When I am driving my steering wheel does not have the response that I expect it to have. I have to turn the wheel more than an inch in either direction to get any response. When I bought the car 3 years ago I got a lot of new suspension parts. New rack, new upper control arms and new bearings. What else do I need to check?

Thanks

 

im assuming manual rack and pinion?

You can try adjusting your rack and pinion preload. It’s a big locknut and bolt on the underside. I can take a pic in a little bit if needed, although I think there’s plenty of pics on google.

Other than that, it could be the steering rack bushing...? It’s new - probably not then.

 

Yes its manual and thank you. I will let you knows how it goes this weekend .

 

check for play in your steering. i read that you think you replaced parts recently, but really, if youre having issues, you need to check, its not good enough to just say things were replaced. and plus, with all the cheap ebay junk parts, they just dont last.

the rack END bushing INSIDE THE RACK, white plastic, $11 dealer only part, is commonly worn out.

you check play by getting underneath your car and physically jerking things around. if theres any extra wiggle, or clunk, something is wrong. have a friend turn the steering wheel while you put your hand on parts.

adjusting the pinion gearbox is also very important and should be looked at too. its difficult to get right, takes several tries. adjust, drive, adjust again...

however, another area that you did not mention is the spline clamp where the steering column and rack meet. perhaps you didnt tighten it enough. it is also another common source of play.

last spot to check is the steering wheel nut itself. pop the emblem off CAREFULLY to expose the nut.

 

I had similar issues and replacing the steering u-joint helped a bit.