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Stricken
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SEP 01, 07:05 PM
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I have solved one problem with my newly acquired 88, and immediately another has popped up. I was turning left out of my driveway, and the steering suddenly felt like it hit a lock at only 1/2 turn left. It was just enough turn to drive two wheels off the other side of the road. I drove down the road and did some swerves to test it, and it seemed OK until the next stop sign and left turn. This time, it hit the 1/2 turn "lock", and I had to force the wheel left to avoid driving off the road into a tree. Now, the steering has extra friction on it and will stick in whatever position you leave it in. Any ideas where to start looking? I'm hoping it's just a ball joint as I was planning to go through the front suspension anyway.
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Mike in Sydney
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SEP 01, 07:41 PM
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Check the suspension components and I hope you find the problem there. It sounds to me, though, like the steering rack is failing or has failed.
BTW, How many miles are on the car?------------------
Mike in Sydney
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Stricken
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SEP 01, 08:33 PM
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The odometer reads 628k. It's possibly accurate, but the car doesn't look THAT haggard. I remember the odometer rollers on my 84 would wander around by themselves after enough potholes.
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Blacktree
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SEP 01, 08:53 PM
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Maybe a ball joint went bad? Might be a good idea to jack up the front end, and do the "wiggle test" on the front wheels. If that's inconclusive, you could try separating the outer tie rods from the rest of the suspension, and see if the steering still binds up. While that's disconnected, you could also try "steering" the wheels by hand, to see if the ball joints are binding.
Best of luck! 
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fierosound
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SEP 01, 11:24 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Stricken:
This time, it hit the 1/2 turn "lock", and I had to force the wheel left to avoid driving off the road into a tree.
Now, the steering has extra friction on it and will stick in whatever position you leave it in. |
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Bottom bearing for the pinion gear has fallen apart.
It's a relatively easy fix.
Rodney Dickman has the parts now (see links in thread).
http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum9/HTML/000045.html------------------
My World of Wheels Winners (Click on links below)
3.4L Supercharged 87 GT and Super Duty 4 Indy #163
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Stricken
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SEP 01, 11:28 PM
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Ball joints aren't binding. Column spins freely. Problem is in the rack, but it looks recently replaced. Those boots don't last long in Arizona. 
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Stricken
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SEP 02, 01:54 PM
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Thank you for the link. I am ordering them now.
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Stricken
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SEP 02, 02:10 PM
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What's the general criteria for needing to replace the bushing as well? Everything seems tight, and I think I'd have to replace the inner tie rods since they appear to have the factory crimp.
 
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fierosound
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SEP 02, 02:52 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Stricken:
I think I'd have to replace the inner tie rods since they appear to have the factory crimp. |
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When you use two wrenches to remove the inner tie rod, the stake will be forced to open up.
I've reused good inner tie rods. Just restake them after installing.
On the car I did the repair to, everything else was fine and reused.
I disassembled the rack only to replace the lower bearing - and clean and regrease the rack/pinion.[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 09-02-2020).]
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Stricken
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SEP 02, 03:49 PM
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Indeed, the rack is fairly fresh. Everything looks very good on it. Sadly, someone, probably during installation, gashed the pinion seal and broke the needle bearing housing inside. It appears a chip was then ground up in the gears and I'm getting flakes of metal out while spraying brake clean through the pinion compartment.
With the pinion out, I cannot slide the rack by hand. I'm assuming this isn't normal and I need to remove the rack and throroughly clean the housing?
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