funny feeling to the steering?.....

[craig hughes]

My S2 has developed a funny feel to the steering, mainly around the centrepoint. I have had a look at it and pulled and pushed all the obvious bits, track rod ends, upper and lower balljoints, steering rack arms etc, but only whilst on the car. It could just be the tracking out i guess, but doesnt seem to pull.
Any common areas to look at before i get it tracked up? (will be the weekend so probably get fleeced by not-so-Kwik Fit...)

[GreenV8S]

Steering column UJs, especially the top one. If unprotected, they need replacing from time to time. You extend their life dramatically by fitting a gater, a generic steering rack end gater works a treat and a pair of those will enable you to do both UJs while you are at it.

[Wildfire]

Steering bearing??

[kev s3]

changed the steering bearing a couple of months ago on mine. makes a huge difference to the steering! probably best getting it checked incase anything dodgy going on
cheers

[harry1972m]

I have just replaced my bulkhead bearing which has changed the steering characteristics hugely - supplied by TVR Carparts and a fairly easy job - do you have a lot of play at the steering wheel

[craig hughes]

a little play at the wheel tbh, not massive though.
Steering feels tight or heavy etc around centre but then frees up, also wheel doesnt self centre like normal.

So check u/js and bulhead bearing then? which most likely?

[craig hughes]

also approximate cost of bearing and u/js?
anyone know what they are off originally?

Cheers,

Craig

[harry1972m]

The bulkhead bearing cost me £47 inc p&p and it is a revised one than original in that it is a nachined alluminium bearing as apposed to the nylon ones as fitted by TVR which wear out very quickly.

[tubbystu]

I bet its the upper UJ sticking on the centre point. A squirt of WD40 will both clear out the accumulated crud and and add some lubrication. This should be done regularly to reduce build up of muck.

Works a treat but it will need changing in the (near) future.

[GreenV8S]

WD40 will wash out the grease making it better in the short term but hastening the eventual failure of the joint. Better to clean the outside of the joint and then apply a few drops of engine oil and work them into the joint. But the joint will need replacing soon anyway.

[steve j]

My steering felt lumpy, I took the advice from the guys on here and greased the UJs, I really worked the grease in with a 1 inch brush. With the car on axle stands I exercised the steering until it freed up; nice light steering now.

[F908 Tim]

What Mike said...make or source a couple of gaters once you have packed the joints with grease.
Well worth the time and trouble.

[craig hughes]

After the advice from all you guys i jacked it up the other day to seek out the problem. I removed the upper uj which was fine, the column bearing has very little (read perfectly usable) play but is noisy so i will order one and change it soon. The lower uj was the problem, it was actually seized solid in one plain! how thw hell it turned i dont know! I freed it off with WD40 and greased it up again, and its fine now, altho im going to change it as routine maintenance. I suspect the centre of the uj was damaged due to a recently blowing downpipe to manifold joint. I suspect the heat warped the plastic centre cage of the uj.

Thanks again for the help, top job!!

Craig