I had same problem with my cossie ive just replaced the rack,or it might be a faulty track rod end or lower tca? ive no idea on scooby suspension, but i would get your balljoints checked on the side your having problems,if they are fine i suspect your rack has a problem

 

Tramlining, the effect where certain tyres grip and react to surface wear/imperfections.... My RE-070's are quite bad for this, and seem better since mine was set-up on Tuesday. We did mine with a good old optical system, and then tweaked the settings after altering the ride height. £50 ! I would just chill till you change the suspension, and then address any issues that arise.

All imho.

dunx

 

ROFLOL - Get the flaming thing down to a specialist that actually has a proper 4wd alignment rig and lift!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Judgement by internet forum is useless in this case as it could be ANYTHING, based on your explanations!

All said in PART jest!

 

Ok. A couple of times this morning it was going to the right.. If i drove the steering wheel would want to turn clock wise.

But other times the other way.

So. Camber adjust, Ball Joint, Wheel bearing. It must be one of these. Will find out tomorrow and post.

 

lol yeah no worries.

Will see what i find this weekend. Hoping its something small.

 

Hmm. Today it was pulling hardcore to the right. However gave the steering a wiggle then it was back on track.

This feels like a ball joint to me. Didnt have time to check on the weekend as was wasting my time doing the Downpipe n exhaust and on my bros car.

 

Hmm. Had all the wheels up in the air today and cannot find anything. No movement up and down and now movement side to side. However there is a very slight knocking noise when i wobble side to side. I think its a tiny bit of play in the steering track..? Both wheels still move exactly the same, and it isnt always out.

What the bleeding heck is wrong. Im concerned that ill waste 120 quid on an alignment and something is still wrong :s

 

Ok i have another tought lol. The mechanism which causes the steering to return to center is perhaps stronger, which would mean perhaps the powersteering isnt as effective as it once was.

I dunno! im not convinced if i got a scooby specialist they would be able to tell what is going on..

 

I suppose if the tracking is out it could cause all these problems. Waiting to hear back from Green Wood racing. Get it booked in to be looked at.

 

Right ive had another change in mind.

The more ive been playing with it. it could be a power steering issue. GOnna refit the best to the PS later as i took it off a while back. And perhaps get a seal kit for the rack/new rack. I think the pulling i could feel was a slight lack of PS with the normal effect of wheel turning which returns the wheel to center. if that makes sense?

Think ive decided Donny is a go, that will really put it through its paces to confirm there is actually nothing wrong and its me being a dumbass.

Either that or somehow the tracking has worked itself back into being correct....

 

“If this”, “if that”............... unless you actually get it checked you will never know and will always be guessing. Get a good wheel alignment/geometry CHECK done first (shouldn’t cost too much just for a check), if all settings seem to read ok then at least you know all 4 wheels etc are pointing in the correct direction. Either this or they will pick up on something that needs to be changed.

 

Got a full alignment done which did not fix the problem.

Gonna change the rack and perhaps pump next.

Also suspect the front drives wishbone bush. ALK will replace this. Will see what happens.

Have noticed the steering going a little heavy at slow speeeds which points to the track.

Unstable on braking during Donny so needs doing before June 7th i rekon.

 

bttt

Change the track rod ends. Issue persists al though slightly less.

When i turn the steering wheel i get a sqeeling noise...i think perhaps rack/ps pump/fluid duff? I suspect the pnumatic partof the rack is buggered?

gonna get another track and change the rack bushes tomorrow.

 

riight then another update. only 1 week left before bovington.

Changed both track rod engs now, put an ALK on because that bush looked a little shagged, and changed the steering rack bushes also.

Only given it a quick test drive. The car feels the same, in the sense the steering is still off by the same amount and it pulls slightly to the right on braking. I think ill get the tracking done before i judge.

So fingers crossed on the drive to work tomorrow ill be able to feel whats going on, see if its improved and get it tracked at lunch time.


Only one further observation. Not started the car in about 2 weeks. turned the steering to full lock and it let out quite a loud sqeaking about a quarter of a turn before full lock. Probs a good idea to change the aux belt. Where can i get one at short notice. not sure halfords will have something as its jdm...??

 

ok further update. and new stuff to mention.

Ok. the squeeling i mentioned earlier, managed to replicate it but the engine was to loud outside the car to hear where its coming from.

but..

new sound. when i turn left you can hear a sound like fluid rushing. it souds like when u let down a hydraulic jack.

When turned right it doesnt make this sound.

Also when u turn left then release its very jerky. turning right its normal.

