Stiff Stearing

[bytecode]

Hi guys - it's been a long time! Possibly as I've been under the car in my spare time for the last few months...
Regarding my 406 Rapier HDI90 estate, 2001 plate, 227,000 miles, Right hand drive.

I'm really stumped (Again) - My steering is incredibly stiff at the moment.

Not long (A few weeks) after tearing the front, drivers side tyre in a pot hole, I found that my steering became increasingly hard to turn at intermittent angles/degrees of turn.

It started a few months ago - turned freely in most positions, but stiff at say, 11 O'clock and then 1O'clock. Continuing to turn the steering wheel beyond these stiff areas/angles would return to free "normal" steering.

The point/angle of stiffness changes, it's not always in the same place.

PAS fluid was/is fine.
I replaced the Aux belt (with the correct Delphi length belt)
I discovered that the drivers side front suspension coil was cracked and rubbing on the bulkhead of the engine bay.

I then replaced both suspension spring coils.
I also checked the front drop links that go from the strut to the anti-roll bar on both sides - they both seem fine - no knocking or stiffness.

Whilst replacing the coilsprings, I found that the top mount bearings were falling to pieces.
The drivers side bearing was missing 5 or 6 ball bearings.
The passenger side ones had no ball bearings in at all - so I replaced with new suspension bearings, and new top mounts at the same time.
I ended up getting quite good at assembly and disassembly - I can now do it in about 2.5 to 3 hours per side, including gearbox oil drain and refill (when doing the passenger side).

At first, after the new springs, bearings and mounts - the steering was a joy - smooth, and light.

But after just one week - it's now REALLY REALLY hard to turn the steering again. It's creaking slightly too.

Can anyone offer any wisdom? I'm really keen to develop my upper body strength - but not through steering problems.
Thank you all.

[jasper5]

Best way to diagnose this is to remove the track rod end ball joint, firstly on that driver's side and check that the steering turns freely on that particular wheel (not by turning the steering wheel but the hub/shocker etc. You are checking the top mount/bearing/bottom ball joint.)
If that side feels alright move on to the other side and repeat.
If all appears fine then you need to be looking at the universal joint coupling at the bottom of the steering column and where it goes into the rack...the joint/s may be seizing up.

[PeterN]

..also check/lubricate the universal joint/s at the bottom of the steering column.

Peter

[bytecode]

Best way to diagnose this is to remove the track rod end ball joint, firstly on that driver's side and check that the steering turns freely on that particular wheel (not by turning the steering wheel but the hub/shocker etc. You are checking the top mount/bearing/bottom ball joint.)
If that side feels alright move on to the other side and repeat.
If all appears fine then you need to be looking at the universal joint coupling at the bottom of the steering column and where it goes into the rack...the joint/s may be seizing up.

Hi Jasper - thank you for your suggestions - I like the component isolation approach. I'll try that this evening.

[bytecode]

..also check/lubricate the universal joint/s at the bottom of the steering column.

Peter

Thank you Peter,
I'll see whether I can get into the joints with some 3-in-1.

[bytecode]

Good morning all! What a lovely sunny morning it is in Cornwall!

Sadly I was unable to raise the car to separate track rods and test each suspension side and the steering individually last night - but I shall do so today.

Re: the Unions -

Inside the car, the union at the bottom of the steering column looks fine; clean and still lubricated.
I checked the (hitherto unknown to me) steering column lock/retaining button that can be found just above the internal Union Joint (the plastic button that can be pressed in to prevent accidental rotation of the column if disconnecting the steering) I had hoped that it might be partially engaged and therefore responsible for the difficulty in turning the steering - but this was not the case.)

I then turned the steering whilst feeling for vibration in the column - a finger below the union joint and a thumb above it. I could feel the creaking in the turning and I'm 99% convinced that it's originating from outside of the cabin - presumably from the union joint outside or elsewhere, and is merely being transmitted INSIDE the cabin mechanically via the column.

Today I shall raise the car - disconnect the track rod ends and test the feel of the steering and each strut independently.

[PeterN]

There is possibly another u/j at the bottom of the column outside on the top of the rack.

Peter

[steve_earwig]

Any use?

[PeterN]

Thought there was - thanks.

[jasper5]

Thought there was - thanks.

As referred to in my post above

[PeterN]

Sorry I'm getting old.

[bytecode]

Ah - thank you for the diagram Steve_earwig.

Any use?

There is possibly another u/j at the bottom of the column outside on the top of the rack.
Peter

Yup, I can just about see it when I crawl under the car.

[bytecode]

Ok, so I followed the good troubleshooting advice offered by jasper5.

I raised the car onto some sturdy wooden blocks (my axle stands are still under the MG!), removed the wheels and disconnected the track rods.

Rotating each hub/suspension assembly by hand showed that the assembly rotates freely and so I'm assuming that my new bearings, springs, top-mounts etc... are all working correctly.

I tested the steering again, with the track rods disconnected - and the stiffness is still present, even without the weight of the car, suspension etc... on it.

As I rotate the steering wheel, the stiffness comes and goes with a regularity that feels akin to the stressing and strain one would expect with a ceased union joint.
I've tried feeling the external union joint and can't find anything fouling it, other than a thick coating of dirt, old grease etc.
I've tried cleaning it up a little, but think that I'm going to need a bowl of hot soapy water and a toothbrush, also, I'm out of WD40/plusgas etc. to help loosen up any bound up gunk. So I guess I'll have to make do with whatever I can find.

I'm assuming that lithium molybdenum is a good choice of grease to apply to the joint once it's all cleaned up?

I'm also going to remove the plastic steering column shroud and see whether there are any other snagged areas that need attention.

Trackrods:
Funny thing about disconnecting the track rods - I had assumed that it would be a standard "retain end with allen key and undo nut" operation, but there isn't a hole in the end for an allen key. I discovered that if the threaded shaft onto which the nut goes starts to rotate, I just need to apply downward force onto the track-rod end to wedge it into the hub-carrier hole, and that would "lock" the shaft in place so that I could undo/do-up the nut with a socket or spanner.

Thank you all for your help and advice so far! I'll keep you posted.

[PeterN]

Just squirt some WD40 on it to loosen it up and then some engine oil, the best lubricant to use is chain saw oil if you have access to it, its very sticky so tends to stay, if not a good soaking with engine oil will do it, apply some oil and then work it in by turning the steering.

Peter

[bytecode]

Just squirt some WD40 on it to loosen it up and then some engine oil, the best lubricant to use is chain saw oil if you have access to it, its very sticky so tends to stay, if not a good soaking with engine oil will do it, apply some oil and then work it in by turning the steering.

Peter

Hi Peter,

I sprayed the external UJ with soapy water for a while, agitated with a toothbrush, left it to drip then attacked it first with engine degreaser, then with Holts Rustola - the nearest thing that I had to WD40.

I worked the steering back and forth for a while, repeated and then worked it back and forth from the wheel end too.

It seems to have improved the situation significantly - I only have about 10% the resistance that I did before.
I've driven about 5 miles this evening - I shall repeat the process again in a few days and see how it goes.

My next move is to replace the Aux belt to stop the incessant chirping that I get. I suspect that the belts have been wearing prematurely due to the initial strut mount bearing failure and broken coil springs.

Many thanks for your help - I shall post again in a few days.

Tomorrow I drive to Redruth and back - quite a few miles to allow me to both work the steering and see how it goes.
As my only (working) car, I'm hopeful that it is almost sorted.