re: '90 CQ steering help needed

["A. D. Morris" <allanm@primenet.com>]

>From: "Duff, Ian" <iduff@charter.com>
>Date: Sat, 26 Oct 1996 21:39:39 -0400
>Subject: '90 CQ steering help needed
>
>My 1990 Coupe quattro is slowly developing a strange and unsettling
>steering tendency: it has quite a bit of free play in the steering,
>like maybe 3/4"-1" either side of dead ahead before the car turns,
>along with what I have heard called "tramlining", where the car feels
>like it has crossed a tram line, on the slightest camber change in the
>road. It also clunks sometimes when I'm turning sharply at low speeds,
>like pulling out of a parallel parking spot.
>
<<<snip>>>>
>pressure. Mr. Bentley also talks about adjusting the steering play.
>Anyone ever had to do this?
>
>Any other ideas? TIA.
>-
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>- - - Ian Duff, 1990 Coupe quattro 20v, Red/Black quattro Owners Club
>member P877
>
>Home: New Bedford, MA, USA
>Work: Charter Systems, Inc., West Newton, MA, USA
>-
>----------------------------------------------------------------------

I gather that from your unerhood exploits, you can not locate any
loosness in the system.  I have not seen this problem, but have you
checked the upper strut bearings?  

My Bentley (which includes your car) does a very poor job of showing
these. Basically there is a bearing which supports the front struts,
between the body and the upper spring plate, allowing them to rotate
when you turn the steering wheel.  These are maybe an inch thick,
and have a rubber snubber with them.  Overtime (mine after 130,000
miles) basically disentegrate, allowing free play between the strut
and the car.  When the car is at rest, the weight of the car prevents
significant movement, but when things bounce a little, the strut can
shift.  This *might* be your problem.


-----------------------------------
Allan D. Morris
Phoenix, AZ
allanm@primenet.com
1988 90Q
-----------------------------------