All this is pointing to the rack not working?????????????????????

 

So basically i suspect one of the seals in the rack has gone or partially gone. This would coninside with it being worse when warm, as the fluid would be less viscous, and will so more easily penetrate any imperfections.

 

How about trying some of that power steering restore/flush fluid that expands the seals? They sell it Halfrauds. It would be a temporary fix but if it works at least you have found the problem.

 

Update here.

I changed the rack for a new one (well one from prodive which has not been used in years) and the wandering feeling has gone! yey!

However, the steering is more heavy that before, that could be because of the new bushes n alk/geometry/bigger tyres.

https://www.scoobynet.com/general-te...dder-help.html

Also posted this when i first fitted. However there is no judder any more so it must have just been initial installation problems/bleeding.

The track survived many laps of bovington, without faulter! it was perfect. boiled the fluid twice, but thats probably cos it was over filler. The later laps had no issues what so ever.


Ive put my old tyres back on, and the steering is off again, so i suspect the tyres are destroyed somewhat.

Im about 99% convinced the problem is fixed, need a few more test drives and tyre changes to see how i get on..

Thanks for all the advice on this one SN!

 

This has ended up cosing me:

128 quid alignment
137 quid ALK &30 quid for 3 big spanners 22mm 23mm(not needed in the end) and 24mm)
10 quid steering rack bushes
12 quid steering rack fluid
100 quid new steering rack

£387 Tot..

 

Thanks for pointing me here scoobyc - interestingly mine sounds identical to your problem although I haven't spent any money on it to find out yet. A new rack was going to be my first port of call as it can make a clunk noise if you dry steer. My power steering pump is also a bit noisier than it should perhaps be?!

Where did you get your rack and was it new or recon?

 

Oh BTW, what did you think of the ALK? Seems to get mixed reviews (but mostly good), was thinking of going for it at some point.

 

I got my rack off a bloke on here. He took it from prodrive years back and has never been used other than delivery milage for the prodrive rally car.

I think its took a week for the seals to expand but its working perfectly now. Good to have my car back!

the ALK im not really please with. certainly wouldnt say its worth 140 odd quid!

Bumps n cracks in the road make a racket now like its crashing over them. understeer is reduced slightly, but it seems to have made it more catastrphoically go when it does. I.e. you get 2mph more out of a corner before you understeer.

I got the Sport one i believe. comy, sport, race.

Yeah i was thinking my pump was gone too. But it seems perfectly fine now after the new rack.

Id say im 98% sure ive fixed the steering.

Everyone advised me to do everything else before doing the rack. But tbh it wasnt that hard of a job. Getting the pipes off and back in was the hardest part, but 30 m in of struggling with my dad and they was ok.

From memory to change the rack: Jack the car, remove arb mounts to drop arb, remove retaining plate near sump, remove 2 steering rack brackets, remove 2 pipes from rack, possibly remove two pipe clamps to allow more movement and remove.

It did take us a few hours as it was the first time. Im sure a garage could rip them our real quick.

 

ScoobyC, Ive just read through this post and every time you added something I've been thinking 'yes, that's exactly what mine's doing'.

I noticed this first after a very low-speed front-end collision in February (black ice) shortly after having full 4 wheel laser alignment done (at which point it was perfect). After the collision, steering started wandering with a mind of it's own, following bumps and ruts in the road, gradually getting worse, all the same as you described.

So far I have had alignment checked and setup perfectly (straight toe and -.5° camber) but it's still doing it. Changed the track rod ends last week but still the problem persists.

I was going to change the rack end knuckles next but after reading this I'm thinking perhaps I should try replacing the steering rack. Is there any way I can check the steering rack for excessive wear without taking it out?

 

not really that i could see. You could hear a distinct tap if you moved it with the engine off. But other cars i did that too sounded the same.

Tbh best bet is to get a 40 quid steering rack off someone on here. Track rod ends along are gonna cost 40 quid.

I think the reason mine was wondering is that one of the seals was leaking therefore changing the power assist for different sides. As the fluid gets hoter or colder it changed everything

After i got the alignment done it felt the same, i think any improvement i felt was either psychological, or the actual better alignment than stock.

My old rack still looks new tbh. shows no signs of anything wrong.

Just the stupid bloody slight intermittant problems!

What i guess could have happened is with the spin the force pushing the fluid became too higher pressure and broke one of the seals. i guess this could e the same if you were in a crash.

 

ok thanks, that's helpful. Does anyone know if the impreza racks are the same and would fit a legacy?

 

no idea. best off making a new thread to find that out...