Excessive Steering Wheel Play

[NO 5 OH]

Okay... last weekend the power steering on my SVO became increasingly more difficult to turn, until it was as if I didn't have power steering at all on the car. A friend and I discovered where the problem was... the high pressure hose from the pump to the rack had blown out, and the pump had puked all the fluid out on the ground. I was in a slight pinch last weekend... so of course all the local parts stores didn't have the "correct" SVO PS high pressure hose. We looked at the same line from a NA 2.3L and they were almost identical, except for the end that goes in the rack. I bought the hose and we slightly bent the end going into the rack to get it to go in.

That totally fixed the problem of no power steering, but now the wheel has an excessive amount of play in it... so much that you can move the wheel about 2" and never turn the front tires. I drove the car a few times around with the power steering out on it... would that have messed something up so that when the hose was fixed that it has play now? Is there something on the rack that you can adjust to help fix the problem of play in the wheel? Lastly I'll ask is it my choice of replacement hose that has something to do with it as well?

All help is greatly appreciated.

TIA

[Pat_in_L.A.]

The hose is not the problem. I've done that before and it worked just fine. Take a look at the "ragjoint" connector. It's probably junk. Very common problem.

[svoman2300]

I agree the ragjoint is probably dried out and the excessive force that was needed to turn the wheels ripped it. I wouldn't drive it if I was you until you fixed it. Someone gave me a 70LTD that I was going to use in a demolition derby and while I was screwing around in it by my warehouse the rag joint disenegrated while I was driving .Totally lost steering at about 45 mph one of the scarriest things that has ever happened to me.

http://www.flaming-river.com/racks2.htm

[SVOeric]

yep -- they are most likely right---

what happened was -- when your hose blew out, the wheel got harder to turn. The 18 year old rag joint shreded into piecses during this time, because of the increseased pressure on it...

hit auto-zone, or any of the auto-parts stores -- a replacment joint can be had (better quality IMHO too) for about $7 -- Look in the help section-- be careful, there are 2 different sizes, make sure you get the right one--

Or--- the more expensive (and probably better way) to fix it is to buy a replacment flaming river steering shaft, but they are a bit pricey.

[NO 5 OH]

Originally posted by SVOeric
yep -- they are most likely right---

what happened was -- when your hose blew out, the wheel got harder to turn. The 18 year old rag joint shreded into piecses during this time, because of the increseased pressure on it...

hit auto-zone, or any of the auto-parts stores -- a replacment joint can be had (better quality IMHO too) for about $7 -- Look in the help section-- be careful, there are 2 different sizes, make sure you get the right one--

Or--- the more expensive (and probably better way) to fix it is to buy a replacment flaming river steering shaft, but they are a bit pricey.

Yeah... I had a feeling it might be the rag joint. I had the friend that helps me work on my car turn the wheel slightly while I had a light and looked at the steering shaft, and the shaft would turn as he turned the wheel but the front wheels wouldn't turn at all. Could one of you gentlemen tell me which end of the shaft the rag joint is on? I'm thinking it's on the lower end of the shaft close to the rack... just before the shaft goes into the power steering rack.

The Flaming River solid shaft is on my "wish list" of things to buy for the car... but it was gonna be one of my birthday presents (and that's not till September). I might get it before then, or if I can just replace the rag joint until then I'll probably go that route. Can somebody get me a part number or point me in the right direction as to what rag joint I need from the Auto Zoo

Thanks again for the help

Shannon

[SVOeric]

it's in the red help section -- you just need to get the smaller of the 2 they have ---

[ediii]

You're right. It's just below the oil filter.

ED