Steering wheel play 1". Can't find source.

[Chris_Red_V8]

Just took delivery of my mustang in Scottsdale Az, and after having driven a few other cars for a few weeks (04 audi S4 and 01 Ford Escape), I can no longer tolerate the amount of play in my mustang's steering.

Common causes for play in the steering (upon several searches):
Worn joint in steering shaft from rack to column
worn balljoints and lower control arm bushings
worn steering rack bushings, worn inner and outer tie rod ends

I have about 6* of play in the steering.

My setup is as so:
04 Cobra control arms, delrin bushings
x2 balljoints
MM bumpsteer kit, tapered stud
new AGR rack, high effort, mm aluminum rack bushings
new 04 cobra steering shaft

In my opinion, the steering should be nice and tight, but it isnt. Its very tight once you move outside the domain of the play, but while you feel the play (whether you move the wheel or not) there is no response from the tires. This makes me think the play is between the steering wheel and the input point on the steering rack. Perhaps the rack itself? I just changed the rack, and the one before it was just as bad.

had my younger brother turn the wheel, looks like the whole assembly moves in the engine compartment, but could there be play at the joint where the steering shaft slips over the rack input 'piece' and is secured by a bolt? I will make a chalk line on the rack side of that joint to see if it is where this is happening, and also make marks above and below the rag joint (although I detected no play there). otherwise it may be in the new rack, as sad as a thought as that might be.

I also put a wrench on the steering shaft above the ragjoint, and a helper noted the slop felt similar with me trying to hold the shaft, but I want to reverse positions and see if I feel the same way behind the wheel in that scenario.

So what else can I look for? I read on one thread there's a slipjoint in the steering column that can go bad, but no way to fix it. I'm just lost as to where to go next.

 

[Car Nut]

WOW!!! That's some serious research and steering mods.

I'm going to go check out my steering after work and see just what happens with the steering when going down the road. The slop in my steering is gone, however, I'll take another close look at it for some feedback.

I've done the following mods in relation to steering:

03 Cobra front arms
MM Aluminum Rack Bushings
MM Steering Shaft

I had the stock tie rods replaced by Ford under warranty over 80K miles ago. I also still have the stock rack.

Once I added the steering shaft a couple months ago, the slop in my steering went away (or at least significantly better than before). I've been driving a few times and noticed that when I move the steering wheel at all, the car starts to change direction. Granted, the total steering experience is not like newer cars, but it is way better than even when my car was new. I owned an Acura RSX for 3 years (wife's car) and I got spoiled by the steering.

Again, I'll check my steering out this evening, cause I'm pretty sure I've got no noticeable play in the steering wheel or at least not a full inch.

 

[1TallMF]

When I was checking out my buddy's car with the engine out, I noticed I could turn the upper part of the steering shaft slip joint a noticable amount while the bottom remained stationary. The stock slip-style steering shaft we have is likely the source of most of the play you are experiencing with the steering wheel. A Cobra piece is a minor improvement (but they seem to be no longer available). The next best thing is a solid steering shaft like MM and Flaming River sell, it you are willing to throw that kind of money at it.
The other common source of play is the rack itself, when I replaced mine with a remanufactured unit last month I noticed the play had reduced probably about half versus the stock rack. Perhapse a brand new Flaming River units are designed with tighter tollerances to eliminate the dead spot, I am not sure. And they are not cheap.
Worn suspension componenets can also cause this kind of play as well, but there will also be vibration at speed and clunking to go along with it.

Long story short, I'd say the steering shaft is the culprit for most of the steering play.

I've thought about just removing it and seeing if there was a way to modify the slip joint to reduce or eliminate play, it only takes about 10 minutes to remove from the car.

 

[WhiteDevil]

Im in the SAME BOAT!!!
My set up
New Reman Rack w/new inner ends
Prothane center drill rack bushings
Steeda our tie rod ends
03 cobra A-arms with all new bushing and balljoints
03 Cobra Steering shaft

And i also have a TON of play in my steering and i hate it. I guess the next step is the MM stolid shaft.
CarNut: Did you notice any increase in NHV with the new shaft?

 

[juiced_94gt]

I thought i was the only one, i have change everything TWICE including 2 racks and god forbid there is uneven pavement...the car goes in ALL directions, i feel tweeked out trying to control it, i feel like the cops are going to pull me over for a D.U.I for how squirly it is on this one street by my work.

 

[Therian]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it is the steering shaft.

We (in this thread) all seem to have the 03/04 shaft, but still the slop remains. Similar to the OP and Carnut, I got spoiled while driving my Audi (it's 17 years old, and much, much tighter).

Is there anyone that has the MM unit and STILL has slop?

 

[juiced_94gt]

^^^^I would like to know also...my 03 cobra shaft did nothing for my slop and neither did two racks and mutiple aligments, do your cars aldo try to go everywhere on uneven streets because of the play in the steering???

