URGENT - Steering Issues

[sd1800]

Dropping the car at the mechanic in a few hours but wanted to check the general consensus here first.

After doing a brisk uturn at a roundabout on Sunday, suddenly the steering started making a quite loud grinding sound. You can also feel the vibration from it through the floor.
* If the car is stopped and you turn wheel from lock to lock it will not do it
* Will not do it on slight bends. Only sharper bends such as turning into a side street or going around a round about.
* Will only do it above 20-30km/h
* Will only do it turning right
* When it does start grinding the wheel will not return to centre and requires some elbow grease put into it


Took it down to the mechanic to look over yesterday and he checked the bushes, bearings, ball joints e.t.c. and tightened all obvious bolts and it still does it. He said the rack is leaking a very small amount of fluid from the dust boot but by no means alot. Thinks the rack may be losing pressure but said with the size of the leak it would be unusual to present these symptoms.

I just want to confirm before I spend hundreds on a reco rack, that if anyone has had this issue before, and that it wouldn't be anything to do with the Speed Sensitive Steering or the Power Steering switch??

[frd906]

Im getting a brand new one through ford for 360 bucks with 2 years warranty and fitting it my self

Mechanic would charge bout 500 to 600 for a new rack,


Dont just replace one thing make sure they look all over ,

power steering pump

blockage in the lines

low power steering oil

You dont want to replace the rack and then have it do the same problems again

[Dave_Obsession]

loss of pressure in power steering system???

[sd1800]

Originally Posted by dave93761

loss of pressure in power steering system???

Thats what my guy said, and thinks the rack is probably the cause. My question was very much aimed at can a Power Steering Switch or something on the Speed Sensitive Steering cause this? Only had the AU for a couple of months so still learning.

Originally Posted by frd906

Dont just replace one thing make sure they look all over ,

power steering pump

blockage in the lines

low power steering oil

Definetely doesn't have low PS fluid. The others are a possibility I guess.

[sd1800]

Just for anyone out there that has a similar problem in the future, we ended up first changing the rack since the dust boot was already leaking and figured theres a decent chance this is causing it and needs to be changed eventually anyway. Unfortunetely this didn't fix it and it was the Pump.

Was an expensive $900 exercise but at least i know now the steering is A1 and the rack isn't going to suddenly crap itself due to the leaking boot

[mik]

thats probably a good move anyway changeing both , you should have years of trouble free motoring.

[all4fordau]

Good thread,
The more experiences posted on here the more help for all us other au fanatics.
Every experience counts and your input will always help someone else to diagnose their problems..........so..... THANKS!!!!