Author Topic: Allignment or Power Steering Issue?  (Read 2209 times)

Voluted

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Thank You
  • -Receive: 0
  • Posts: 81
    • View Profile
Allignment or Power Steering Issue?
« on: March 17, 2009, 12:30:14 PM »
I recently replaced tie rods, sway bar links, and control arms on the front end and had an alignment done. I noticed that after the alignment the car is much harder to steer around corners, but more importantly, the steering wheel will not correct itself back to center if i let go of the wheel after a hard turn. It will stay in the same position unless i counter steer with force.

The car doesn't pull in any direction on the road from 0-200km/h and if you let go of the wheel the car will continue straight. However, there is a slight shimmy in the wheel at highway speeds and like i said, the wheel requires significant counter steering after a turn to get the car going straight again.

Did i get a shitty alignment or is there another issue like the PS pump?

I did not own the car when the steering was working properly so i have nothing to compare it to.

tjts1

  • Legendary
  • ******
  • Thank You
  • -Receive: 5
  • Posts: 1109
    • View Profile
Allignment or Power Steering Issue?
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2009, 04:03:45 PM »
Sounds like an alignment issue to me. Try this.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/techarticles/Borrowed/home_toe_in.htm
You should have about 1/16" toe in.
Sold but not forgotten

This is whats wrong with your car.
http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2742
[/thread]

Voluted

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Thank You
  • -Receive: 0
  • Posts: 81
    • View Profile
Allignment or Power Steering Issue?
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2009, 06:12:11 PM »
It's still pretty cold here and i don't have the materials or time to make something like that at the moment so i would rather just get it realligned if that is the issue. I talked to my friend that balanced the tires and he reminded me that one of the rims was pretty bent from the P.O. hitting a curb or something. He told me it barely balanced and he marked the rim in case there were any issues. Turns out i mounted that tire on the front of the car which explains the steering wheel vibration at high speeds.

I should add that under hard breaking the wheel does not move at all.

Would any one with a power steering pump delete be able to tell me how their steering reacts typically?

B318M42W

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Thank You
  • -Receive: 0
  • Posts: 376
    • View Profile
Allignment or Power Steering Issue?
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2009, 10:35:55 PM »
an easy way to eleminate the power steering factor is to simply remove the belt and take it for a test drive... yes a little more force is required to turn at low speeds but the feeling is about the same at 60+ km/h.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
M90 Blown M42 :cool: