steering dead zone
#16
#17
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I would check your rear alignment. I have been gradually figuring out the function, feel, and alignment procedures and my car feels a lot better now that I have a more neutral rear alignment. I have read about the rear alignment "pushing the front around" and in my case I think this was happening. The rear was pushing the front and then I had to overcorrect the front to pull the rear back in line.
I replaced my steering shaft (although mine was just an odd non-OEM part but seemed OK) and rack (mine was sloppy) but I still felt like my steering was not as sharp as I was used to, this being one of six 944-type cars I have owned. Now I feel I am close to having it right and it's a lot nicer to drive, not feeling like it wants to bound into the oncoming lane if I do not stay on top of it. I could have just paid for an alignment but I want to understand it, plus I have work planned that will disturb the alignment.
I have maaaaybe an inch of free play in the rack, maybe more like 20mm and this is a lot less than the other rack I'd had in there before. The free play is not noticeable now when I drive the car. I can feel it when the car is shut down though.
-Joel.
I replaced my steering shaft (although mine was just an odd non-OEM part but seemed OK) and rack (mine was sloppy) but I still felt like my steering was not as sharp as I was used to, this being one of six 944-type cars I have owned. Now I feel I am close to having it right and it's a lot nicer to drive, not feeling like it wants to bound into the oncoming lane if I do not stay on top of it. I could have just paid for an alignment but I want to understand it, plus I have work planned that will disturb the alignment.
I have maaaaybe an inch of free play in the rack, maybe more like 20mm and this is a lot less than the other rack I'd had in there before. The free play is not noticeable now when I drive the car. I can feel it when the car is shut down though.
-Joel.
#18
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I would check your rear alignment. I have been gradually figuring out the function, feel, and alignment procedures and my car feels a lot better now that I have a more neutral rear alignment. I have read about the rear alignment "pushing the front around" and in my case I think this was happening. The rear was pushing the front and then I had to overcorrect the front to pull the rear back in line.
I replaced my steering shaft (although mine was just an odd non-OEM part but seemed OK) and rack (mine was sloppy) but I still felt like my steering was not as sharp as I was used to, this being one of six 944-type cars I have owned. Now I feel I am close to having it right and it's a lot nicer to drive, not feeling like it wants to bound into the oncoming lane if I do not stay on top of it. I could have just paid for an alignment but I want to understand it, plus I have work planned that will disturb the alignment.
I have maaaaybe an inch of free play in the rack, maybe more like 20mm and this is a lot less than the other rack I'd had in there before. The free play is not noticeable now when I drive the car. I can feel it when the car is shut down though.
-Joel.
I replaced my steering shaft (although mine was just an odd non-OEM part but seemed OK) and rack (mine was sloppy) but I still felt like my steering was not as sharp as I was used to, this being one of six 944-type cars I have owned. Now I feel I am close to having it right and it's a lot nicer to drive, not feeling like it wants to bound into the oncoming lane if I do not stay on top of it. I could have just paid for an alignment but I want to understand it, plus I have work planned that will disturb the alignment.
I have maaaaybe an inch of free play in the rack, maybe more like 20mm and this is a lot less than the other rack I'd had in there before. The free play is not noticeable now when I drive the car. I can feel it when the car is shut down though.
-Joel.
Also I have begun to think I might be wrong to blame my issues on the way the steering is. It's very difficult to describe exactly what I don't like about the way the car feels, and I naturally attributed it to the free play I could see. But in comparison, my other car seems to have a similar amount, and yet I love the way it drives.
I know for sure that the rear is in bad shape. The bushings I can see are bad and the others probably are too. At least one wheel bearing bad (very bad), and I think that may have been causing a problem for a while. To top it all off, the alignment printout I got from when I replaced the control arms a few weeks ago clearly shows that the rear toe is off...I got the usual "we maxed out the rear, this is as close as it would go" excuse
So I think I have a lot of work to do before I can really complain about the car! I will reevaluate everything when the rear end is sorted and I have a perfect alignment, though I will likely have to learn how to align it myself for that to happen