Odd steering problem

[amiers]

i have noticed recently that i have about a mil or two freeplay in the steering wheel, i thought it was the uni joint to rack or maybe the rack itself. however i have now noticed that after about 10 min driving the free play goes away, i mean if i move the wheel the slightest bit i can feel it move the wheels. where as in the first 10 min i can feel nothing a mil either way.

thoughts?

[mik]

maybe once the rack warms up the metal expands takeing the clearance away from the problem area, 1 mm is`nt very much, if it was mine and i was worried about it, i would probably try the adjustment on the back of the rack, theres a lock nut and hex head if i remember correctly, it just holds the rack rod against the pinion, i put a texta mark on mine for a reference so if i do it too tight and it starts to bind i can put it back the way it was.

[Dauphin]

There was a steering rack recall for the AU some years ago. Could this be related? Did yours get done? I believed they welded something on the rack.

[Mr Hardware]

the rack recall was just for the bolts that tie the rack to the crossmember, just every time you do an oilchange swing off the bolts, you'll be fine.

the ford fix was to put a dab of weld on the end of the thread so the rack didn't completely fall off. hopeless, i know.

[Jastel]

The steering shafts used to go on the cabs at about 300000km
Check the uni joints

Option 2 is tighten the adjuster nut a bit

Option 3 is stuffed tie rods

Option 4 is stuffed rack

At 10 years old it is probably a combination of all of them