my palio's steering wheel problem

[payam]

after i came back to pune noticed a problem with my steering wheel.it is damn jammed and doesnt turn back when i take any turn.
i have changed the strut mountain no result.
then clean the power steering pump and change it's oil.again nothing.
everybody is saying it is the wrack and it has to be changed.
now the mechanic has found something new and he is saying the tyre roden are gone and they dont move properly.
expert plz help me what can it be.
wrack is damn expensive and they say it can hardly be repaired.

[FERRO]

just get the opinion of some other mechanic before replacing anything expensive

[moralfibre]

Payam, let me correct the post for you:

I came back to Pune from Iran and noticed a problem with my steering. It is jammed and doesn't turn back to center when i take a turn. It is too hard and takes some effort to turn. My mechanic advised to have the strut mounts changed but no result.
He cleaned the power steering pump and change PS oil with no effect.
Everybody is saying the steering rack is jacked and needs to be changed.
Now the mechanic has found something new and he says that the tie rods are gone and they don't move properly.
Expert plz help me what can it be. Steering rack is damn expensive and they say it can hardly be repaired.

I still say that your steering rack is jacked and needs to be replaced. You can take a second, third and fourth opinion. The mechanic will now advise a tie rod change, then strut change, then bushing change, then finally change the rack. Don't take that route. We can still look at repairing it but when your mechanic changed the strut mounting for fixing a steering problem I can gather his intelligence.

[Ram]

payam and moralfibre:
Return of the steering to straight-ahead position is a feature of the caster geometry. It may make sense to ensure that the steering geometry has not been knocked out of alignment by hitting a pothole or the kerb.

[payam]

ram apart from turning the steering is become too tough also.

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by ram

payam and moralfibre:
Return of the steering to straight-ahead position is a feature of the caster geometry. It may make sense to ensure that the steering geometry has not been knocked out of alignment by hitting a pothole or the kerb.

I don't think Casters can be realigned in the current generation cars, can they?

[payam]

kiran can you tell me what is caster?

[moralfibre]

Payam, see this link for more details

[payam]

thanks MF.you know the things is my car was parked for 2months when i was in iran and before it was ok and no problem with the PS.when i turned on the car after 2months the first thing i noticed was this.i am wondering how it is possible and what the hell is it?

[humyum]

I think u just need to open the steering assembly,lubricate the rack and pinion with grease and the steering return will be back.

[doctorkats]

did you check for any leaks in the power steering pump?
you may have tighten the joints.
is the steering oil level the same or has it fallen in the PS oil container?
if the above is okay it seems like a steering gear and rack problem.

[payam]

thanks i will check these and let you know

[smartcat]

Get the wheel alignment done. If that doesn't help, only then think of replacing stuff.

[TURBOSAM]

Originally Posted by payam

after i came back to pune noticed a problem with my steering wheel.it is damn jammed and doesnt turn back when i take any turn.
i have changed the strut mountain no result.
then clean the power steering pump and change it's oil.again nothing.
everybody is saying it is the wrack and it has to be changed.
now the mechanic has found something new and he is saying the tyre roden are gone and they dont move properly.
expert plz help me what can it be.
wrack is damn expensive and they say it can hardly be repaired.

hi
the steering geometry is far more complicated design than just sexy rims and sexy tyres!!

your car has much wider ,better tyres on non standard rims which has changed the scrub radius of the unit plus it has strut braces too <which are not the part of the car when it was designed >.
the rack in ur car is in rear side means its experiencing constant compressive force <its a part of the design > but because of so many mods plus better tyres <plus may be inferior and or infrequent service provided to the rack before failing> ur rack has failed. as all the forces have crossed the designed factor of safety .
plus ur cars ball joints are worn out so the tyres with much better grip and wider contach patch wonder all around-with mighty forces and there is the poor rack which is trying to control the wondering around! on top of that , wrong scrub radius is complicating the issues !
now the tie rods then track rod ends will keep on failing unless the basic problems arr not addressed .
PLEASE TRY TO UNDRESTAND THE WHY PART OF ENGINEERING- FROM THE BASICS - BEFORE PAYING FOR ANY MODS. <or keep on paying without knowing < u as well as ur trusted mechanic>why>
sorry for my ADVICE .. but thats the harsh reality of engineering WHICH NON TECHNICAL CLIENTS WILL KEEP ON LEARNING THE HARD WAY

[whicked wheels]

Originally Posted by TURBOSAM

hi
the steering geometry is far more complicated design than just sexy rims and sexy tyres!!

your car has much wider ,better tyres on non standard rims which has changed the scrub radius of the unit plus it has strut braces too <which are not the part of the car when it was designed >.
the rack in ur car is in rear side means its experiencing constant compressive force <its a part of the design > but because of so many mods plus better tyres <plus may be inferior and or infrequent service provided to the rack before failing> ur rack has failed. as all the forces have crossed the designed factor of safety .
plus ur cars ball joints are worn out so the tyres with much better grip and wider contach patch wonder all around-with mighty forces and there is the poor rack which is trying to control the wondering around! on top of that , wrong scrub radius is complicating the issues !
now the tie rods then track rod ends will keep on failing unless the basic problems arr not addressed .
PLEASE TRY TO UNDRESTAND THE WHY PART OF ENGINEERING- FROM THE BASICS - BEFORE PAYING FOR ANY MODS. <or keep on paying without knowing < u as well as ur trusted mechanic>why>
sorry for my ADVICE .. but thats the harsh reality of engineering WHICH NON TECHNICAL CLIENTS WILL KEEP ON LEARNING THE HARD WAY

Turbosam what you mean to say is that if the car has oversize tyres(195/60/14),mags(s10 alloys) and a strut brace and in a month of driving and two months of the car parked in one place(once or twice driven),that the steering rack can get jacked. Because i think that payam's said that his car was fine before he went to iran and after he came back the steering was hard.
By the way i was at the workshop when the car was worked on, the strut mounts were not changed for no reason at all there was a lot of play and the bearings were gone. As for the tie rod ends i myself have checked it and the right one is gone its jammed hard there is no lubrication left in it.It moves when a lot of force is applied to it(you need leaver) and it also has a sticky movement.
Sam i am not trying to argue with you but i am just trying to tell you what i have checked so far and save Payam a lot of money.I think that you will agree with me that if the tie rod is jammed the steering will not return on a turn. We are just checking it part by part.

P.S. Experts please correct me if i am wrong