Reply to "Steering Rack Play"

Play in tie rod ends is never desireable to me. I replace them as soon as I notice it.

I had an outer tie rod on my Taurus SHo that showed no play when you examined it. The car would rattle when you drove it. No wobble in the steering wheel or rack itself.

When I changed the rod end the rattle stopped.

I presume because of this it was defective but I can't prove it scientifically. Just circumstantial evidence.

Look again at the INNER rod ends. These things seem never to get replaced. I would suspect them before I would a bad rack.

Lock the steering column so that it can't move. Jack the car and grab the tire at 3 and 9 oclock and try to move it. What happens.

Check your tire pressure. I have been able to flex the tires under these conditions with 30 pounds in them. Sometimes putting 40 psi in the tire will make the problem go away. Don't go over 50 psi. That can be on the dangerous side.

I have also had strange steering problems by putting wider profile RADIAL tires on the minimum width wheel.