WTF? Steering wheel deadspot? Help it is making us sick!
07-03-04, 11:24 PM
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WTF? Steering wheel deadspot? Help it is making us sick!
Hey all, I have a quick question about a problem that hopefully someone can help me out with...
My wife and I have been doing some hardcore gymkhana and normal drifting with the SC over the past two months 9holy mother of god, the SC is a FANTASTIC drift car) and at the last event, she seems to have developed a bit of a problem with the steering. We barely noticed it at first, but it seemed like the steering wheel would be randomly cocked to the left or the right when driving straight. We thought it was kinda odd since she had normally had a straight steering wheel. We have had the Tein flex suspension and daizen sways on the car for about 4 months now with no problems until last month.
Anyway, the problem has only gotten worse with more events. Now we have a dead spot of about 5* to the left and right from center at any time, wether we are going straight or turning, or even stopping. It is getting incredibly annoying and I feel that it is unsafe because you have no steering response on center while driving at highway speeds, the car seems to just drive itself around. When you take turns to the left or right, the steering wheel will be cocked about 5 to 10* off center after the turn, and if you are stopped, you can turn the wheel about 5 to 10* in either direction and get absolutly zero movement from the tires.
I am just wondering what the problem is. I had a similar problem in a Q45 once where the steering rack was able to slip slightly left and right because the bushings tore. Do we have anything like this on our cars? I really need to get this taken care of by this coming tuesday because we are leaving for California on Wednesday morning and I don't think it is safe to make the 4000 mile round trip with the steering being like this.
Thanks in advance!!!
My wife and I have been doing some hardcore gymkhana and normal drifting with the SC over the past two months 9holy mother of god, the SC is a FANTASTIC drift car) and at the last event, she seems to have developed a bit of a problem with the steering. We barely noticed it at first, but it seemed like the steering wheel would be randomly cocked to the left or the right when driving straight. We thought it was kinda odd since she had normally had a straight steering wheel. We have had the Tein flex suspension and daizen sways on the car for about 4 months now with no problems until last month.
Anyway, the problem has only gotten worse with more events. Now we have a dead spot of about 5* to the left and right from center at any time, wether we are going straight or turning, or even stopping. It is getting incredibly annoying and I feel that it is unsafe because you have no steering response on center while driving at highway speeds, the car seems to just drive itself around. When you take turns to the left or right, the steering wheel will be cocked about 5 to 10* off center after the turn, and if you are stopped, you can turn the wheel about 5 to 10* in either direction and get absolutly zero movement from the tires.
I am just wondering what the problem is. I had a similar problem in a Q45 once where the steering rack was able to slip slightly left and right because the bushings tore. Do we have anything like this on our cars? I really need to get this taken care of by this coming tuesday because we are leaving for California on Wednesday morning and I don't think it is safe to make the 4000 mile round trip with the steering being like this.
Thanks in advance!!!
07-04-04, 01:33 PM
#2
Those are fairly simple problems to diagnose. Get the car up in the air and work the steering while observing the movement of all the components in the system begining with steerig shaft and its joint then all the way down thru the components.
07-04-04, 05:31 PM
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Ok I figured it out about an hour ago when I was doing an oil change. Turns out that there is a cylindrical bushing that is pressed into the steering rack sort of below and to the left of the steering shaft. (there is a D bushing similar to those found on swaybars on the pass side...) anyway, that bushing was completely and utterly blown out and coming to pieces, allowing the steering rack to move side to side about a quarter of an inch!!!
Since we are leaving wednesday morning and we don't have a lexus dealer here in town, I "fabricated" a "custom" bushing out of electrical tape
I am going to order a new bushing from somewhere as soon as we get back.
Since we are leaving wednesday morning and we don't have a lexus dealer here in town, I "fabricated" a "custom" bushing out of electrical tape
I am going to order a new bushing from somewhere as soon as we get back.
07-04-04, 07:07 PM
#5
Re: WTF? Steering wheel deadspot? Help it is making us sick!
Originally posted by 240_Keyy
... I really need to get this taken care of by this coming tuesday because we are leaving for California on Wednesday morning and I don't think it is safe to make the 4000 mile round trip with the steering being like this.
....
... I really need to get this taken care of by this coming tuesday because we are leaving for California on Wednesday morning and I don't think it is safe to make the 4000 mile round trip with the steering being like this.
....
07-06-04, 12:01 AM
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lol, I have no idea what the little fish thing is supposed to mean, but I get the general idea of the dude slapping his head
I know it is ghetto fabulous, but there is no way that my toyota dealership here in town could get me the bushings before I leave for Cali tomorrow, so I had to make due with what I had available. It is actually significantly improved from what it was, but it is still kinda shady.
I used industrial strength electrical tape (specifically formulated for making custom bushings), so it is all good
I know it is ghetto fabulous, but there is no way that my toyota dealership here in town could get me the bushings before I leave for Cali tomorrow, so I had to make due with what I had available. It is actually significantly improved from what it was, but it is still kinda shady.
I used industrial strength electrical tape (specifically formulated for making custom bushings), so it is all good
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07-07-04, 11:06 AM
#8
same thing happened to me, the bushings on the rack were complete gone, there are 2.
it's pretty straight forward if you look at it.
my rack had a small leak so I just replaced the whole thing.
do they make replacement bushings ?
-Brian
it's pretty straight forward if you look at it.
my rack had a small leak so I just replaced the whole thing.
do they make replacement bushings ?
-Brian
07-07-04, 12:36 PM
#9
Originally posted by SDSC300
same thing happened to me, the bushings on the rack were complete gone, there are 2.
it's pretty straight forward if you look at it.
my rack had a small leak so I just replaced the whole thing.
do they make replacement bushings ?
-Brian
same thing happened to me, the bushings on the rack were complete gone, there are 2.
it's pretty straight forward if you look at it.
my rack had a small leak so I just replaced the whole thing.
do they make replacement bushings ?
-Brian
07-07-04, 04:01 PM
#10
Originally posted by VSsc400
lol where am I looking?
lol where am I looking?
put the car up and get under there, take off the plastic junk, and just take a quick look at the rack.
if you still dont' know where you're looking then ill take a picture of the old rack, or under my car of my rack.
