Steering wheel play

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pdiddy123
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Steering wheel play

Post by pdiddy123 »

I have replaced the tie rods, axles and gotten an alignment but there is still what I feel is extra play in the steering and it tends to feel like it drifts while driving what parts should I be looking at?
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by 96 SSEi »

hi, how much can you turn the st. wheel without the front wheels moving?
do you hear any knock when you turn the wheel?
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pdiddy123
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by pdiddy123 »

Not much! But enough to notice it's an issue somewhere
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by 96 SSEi »

i would take it back and have them check the alignment again after inspecting inner and outer rods.
Get in the car and make sure st. wheel is straight while they do the alignment and check for play when they finish.
Last edited by 96 SSEi on Fri Jun 17, 2016 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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past rides:
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1987 Grand Am
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pdiddy123
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by pdiddy123 »

Will do thank you!!
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by 96 SSEi »

let us know whats up please.........later
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by l67se »

Lower control arm bushings is what I found on my 00 SSEi.
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by agrazela »

l67se wrote:Lower control arm bushings is what I found on my 00 SSEi.
I was going to suggest the same possibility.

Do you have any weird front end "clunks" when braking or hard accelerating and/or front end squeaks on going over a bump at low speed?
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by pdiddy123 »

I have mainly hard the clumping when turning the wheel and I have replaced the outer tie rods and both axles. Upon getting an alignment I was told the inners were ok
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by Bugsi »

My experience was with my `97, and I don't know how that series' steering compares to the 2000+ design, but I had worn inner tie rod bushings, and opted to replace the steering rack (which the inner tie rods are part of and require a special tool to remove). That completely solved the problem for my Bonneville!
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by harofreak00 »

If the rear shocks are bad, it can make the back end feel like its drifting.
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pdiddy123
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by pdiddy123 »

The drifting seems to come from whatever freeplay in the steering wheel
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Re: Steering wheel play

Post by 96 SSEi »

the 2000 has a known steering assembly issue, correct? could that be the problem?
how can you test it? is there a procedure?
poverty forces one to do unorthodox things

2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
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