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Binding steering

1K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  JSHarvey 
#1 · (Edited)
Still messing with my car after doing the Shelby drop and lowering springs (dropped it 2.5"). I played around with caster, camber, and toe on it just enough to get it to the alignment shop. Got 1/8th-ish toe in set and gave it some positive caster (don't have the gauges, so I'm not sure where it's at... About an additional 1/4 inch of the are now exposed on the strut rod adjustment). I now have a pretty severe binding in the steering (I'm guessing ball joints maybe?). I have done the EPAS mod, and even with assist, it doesn't want to turn while parked. It binds and makes some pops and grinding noises. Used to turn like butter when parked. Have I got an alignment setting so out of whack that it's binding on itself, or did something else coincidentally let go (steering box maybe?)

What should I look for or attempt to correct the binding? Will I need a ball joint spacer or a negative wedge kit?
 
#2 ·
Still messing with my car after doing the Shelby drop and lowering springs (dropped it 2.5"). I played around with caster, camber, and toe on it just enough to get it to the alignment shop. Got 1/8th-ish toe in set and gave it some positive caster (don't have the gauges, so I'm not sure where it's at...
Sounds like too much toe, and too much drop.
 
#3 · (Edited)
TvIf you've adjusted the struts for more caster you should have less threads shown. You've lengthened the strut increasing negative caster. The same characteristics with positive caster that wants to keep the car straight are doing the same here except it has more leverage to not want to turn. More then likely you have everything in a bind.

When you have zero caster the imaginary line that runs through the upper and lower ball joints also goes through the contact patch of the tire. When you have either positive or negative caster the imaginary line through the ball joints now has changed to a new location on the tire up off the ground and a few inches on the circumstance of the tire. Now as you turn the tires, the caster has to climb or rotate on the tire to meet the new centerline. You're actually lifting the weighted of the car when you turn. That's what keeps the car straight. A good way of looking at it is when you're sitting on a bicycle not moving with the front tire straight. What happens when you turn the tires either way? The head of the bicycle raises up. As you increase the weight over the front, the harder it is to turn and the tire stays straight. You have this with effect with the negative camber as well
 
#5 ·
I believe folks use the original steering box with this EPAS?

If so, I assume you did rebuild the box. If not, the bearings might not be at their best smooth, rolling aspect.

Yes, these boxes will bind HORRIBLY is they spit bearing balls, or balls in the worm/sector.
 
#8 ·
Now the steering is in such a bind that I can't even move the wheels by hand (steer them) when the car is in the air on jacks (I can force it with the steering wheel, but it makes terrible grinding noises and is very difficult). There is also a ton of slop in the steering wheel.
This all began when I started to monkey with the caster and toe settings. I returned the settings to as close as possible to the previous settings. I doubt my issues are due to a part failure, as again, this all started when I changed alignment settings. I also haven't driven the car since I began messing with all this.
Any ideas?!
 
#10 ·
This, you've pushed the caster in the "wrong" direction. You want to pull the *BOTTOM* of the tire towards the *FRONT* of the car. If you have *more* threads showing on the strut rods you moved the bottom of the tire towards the back of the car. This will screw up your steering substantially. Fix that and it is at least likely the problem goes away.
 
#12 ·
Or the binding caused by the backwards caster broke the steering box because of the additional stress/force it induced. I'm not trying to be a jerk here, just trying to make the point that you've got a setting wrong and it will cause problems. Replacing the steering box would be a short term fix, the excessive force would still be there and it would cause problems in the future.
 
#14 ·
I don't know. I assumed you cycled through (or attempted to cycle through) the range of movement on the steering. If that caused a bind to where it wouldn't move then you are putting more stress/force on the system than it got while moving before.

follow-up question, so when you exposed more threads on the strut rod was this in front of, or behind, the bracket the bushings surround? I may have the causality of movement mixed up here. Did you pull the bottom of the tires towards or away from the front of the car?
 
#15 ·
Yes sir... I did cycle through range of movement (and, at times, put a little force into pushing it beyond a bind).

I exposed more threads behind the bracket, less threads on the front of the bracket where the bushing resides. I should have been more clear when describing this. I watched the tire to try and see if it where moving toward the front or rear of the vehicle. Honestly, I couldn't see much difference from my adjustments.
 
#17 ·
OK, I did have the causality backwards, you added more caster then. So disregard my comments above. Sorry I could not be of any help.

John
 
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