Steering Play

[Mj17]

Hi,
I seem to have increasing play in my steering, with a bigger and bigger dead-zone turning the steering wheel before the road wheels start to turn.

The lower column joint is only 12 months or so old and there was no signs of play in the drivers-side ball joint (didn't have time to check passengers-side but both road wheels affected by dead-zone and both move at the same time when they do move so guessing it's not a single-side issue).

My first thought was that the pinion needed to eb re-shimmed but everyone seems to list them as no longer available.

Does anyone have any other suggestions and is the only solution these days a recon. rack?

Cheers.

[Steve Cureton]

Have you checked the rack mounting clamp? The rubber mounts have a tendancy to be become very worn and could be allowing the rack to slide a little.

[ferny]

Check your UJ on the steering column. Mine was getting worse and worse until I had a quick look and noticed one of the clamps was loose.

[Velocita Rosso]

....and you`ve checked the steering column clamp ,half way down?
Other than that as you say the only parts to give symptoms:
Track rod ends
Ball joints
Column UJ
Steering rack
Rack mounts

Rack ,exchange from Fitchetts £45

[Pete Lewis]

if the pinion has free play you remove the shims y0u dont need any new ones.
check for play on the spericals inside the boot, they are also shim removables.
check the setting of the collapsible slide under the dash.
if you get a recon rack there are 2 ratios, 4pot plain input splines   6 pot has groove machined around the input shaft as identification. many just sell 'a rack'  painted black     you can get the wrong one makes quicker but much heavier steering .

Pete

[rhodes]

The rubber mounts were the problem on mine.  Perfect after changing them for the solid ones.