Bad steering return

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Dec 3, 2007 | 09:24 AM
  #1  
As the topic states. I turn my wheel to the right makeing a right hand turn, and I have to almost manually turn wheel to center. When I make left hand turn, wheel automatically goes to center after turn with hardly no help.

What gives. Bad Bushings? Bad rack? Both? i have 240K miles

Also on very cold days when i start car the wheel will automatically turn all the way to left, and cant center wheel untill car warms up. hell you cant even turn it from full left
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Dec 3, 2007 | 09:34 AM
  #2  
Re: Bad steering return (underbelly)
What dictates how fast/slow your wheel returns to center is caster. It's one of the 3 things they do when you get an aligment.

I would go to an alignment place and get your caster checked out. You could have bad radius rod bushings....
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Dec 3, 2007 | 09:55 AM
  #3  
Well the fact that the steering locks left while the fluid is cold suggests to me that there's a problem in the valve body or maybe a clogged line actually inside the rack.
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Dec 3, 2007 | 09:55 AM
  #4  
What are all the components that effect caster?
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Dec 3, 2007 | 09:59 AM
  #5  
Re: (mgags7)
Is the valve body replaceable? I dont think the power steering fluid has ever been flushed
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Dec 3, 2007 | 10:01 AM
  #6  
Re: (underbelly)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by underbelly &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What are all the components that effect caster?</TD></TR></TABLE>

The arm and bushings in the lower left:



Could also be the rack like mgags7 said. Probably a clog or buildup in there if it is the rack.
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Dec 3, 2007 | 10:15 AM
  #7  
Re: Bad steering return (underbelly)
On a side note. Whats the best way to change the power steering fluid?
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Dec 3, 2007 | 10:27 AM
  #8  
The helms way.

Basically, you take off a line and start the engine, and let it pump out the fluid for you. It doesn't get <u>everything</u> but it is good enough for most.
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Dec 3, 2007 | 03:07 PM
  #9  
Re: (mgags7)
I remember reading about a TSB for this, I think it was related to the PS pump, Ill see if I can find it again.

Found it, but it's not related to your problem:
http://consumerguideauto.howst...2.htm


Modified by Giant_Bean at 7:44 PM 12/3/2007
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