack near the pedal as there is a plastic bush which fails and you get play in the steering column shaft.

I had to change my steering rack after 200,000 miles as the rubber UJ boot had been cooked by the exhaust down pipe and I left it like for 7 years and water finally got into the steering rack but other than that I’m sure it would of gone on for a lot longer.

Check you also have the right tyre pressures, I run my standard 185/14/60 at 28psi at the front instead of the recommended 26psi as I find it lightens the slow speed steering and I’ve not found much difference in tyre wear, I run the rear tyres at 26psi.

[Philshaw]

Thanks for all your feedback

[BlackGTX]

Thanks for all your feedback

More feedback than in the steering

[mark1gls]

Tracking and camber can make a lot of difference in the feel as well..

Have the front struts be removed lately?

[Philshaw]

The struts have been removed to have 40mm lowering springs on very recently!Why?

[the edmundator]

You need to set up the suspension geometry again after you replace stuff like that.

[Philshaw]

Ok a garage did the springs.How do you go about setting up the suspension geometry again please?

[the edmundator]

I would take it somewhere where they can sort out alignment and camber properly for you. It’ll make a world of difference to the handling if it’s done properly.