Play at 3 and 9 o’clock on front wheels

Front end has new shocks, upper/lower arms, ball joints, and tie rods, and steering rack bushings in the past year… is it the steering rack or am I being paranoid and this is normal?


thanks for your help!

 

Both sides or just one? Could be inner tie rods, could be the rack. Was the steering wheel locked down?

 

Oh I remember I also did the outer tie rods but I’m realizing we didn’t do the inner could the inner ones cause this level of play?

 

both wheels, steering was not locked should I do that and check again?

 

Lock the steering wheel and only lift one side at a time to test

 

Yea, or make a mental note of how much the steering wheel jiggles. The rack can wiggle a bit, the bushings can wear. And the factory steering lock isnt tight enough. I lock it, then bungie the wheel to sorta hold it to one side of the lock. One side at a time will usually solve that problem.


jack the whole front end up, lay across and use your feet to stabilize one side while you jiggle the other side. You can usually see if the rack or bushings are loose.

 

Sounds like a new yoga pose

 

Locked the wheel, raised one side at a time and the play persists

 

Did you replace the inner tie rods?

 

I call it spitroasted by engineers.

but the beauty is you can hold a wheel with your hands and wiggle the other at your feet to help determine which inner tie rod it is.

 

No I realized we hadn’t done those, I’ll start there. Should I go OEM?

 

i didnt. But i’m no role model.

 

Always. If you can.