left wheel wobbles

[opeldean]

at lunch I took Celeste for a spin to meet my wife lunch, A nice man follows me in his truck, a stops to tell me .." your left wheel was wobbling on the highway"

I really didnt notice it .

anyway..i jacked it up..there is a lot of play from front to back, not as much play top to bottom.

"the rod with the according rubber cover moves with the wheel"
I will post a video on my gallery..thanks..Ball joint?

[Dmcbrass]

If one wheel can be turned right to left (more than a fraction of an inch) without the other wheel moving the tie rod ends are worn. If the wheel is moving front to back that sounds like ball joints. Before checking any front end components; however, make sure that the front wheel bearings are good and properly adjusted.

[opeldean]

doesnt seem like a bearing

note scarred surfaces

movement seems to be at junction of tie rod and steering rack, i pulled back the boot and i can see movement with in the circle

[Jim Branham]

You can get a pretty good idea if its the ball joints by jacking it up checking for any up and down movement within the ball joint, same for the tie rod. In that clip,I can't tell if the other tire is moving in synch with the the one your moving, but it looks like too much movement if they are not moving together. I don't think there should be any movement like that on the rack and pinion though. It's hard to believe it didn't make the steering vibrate especialy if it was bad enough to attract attention.

[Gary]

Originally Posted by opeldean ...movement seems to be at junction of tie rod and steering rack, i pulled back the boot and i can see movement with in the circle

Check to see if the locking nut on the steering rack backed off.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by opeldean doesnt seem like a bearing note scarred surfaces movement seems to be at junction of tie rod and steering rack, i pulled back the boot and i can see movement with in the circle

This is a simple ball in socket device which screws into the steering rack. This particular item seldom "goes bad", which is why it is screwed in AND locked in place with an "eared" washer to keep things tight. Have never seen this end fail, always the other end at the steering knuckle.

When you brake the car, does it pull to one side or the other? I would check both sides for slop (there shouldn't be any) regardless. How does it move with the boot off?

[opeldean]

lots of slop when boot is pulled back...1/4 with in the circle drawn on prior photo

I am trying to post a second video called "tie rod slop"

it should be up soon

[opeldean]

there is a little video, only one side is moving..I just posted it in my gallery..

check for it later please

I am pulling inward with one hand and filming with the other in the video.


can I drive the car a bit..I really dont feel it in the wheel

[GTJIM]

That is a critical part of the steering set up and should have no "slop" at all.
It definitely needs replacement - OGTS lists it as 3015 INNER TIE ROD - about $65 The same part does both sides (there is no left and right).

Also needed is 3016 LOCK WASHER FOR INNER TIE ROD listed as "Disc" so you may have to make one or be careful and reuse the existing one.

Check both sides and also the ball joints out at the ends to make sure other parts are not worn too.

Your life (and other road users!) depends upon these parts.

[soybean]

Originally Posted by GTJIM That is a critical part of the steering set up and should have no "slop" at all. It definitely needs replacement - OGTS lists it as 3015 INNER TIE ROD - about $65 The same part does both sides (there is no left and right). Also needed is 3016 LOCK WASHER FOR INNER TIE ROD listed as "Disc" so you may have to make one or be careful and reuse the existing one. Check both sides and also the ball joints out at the ends to make sure other parts are not worn too. Your life (and other road users!) depends upon these parts.

While you're that far, for the inner tie rod, check out the whole steering rack. I rebuilt mine today and it was very simple.My rack was just about dry. NAPA sells the CV grease needed, part nos. 3301. Do change ball joints. They look pretty dry, and tie rod ends. Cheap insurance and as GTJIM said "Your life (and other road users!) depends upon these parts" Jarrell

[opeldean]

I ordered Gils last inner tie rod in stock.He said they are nationally back ordered.It was $65 for one.but I think what I really need is a "rack"..read on..

after I ordered I decided to drive it up to the shop on the corner-Goodyear tire shop- the mechanic said my "rack and pinion is shot"- I asked if it could be adjusted and he said "no". he said my car was safe to drive. FWIW:He said " get a new rack,plus the second(other) inner side, he said also get the knukles on the outter sides. He said their shop could put it all in ,2-1/2 hours labor"'

He said the "rack is the problem"'. Does that make sense to you? Tekanaar, this seems to be what you thought"since you had never seen an inner tie rod fail"..if I understand correctly..my inner tie rod is loose because my rack is loose.

