play in steering/vagueness when centred

[MCBrowncoat]

Hello all, hope you can help with this one.

So about a week or so ago I noticed that there was a degree of play in the steering; When centred, it doesn't seem to bite immediately. Here are a few examples:

So if I go over a pothole or a bump the car will move about on the road but I won't feel anything through the wheel, so there's a degree of guesswork when I have to correct it

Also, when you turn out of a corner you almost have to knock in a bit of lock to straighten it (if that makes sense?!)- it's not much, but it's there

It's also possible, (though this might be paranoia setting in) that I can feel a bit of a shunt through the wheel when pulling off - and not your typical driveline shunt

Finally, it looks like the outside of my front tyres are starting to wear abnormally - the first time I've noticed this - presumably all connected.

Any ideas?

Thanks as always

[annodomini2]

Check all the bushes and ball joints, it's almost nearly impossible from a description to tell.

Once you've replaced all the worn ones, (have it tracked!!!) and it's still there, check the rack.

[FWDRacer]

Leave the car on the floor. Lay on the floor with a torch looking into the rear of front wheelarch/track rod area. Get glamourous assistant to jump in car and move steering wheel from lock to lock. Watch rack move. Remove trim and tighten rack bolts.

[Plank]

A friend had the same symptoms recently with his 998, we replaced all six front subframe mounts and cured it.

[HiRoller]

From what you've described it could be:

The track rod ends
The front subframe mounts
Excessive play in the steering rack
Worn/Damaged tie-rod bushes
Bent tie-rods - Ive seen ones that folk have tried to jack the car up on!

As suggested the best thing is to get the car on a ramp and get an assistant to move the steering whilst you investigate....

Good Luck

[sprocketman01]

Lift carpets,take 1/2 inch spanner or socket,check tightness of rack mounting nuts,from descrpition sounds like a loose rack to me! More prevalent if you are running on larger wheels.....