loose steering on RSI.

[CraigJ]

can anyone offer me any help. The car has allready been tracked a few months ago when i had new 15on. allthough the car seems to go straight. There is a lot of play in the steering wheel, and when turning tight corners i really have to turn the wheel a lot more than i should to get to where i wanna be. does this ring any bells for anyone? have allready taken it too a couple of places but nobody has given me any ideas. one dude just told me to lower it to get better traction. I doing this soon but know that this will not solve the problem. Im thinking maybe the steering rack. Any help apreciated.



Craig J

 

[CraigJ]

Please someone must have an idea.

 

[u33db]

i have the same problem on my valver. Ive replaced the trackrod ends so far which has helped a lot and the balljoints will be done soon as im getting a cracking noise when turning the wheel on first startup. After doing this there is far less play in the steering but ultimately ill be looking a t a new rack i think. Saying that my car has done 128k so hopefully yours wont be so bad!

Hope this helps.....

 

[CraigJ]

Thanks m8. iv allready had one of the tarck rod ends replaced, and i also get a sort of noise when steering tightly. cars done 72k. going to take it somewhere later this week to check the rack, as its real pain having to slow right down to take corners,

 

[RobRSi]

My RSi does exactly the same. First i thought it was the rack, but then i had some new front tyres and i found out one of the ball joints is knackered!!, but now my power steering is making funny noises when i turn tightly! can win

 

[CraigJ]

Bloody annoying me rob. if the standard garages cant help me ill have to take it to renault, get me self a quate then get someone else to do the work

 

[RobRSi]

Jack the car up. and grab a wheel (front) and try and move it in a direction it shouldnt be able to. if one or both do this then its the ball joint(s). to test the rack, (dont go 100% by this) get a mate to wobble the steering wheel white you hold the track rod arms you should be able to feel if the racks responding properly!

 

[CraigJ]

Ill give it a try Rob. thanks again.

 

[CraigJ]

ne more ideas peeps?

 

[weight]

Before we all start replacing racks!

can we check the bottom joint in the column for play???

 

[weight]

http://www.btinternet.com/~weightspalace/column.jpg

 

[weight]

I even circled it to!

 

[Dr G]

Had the exact same problem with my RSi, took it to renault they said the steering column needed replacing but in a typical renault way it wernt the problem, although sorted it slightly but was still there, so they took another look free of charge (well they did f**k up) and they found that the steering rack was knackerd, so they proceeded to replace that too, half price might i add but still i had a right go at them for making me pay to replace the column when it probably didnt need doin.. but as always they said that it was also on its last legs and was in need of doin blah blah blah.

So in the end replacing both the steering rack and column sorted the problem but in the most extreme way possible! But the steering is now well tight

cheers

 

[CraigJ]

Thanks Weight. Will get it checked.

Dr G - how muck did renault charge for the rack?

 

[RobRSi]

Problem solved! NOT the ball joint, even though it saw f**ked anyway. weight is spot on, but there is no need for a new rack. i bit of weld in the right place does the job. Im doing it next weekend i think so ill keep you updated!