90q Back Together Again!

[Huw Powell]

>>> However, it definitely seems there is something wrong with the 
>>> steering, the steering wheel it still stays slightly left after 
>>> making a left turn... and vice versa after making a right turn...
>>>  Its VERY scary on the freeway when the steering wheel wont
>>> "turn" the car in this play area.. (about 10* either way)

> There are no noises when this happens... just a quiet "slide" 
> Braking/accelerating doesn't have any effect... It is quite scary at
>  speed and turning around a bend when the steering wheel is a bit
> left and making a right turn;  it wont start turning till the
> steering wheel is at least at 10 degrees  to the right... in that
> time it feels the car is "sliding" to the left... was hoping it was
> only the subframe bushings... but removing and replacing that didn't
> help...

Hmm, you mean it was doing this *before* the SF bushing job?

I guess that makes me asking if you remembered to bolt the subframe back 
to the car irrelevant...

> Then that is not likely the problem.  On mine, one of the bearings
> had completely disintegrated.

I am also of the opinion that it is not the strut bushings - unless they
are missing...

> I surmise that there is something that is binding the strut and
> spring at the top.  Perhaps the spring is not seated correctly.  I
> could imagine and incorrect mount/bearing binding somehow.  You might
> want to double check that all this is proper.

While I can't even really think of what could be causing the problem 
(although, I did agree with the possibility that a ball joint was not 
secured properly in a control arm), it sounds like this car needs its 
entire front end carefully taken apart to look for broken/loose parts. 
Before it goes on the road again...

> With weight on the ground, have someone move the steering back and
> forth and see if something is shifting.

Definitely.  Somehow, that has *got* to help pinpoint it.  Get in, do 
that +/- 10 degree thing that does not turn the wheels and see where the 
motion "vanishes."  Does the rack move?  Do the tie rods?  Do the strut 
housings?  Does something that *shouldn't* move, move?

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi

http://www.humanthoughts.org/