Well, I still haven't figured this one out, so all you big brains out there, let's see what you've got. :)

I never found the cause of my steering issues from Phoenix International Raceway, where the temperature was below freezing. Let me clarify...I wasn't having issues with the power assist, the steering wheel actually wasn't moving the tires. There was ZERO movement of the tires with 30-40 degrees of turn on the wheel. This would have nothing to do with the power steering system. The rack ratio doesn't change when it's cold out. So again...IDEAS?? Could this happen simply because of worn rack bushings??

sounds like an issue of tire compound not liking the cold weather. was it a feeling of no control like on ice ?

Was the column moving at the ujoint? Was the pinion moving into the rack? Was there movement of the tie rods/ends? Did you get someone to lie under the car and see where the relative movement was?

Sounds like somethin's broken...

I have a similar problem in my B12. The steering wheel can rotate a good bit before the wheels change direction. I have checked it out and it is the bushings in the little U-joint that goes between the steering column and the rack. The problem obviously persists, it's not intermittent which it kind of sounds like yours is.

Was the column moving at the ujoint? Was the pinion moving into the rack? Was there movement of the tie rods/ends? Did you get someone to lie under the car and see where the relative movement was?

Sounds like somethin's broken...


Greg,

I'd have thought the same thing, but when the day warmed, the problem went away. It's been fine since then. One other point to mention is that there is a bit of a PS fluid leak from underneath, though it was smallish and didn't affect the power assist functionality. The problem happened during the cold, and then went away. Does that help you?

Trust me, if I can get it to do it again, I'll have someone watch everywhere for movement to try to track it down.

Well, everything is (supposed to be) physically and mechanically interconnected: the steering wheel to the shaft, the shaft to the rack (through the u-joint) and the rack to the tie rods, ends, and knuckles. All the power steering stuff does for you is provide a hydraulic advantage.

Thus, if you were able to move the steering wheel and the road wheels did not move, *something* is not right.

I like FastNX's idea, that the rack was moving within its mounts. Possibly when it's cold the bushings and/or brackets come loose (conversely, they're expanding when warm)? I had one of those brackets actually break on me once, and you can see that if the car is up on a lift and someone sits inside and moves the wheel (running or not).

I think it's time to lift the front end on jackstands and incorporate the services of a friend... - Greg

Well, everything is (supposed to be) physically and mechanically interconnected: the steering wheel to the shaft, the shaft to the rack (through the u-joint) and the rack to the tie rods, ends, and knuckles. All the power steering stuff does for you is provide a hydraulic advantage.

Thus, if you were able to move the steering wheel and the road wheels did not move, *something* is not right.

I like FastNX's idea, that the rack was moving within its mounts. Possibly when it's cold the bushings and/or brackets come loose (conversely, they're expanding when warm)? I had one of those brackets actually break on me once, and you can see that if the car is up on a lift and someone sits inside and moves the wheel (running or not).

I think it's time to lift the front end on jackstands and incorporate the services of a friend... - Greg

Greg,

Lots of similar thoughts here with regard to temperature and expansion and contraction of materials. I also am in aggreement: the PS is just hydraulic assist, should not change the way the tires move when the wheel is turned at any given degree angle.

So rack moving within its mounts? Do you mean at the rack bushings, or like FastNX was saying at the U-joint bushings?

In mine the U-joing bushings are totally shot. The steering wheel has about 10-20 degrees of movement, but it is all the time, no matter what the temperature.

I have the part, but im a student and i hardly drive. i will proably wait until spring to do it.

I'd get your buddy all lined up and check:

- The u-joint for play
- The coupler to the rack for play
- Movement of the rack within its two u-clamp mounts to the subframe
- Play at the inner and outer tie rod ends

Just have him rock the steering back and forth constantly while you look at all of those places for relative movement. It works best when the tires are loaded, e.g., up on ramps as opposed to the chassis on jackstands. - GA

I'd get your buddy all lined up and check:

- The u-joint for play
- The coupler to the rack for play
- Movement of the rack within its two u-clamp mounts to the subframe
- Play at the inner and outer tie rod ends

Just have him rock the steering back and forth constantly while you look at all of those places for relative movement. It works best when the tires are loaded, e.g., up on ramps as opposed to the chassis on jackstands. - GA

Good place to start, Greg, thanks. I'll let you know when we reach the next phase or when we have a solution. Damn thing is that unless it gets that cold again, we may not find the problem area. It doesn't hit 28 degrees often here in So Cal; somehow in the Phoenix desert, it did!

Greg and all,

Ok, we spent a couple of days checking the entire steering path, both up in the air, and on ramps as Greg suggested. We can find nothing amiss at the moment. With less than 5 degrees of turn on the wheel, there is movement at the tire, and there is movement obviously in every part from the wheel to the tire as well.

NEW THEORY

I fried (literally) my wheel bearings at Willow last month. Could the temporary lack of movement have been due to axial play as the bearing was going out before it completely failed? This would be consistent with all the information I now have.

Sorry to be unhelpful, but I have no ideas. If everything's connected properly then maybe it was a tire issue as described above?

I'm out of ideas... - GA

Question. Did you actually sit in the pits and move the steering wheel 30-40 degrees and not see wheels not move or did it just feel like that was what was happening on track?

Question. Did you actually sit in the pits and move the steering wheel 30-40 degrees and not see wheels not move or did it just feel like that was what was happening on track?

Both.

Did the straight ahead position on the steering wheel change after the funky behavior you described. Specifically, did the car track a straight line with the steering in the normal straight ahead position.

If the rack or the bushings were mechanically being displaced then the on-center position should have changed - highly unlikely you would have a mechanical issue and still retain the same refference point on the straight ahead position of the wheel and steering.

Did the straight ahead position on the steering wheel change after the funky behavior you described. Specifically, did the car track a straight line with the steering in the normal straight ahead position.

If the rack or the bushings were mechanically being displaced then the on-center position should have changed - highly unlikely you would have a mechanical issue and still retain the same refference point on the straight ahead position of the wheel and steering.

There was no indication that the straight ahead position had changed. Again, my theory now pertains to the wheel bearings.