I was sitting in traffic the yesterday and when I went to go change lanes, I noticed my I had a lot of play in the steering wheel before it would actually turn the wheels fully. I can wiggle the steering wheel back and forth quite a bit. My friends dad was thinking the headers melted the rubber donut thing on the steering column. I was wondering your guys' thoughts and what the cost would possibly be to fix this. Also is there anyway the steering column can fully come apart to where my steering goes out? any help is appreciated.

 

Have you had any of your steering disconnected before? I would say check the bolts from the end of the steering wheel shaft (under the dash of the driver side) or other parts where it connets before the rack n pinion but they have a one way fitting so if the bolt was loose it sholdn't spin, maybe fall out. I know your steering wheel is on a ,like a , stud peice. It's just pushed on but you use a pulley puller to pull the wheel off, maybe the bolt is loose?? and its causing some play?

 

maybe check your power steering fluid?

 

Your steering column has loose bolts probably somewhere within that entire setup. Get a friend over with the car jacked up and have him move the wheel within the loose "play" area and see if you can hear clicking from loose bolts hitting or locate the problem.

 

Alright thanks for the help guys. I'll check it out today and see if I can fix it. I can change lanes and everything but it just sucks going straight cause I constantly have to turn the steering wheel. Do you guys know how to replace that rubber donut piece thats on the steering column itself?

 

That ruber donut is a dampner, its made to absorb vibrations in the steering shaft. That would not cause loose steering, just a vibrating wheel.

Your problem is somewhere else. Doesnt sound like a power steering problem either.

 

I was going to say the rack and pinon was most likley f'ed up. Id rather not though since Im not there driving the car.

 

The problem is actually that rubber donut or rubber rag joint as maximum motorsports refers to it. I had my whole steering system looked at and that was the problem. The rubber peice is completly gone and if you watch the steering shaft from the engine bay you can see that the top part of the shaft rotates a small amount before it actually turns the rest of the shaft. Thats whats causing the steering to not respond right away. Anyways, has anyone installed the MM steering shaft? How much work is it, or how expensive to get installed? Thanks for everyone who chimed in by the way.