[opeldean]

you were right on.

how do you rebuild the rack? Is it more than just cleaning and greasing it?

I think Gil said they were working a vendor for the racks,none yet.

[opeldean]

yes, I was kidding. I re checked the brakes. seems pretty straight.

[soybean]

OpelDean. I pulled the pinion gear out of the rack, didn't touch the adjusting screw. Of course the rubbers were all rotted and I was going to replace them anyway. Took about 3 cans of brake cleaner sprayed everything until it was clean. Put the pinion gear back in, ran it both ways, (left, right) spraying everything down with brake cleaner until it ran clear. Pulled pinion gear back out and let it all dry. Put the pinion gear back in.Taped it up all up and started painting.
To grease it,I was going to take the pinion gear out, put the Cv grease in by hand, esp on the needle bearings, then once the opening was full, insert the pinion gear, then squeeze the grease in through the two holes in the top,bottom that the pinion gear goes in and move the rack from far right to far left to make sure the grease got on the rack. The grease from Napa was exactly 3 ozs, which is what is said to go in it.
There is a good illustration in the 73 FSM on 3D-28. Sorry this is so long, and I might have made it more complicated sounding than it actually is. I spent about 15 min doing the above. I still have to install it on the car in the manner the FSM says. I still have no engine or front suspension in yet. Waiting on seals and wiring to do. Amazing how much room there is in the engine compartment with nothing there . HTH,Jarrell

Found the proper post in my notes and the gear lube amount is " 1 3/4 ounces" This came from a post by RallyeBob and Keith on 1-11-03. Searched for it but couldn't find it. It was entitled Steering Rack Gear Lubricant and adjustment.

[GTJIM]

OGTS sent me a card last New Year listing the rubber seals for the rack - the one around the steering column end of the pinion was one mentioned.
There are two bushings - one each end of the rack - that can be replaced too; so it has to be a really bad unit before it cannot be refurbished. I don't think what you showed was the only unit itself that was worn - looks like that inner tie rod is the major wear point. However a complete regreasing and clean-up as Jarrell explains is a good way to check that the rack is still useable.

[tomking]

Dean, if you need a rack I have one. Well, 4 actually, but all would need cleaning and new boots. I will be in KCMO next week so let me know.
Sent you a PM on the 2.2.

[soybean]

Bucky, enclosed are some pictures of the steering rack. The first is what GTJim is talking about showing the ball and how it is held onto the rack. The others show what the rack looks like with the pinion gear out, it's hard to see the needle bearing. HTH, Jarrell

[opeldean]

turned out i had a bent rim in additon to ball joint issues. it was straight last year. i dont remeber hitting anything. there is a shop in town that straightens mag wheels..their estimate is $125

[lgladdis]

where can I buy the lock washer that is bent over to secure the tie rod to the rack and pinion? I don't see it listed at OGTS. Two of my manuals show this washer bent over the flats on the tierod and on the rack and pinion arm. Soybean has a clear picture on a previous post to this thread but it doesn't look like the washer is bent both ways to "lock" the position. Is this correct?

[namba209]

Igladdis, that is a soft metal washer, kinda, that only has to lock the nut and keep it from turning. There is no where to bend the washer and lock it on the sleeve that the tie rod screws into. The nut is nothing more than a jam nut that is tightened up against the sleeve, then the locking washer is bent over onto a flat on the nut to keep it from coming loose. There's a possibility that a washer close the the inside diameter of the original and with a large outer diameter will work just fine. HTH.

[soybean]

Igladdis, the pictures I took are of what I believe is an original rack. To my knowledge nothing had been touched before I cleaned it up and regreased it. Jarrell