Steering Wheel not Centrallising

[.LiamC.]

Hi All,
New to the forum as i only picked my 182 up on Friday. I've got abit of a problem with the steering wheel...

When you driving in a straight line after turning left, the wheel is not central, about 15 degree's out. But when doing the same thing after turning right, the wheel is central :S.

I dont think it's a 'problem', it's just one of those annoying things! Anyone got any idea's on what it could be?

Cheers,
Liam

 

[Narf]

have you checked everything is tight and not worn on your suspension?

 

[.LiamC.]

No i havent, as i only picked the car up on Friday. I've done the tire pressure's as that hasnt done anything either.

I dont think it could be the tracking as it would be out when you go both left and right..

 

[.LiamC.]

I've been told by the garage where i'm getting a new tire fitted at the weekend that it could be the tracking on one of the corners. I've been looking through this forum and it seems as though lots of people's Clio's have wonky steering wheels... Maybe something i've got to put up with...

Also, i've got to take it to Renault on Friday as mine never went back for it's recall on the bonnet catch.

Liam

 

[Gardus]

The local Renault dealer told me that is caused by worn steering rack bushes...and suggested an DIY solution, putting sand paper between the rubber mount and the rack.
I'm perplexed about this, but I think it's worth a shot..

 

[Jimbo_924]

Hi Liam, with this being in one direction only, clearly your looking at a lot of friction in one direction and not the other (aka something hysteresis related). It could a very odd geometry issue, or a worn rubber component, such as a rack bushing. Unfortunately I'd disagree with 15 degrees not really being a "problem", if your 15 degrees estimate is right then thats actually a long way off in terms of where the car should be! Have a look for worn or bent suspension/steering components followed by a geometry, sorry I can't offer anything more useful, but I did just want to worn you that 15 degrees off is really not right! James

 

[Gardus]

Yes, I agree 15° is a lot...mine is about 5-8° and it does it in both directions. I'm going to replace shocks, springs and top mounts and make the steering bushes stiffer (if I can with the trick I said before) and see how it goes.

 

[.LiamC.]

I was having a proper good look at it this morning and it is about 15' at worst, but most the time it is around the same as your's Gardus (5'-8'). But sometimes it is central, which is really wierd..

The car seems the handle fine, i.e. the same left and right, so i'm hopeing it is just the tracking..

Liam

 

[Gardus]

I don't think it's tracking, if that was the case the wheels would just stay a fixed angle away from straight all the time!
I'm pretty sure is casued by the rack bushes.

 

[.LiamC.]

Yeah that's true, probably is the bushes or something unfortunetly! It's going in on Saturday so i'll post back when they tell me whats gone.

Any idea on the cost of the bushes?

Liam

 

[vextas]

Out of curiosity. Is your car lowered?

J.

 

[.LiamC.]

No the car is 100% standard, and i want to keep it that way if possible atm.

Liam

 

[jack_kemp]

'tracking' is the idiot's garage answer to everything.

With the symptoms you've described, it won't be tracking, so don't pay some monkey to diagnose a problem that isn't there.

You live close to k-tec, ask them.

 

[.LiamC.]

Yaeh cheers, i'll give them a ring and see what they suggest.

 

[.LiamC.]

Had 2 opinions on the car now, one from K-Tec and another from a garage that we've used for a few years. K-Tec reckon that it is the steering rack that is worn, and the other garage thinks that it is the bushes that hold the steering rack in place, as they can move the rack by hand lol. Both say it is due to the previous owner putting the windscreen wash in where the power steering fluid goes, so it's all contaminated. That's been all flushed through and feels abit better already.

So i'm getting the bushes done on Wednesday and 'hopefully' that'l' fix the problem, otherwise a new steering rack....

Liam

 

[Jimbo_924]

Wow, some people really are idiots! The PAS bottles got a great big steering wheel moulded into it, lol, lets hope the damage hasn't already been done

Glad your getting somewhere with it though.

 

[.LiamC.]

They reckon that when the power steering fluid was topped up with windscreen wash, that is what has done the damage to the steering rack and/or steering rack bushes.

I hope it hasnt done the rack in as well.

Also found out that it has already been fitted with Eibach Sportline springs, so that's one thing i wont have to buy myself

Liam

 

[.LiamC.]

Got the suspension bushes changed yesterday, along with another flush through of some new power steering fluid and tracking re-aligned and the car is spot on now .

Liam

 

[Gardus]

So you're saying the steering is centralizing now? Just steering fluid and bushes...which ones?

 

[.LiamC.]

Yeah, it was the bushes that hold the steering rack in place. They were completely shot, the p/steering fluid was contaminated, so that wasn't helping either.

 

[ben_init]

ive got a similar problem with my steering actually.. might make a thread later n see if anyone knows what the crack is.. firstly to go take some pictures ... lol

 

[.LiamC.]

Mine wasn't cracked at all, just worn heavily. But if your steering wheel is doing the same, it could well be the steering rack bushes.

 

[Gardus]

Monkey do you have pictures of the worn bushes or did you throw them away?

 

[.LiamC.]

No i havent got them anymore, had a look at them at the garage and let them throw them away lol. Sorry