 

[WhiteDevil]

^^^^I would like to know also...my 03 cobra shaft did nothing for my slop and neither did two racks and mutiple aligments, do your cars aldo try to go everywhere on uneven streets because of the play in the steering???

Yeah i feel like im second in command with decisions on which direction to go.

 

[Therian]

^^^^I would like to know also...my 03 cobra shaft did nothing for my slop and neither did two racks and mutiple aligments, do your cars aldo try to go everywhere on uneven streets because of the play in the steering???

Yeah i feel like im second in command with decisions on which direction to go.

What sizes of front tires do you guys run? I have 275s and it feels as though the car is unsafe at (relatively) high speeds.

The 03 steering shaft could be a hoax of sorts...for $30 it was probably too good to be true. There's also the question of why BOI stopped selling them.

 

[juiced_94gt]

I run 265-35-18 Pirelli P-zero ROSSO's in the front.

 

[WhiteDevil]

255/45R17 nitto 555s up front for me.

 

[go-stang5.0]

I have a solid shaft prolly Flaming River....No play in the shaft. I have a slight bit between my momo hub and the steering shaft tho. But its extremely minor and with my 13" steering wheel I dont notice it at all. BTW my shaft is 4+ yrs old (bought the car with it). And I open track the car so I am really picky about something like steering play.

 

[95opal]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it is the steering shaft.

We (in this thread) all seem to have the 03/04 shaft, but still the slop remains. Similar to the OP and Carnut, I got spoiled while driving my Audi (it's 17 years old, and much, much tighter).

Is there anyone that has the MM unit and STILL has slop?

I run the MM unit and have zero play. One of the best suspension mods Ive done.

 

[juiced_94gt]

I run the MM unit and have zero play. One of the best suspension mods Ive done.

Did you have slop in the steering before the MM shaft?? if so was it bad??

 

[95opal]

Did you have slop in the steering before the MM shaft?? if so was it bad??

It wasnt to bad, but since I had the motor out over the winter. I figured it would be the ideal time to do it. I wasnt going to just replace the rag joint, that seemed kind of a waist. I guess my thoughts are if it is going to be replaced why not upgrade.

 

[Synned]

My car is the exact same way guys...I just don't have any money to put into it, lol.
But yeah, if I hit a bump or uneven street, the car could jump pretty badly...it sucks.

 

[Car Nut]

CarNut: Did you notice any increase in NHV with the new shaft?

No NVH whatsoever. I figured for sure I would get some vibrations or something on a small scale (due to stiffer ride overall).

I did notice a big difference in steering though. Steering is very smooth, precise, and the first few times driving after putting in the MM shaft, I had to pay closer attention to the little movements I made with the steering wheel. Just had to get used to the fact that when I move the wheel and inch or two, the car will now change direction accordingly.

I've got no issues with bumpsteer or tramlining (sp?), so this was an even more welcome upgrade. I can't imagine the steering being any better considering what it was like when my stang was new.

 

[Car Nut]

I'm going to answer a lot of common concerns above.........

I have 245/45/17 on all fours and even with my H&R 750/850 front springs, I have no issues with the car changing direction on its own over bumps or rough roads. I've got some really rough roads out here and frankly, I couldn't wait to "test" my MM suspension. I "feel" every bump, but only the bad ones "feel" rough and the car never changes directions, just goes over them in a straight line or whatever input I've given the car with the steering wheel.

The only road surface that ever gives me problems..........

I'm not sure how to explain it, but some roads have these "water channels" that run parallel with the lanes. They are like waves in the road. Those channels usually shift me left or right a few inches unless I use both hands on the wheel and keep the wheel planted (not a lot of effort, but also not my typical one handed driving style).


I'm going to be going to 275s on all fours OR 275s and 315s. Either way, I don't expect that either issue above will be a bother.


On a side note, my brother-in-law has a new Porsche 911 and I got to drive it for an hour or so. Aside from always having the need for more power, that car was perfect in all other ways and the steering was obviously of a higher technology than ours. The tires were also pretty darn wide on the fronts and rears, but had no issue over several types of roads.

 

[Car Nut]

I so bad want to just say......."buy the MM steering shaft and be done with all your slop problems."

But.......I'd hate for someone to spend that kind of dough and it not work as expected.

 

[bchilt]

Yep, steering is looser than Paris Hilton

Like you guys, there is play in my steering, 1 inch like Chris Red V8. I noticed that my power steering fluid is a pasty gray color. I'm suspecting water got in Anyway, I've got the car scheduled to have the steering rack and inner and outer tie rods replaced. Sounds like I need to look at replacing the steering shaft as well. It looks like the part # for the MM shaft assembly is MMST-14 or MMST-15 if you want the manual version. It'll be a couple of weeks but I'll report back on the results. I'll go ahead and do the aluminum steering rack bushings as well.

Bchilt