Heard a loud pop and now my steering is broke!

TeckNeon · Post by **TeckNeon** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:59 pm

I need an opinion ASAP so I can determine where I can take it for repair.

I have been hearing what I thought was knuckle pop (low speed pops from the left front end while taking off and turning) but just as I was leaving to take someone to work, BANG! Something broke. Now the steering wheel is all over the place and not responding.

I have to secure a rental car before I can get under there and figure out what's up. Plus it's a Friday. The dealer is open tomorrow as is the repair place but if it needs parts, I need to negotiate a longer rental plus the repair.

That's me beating my savings account.

Any ideas of what it can be? Inner tie rod was the first thing I thought of since it's prolly the most expensive fix.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 2:22 pm

Are the outer tie rods still attached? Have someone turn the wheel and look to see what is and isn't moving.

Very well could be the inner tie rods

Maddog · Post by **Maddog** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 5:57 pm

Chris04sxt · Post by **Chris04sxt** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:30 pm

Danteneon wrote:Are the outer tie rods still attached? Have someone turn the wheel and look to see what is and isn't moving.

Very well could be the inner tie rods

That was my first thought as well. Although, if you get no movement from either wheel when you turn the steering wheel, it could be somewhere in the steering rack.

OB · Post by OB » Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:11 pm

Chris04sxt wrote:
Danteneon wrote:Are the outer tie rods still attached? Have someone turn the wheel and look to see what is and isn't moving.

Very well could be the inner tie rods
That was my first thought as well. Although, if you get no movement from either wheel when you turn the steering wheel, it could be somewhere in the steering rack.

^Indeed.

Visual inspection FTW.

darthroush · Post by **darthroush** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:07 am

Had that happen, thankfully not driving at highway speed, moving at about 1 MPH moving my Mustang in the driveway. Both tires were facing all the way out; duck toed. Rack and pinion was toast.

TeckNeon · Post by **TeckNeon** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:35 am

Ok. Worst case scenario. It's the rack. What's the billable hours on a dealer install? And if I do have to go that direction, can I move up to an R/T quicker ratio rack without issue?

But, if it's an inner tie rod, what's the billable hours on that? What parts would I need for that install?

This is the first major thing to go wrong on my car since the control arm bushings a few years ago. Nearly everything else on the car, I had done myself or with friends. I am just not used to letting someone else touch and repair my car then charge me to do so.

EDIT: I can move the wheels. The steering wheel is all over the place but I can prolly drive it a few miles without killing myself. It broke right in the driveway so, I should be good. The left side outer is there and good. I have to get the right side in the air and see what's up.

esteinmaier · Post by **esteinmaier** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:44 am

Please don't try to drive it. You will hurt someone, most likely yourself.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 8:47 am

I don't have access to the labor time needed unfortunately. But...

The only reason the rack would be worst case scenario would be because of price. Labor wise it is the easiest (since the rack needs to be pulled to do the inners anyway, and you need to buy a tie rod socket tool to replace them). Replacing the rack isn't all that hard, you would just need an alignment.

And yes, you can upgrade your rack to the R/T with no problem. Your turning radius will suffer slightly though.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:32 am

The R/T rack is a slower ratio on 2gns faster ratio on 1gns. So I don't think it would be an upgrade.
I have posted the page from the FSM on this somewhere a while ago.
IIRC the SE rack is 16:1 and the R/T rack is 18:1. Now if you could get the Shadow rack to work, they came in the 14:1 flavor. If the seal blows in my R&P I might see what is involved in doing this. I have a 14:1 P body rack somewhere.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:52 am

Interesting

I did not notice that before

*runs off to dig in Dealerconnect*

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:12 pm

See, that 40 thing has gone to the brain cells already.

viewtopic.php?t=33093&highlight=ratio

Don't worry you'll adjust.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:16 am

Ah-ha. I never went back to that thread

Thanks!