bluemoonjt

hello
I just purchased a 2002 sc430 and the steering was nice and solid. It needed new tires, so I purchased them at tire kingdom. they told me I needed a steering flush (lexus did as well at my oil change) so I to0ld them to do the flush. When I got my car back, the steering was so flaty, I have to keep my hand on the wheel all the time, they gave me an upgraded tire, to the falken, felt a little smoother but still floaty. brought it to lexus, they said it was the tires. the rear needed 255 and front 245. they upgraded the tires again and I still have the floating steering wheel. I need help. I am baffled. can anyone make any suggestions?

NixusSC

iTrader: (2)

start with the last thing touched, the power steering flush....did the shop use the correct power steering fluid for your application?
have the shop rebleed the steering system for air, and you've already had them go over possible tire issues.
perhaps your car had heavier steering from the older fluid, but has now returned to lighter steering due to the service?

Studiogeek

iTrader: (6)

HA!
That may have just happened to me. I posted about it HERE.
I had firm sporty steering with loads of feedback when I got the car. After bleeding and topping off my fluid (after an overfill), I noticed that the steering was REALLY easy to turn. To me it felt "over assisted". I thought I "broke" it at first.
in retrospect, I believe I actually FIXED the steering but I was used to the heavier, faulty steering feel.
Upon further analysis, i recalled although I preferred the feel, the steering was noisy in the winter and quite turbulent in the reservoir. After the overfill, drain, bleeding it has been dead quiet and much calmer in the reservoir. I preferred the old feeling but I am used to it now.
Some tires will make the twitchy steering quite scary at first. Tramlining feels particularly scary until you adjust to it.

V300Graham

New fluid has a lower viscosity and in effect with the new fluid, the car will "feel" over assisted, but the new fluid is just bringing it back to how it felt first day from the factory.

New wheels and tyres can highlight pre-existing issues with the suspension. I am currently about $1300 into troubleshooting and correcting wear at various places in the suspension that was highlighted after putting on new wheels. I'm nearly there and the car drives like a big go-kart now, firm and responsive at the helm.

But for you BlueMoon, I would immediately recommend to your mechanic to adjust the steering rack preload bearing to factory specs or even to 120% of specs as this is something that will reduce a floaty feeling a great deal without spending any money on parts and makes the steering feel a slight bit heavier and more meaty, which is what you seem to prefer.

Note It is adjusted too tight if the steering does not self centre when driving around after this procedure, and the adjustment would need to be incrementally backed off to restore normal self centering.