I apologize for how fast I was speaking (trying to keep video short) and how dark the video is, but you can tell what i'm talking about if you watch my hand.

You guys have this much play in your steering wheel? If not, do you have any idea what the problem could be?

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...t=MOV09437.flv

 

I took my car to my mechanic today so he could look at it and he said he couldn't find anything out of the ordinary

I don't know if its just me, but that seems like excessive play in the steering wheel.

 

and your sure your wheels arent turning just a tad bit? i dont really have any play at all.. but then again nothing is leaking and my rack is still intact. did he actually examine the rack? power steering pump?

i know on my durango when the power steering pump went the first thing to happen was about 2 inches of play in the steering wheel

 

I'll try to post a driving vid tomorrow in the daylight so you can see better.

 

yeah cant really see or tell from the video.

i do notice i have a little play before turning as well. maybe just an alignment issue?

 

Didn't watch the video, but if you wiggle it back and forth real quick, do you get any clunking or knocking sounds? You could have really worn out tie rod ends, but that would cause it to be slightly unstable at highway speeds.

 

Is your car parked in Harvard Yard??

 

That is the worst video I've ever seen, but the play seems somewhat normal, hard to tell though

 

hmmm, could also be a worn rack and pinion where a few theeth are damaged and it creates that play. Would be nice to have a video while ur driving.

 

again I apologize for the vid lol for some reason my moms digital camera refuses to take in light.

here a shitty quallity cell vid with better lighting

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...0805091016.flv

 

are you going perfectly straight? Can't tell from the vid. If the car is shaking or swerveing a tad bit then that's about as much play as I have on my steering wheel. If not, then you do have a little problem.

 

if your car stays straight while you're doing that, theres definitely a steering issue. possible tie rods, or a messed up rack and pinion.

 

^ yeah i agree, or maybe steering pump???

 

check your steering fluid.

 

^ yeah that was my next thing..

 

I was thinking about it. There is a preload spring on the steering rack. That spring pushes a yoke against the shaft to control the freeplay. Maybe the spring lost its tension because or the whole thing kinda got unscrewed overtime. Because with a bad preload, the steering wheel will do exactly what ur showing on the video, excessive freeplay.

At the same time, while ur there, check the steering rack mounts, it might pull on the steering wheel thus creating extra free play.

 

mine does that too. i'm pretty sure theres nothing wrong tho. the wheels turn its just that they don"t turn violently when the wheel turns like 3inches from center

 

I def believe that there is something wrong with Nate's car, the last few days of driving the CL, I have done what he did on the video and my car instantly responds and moves to either side, of course last year I did a full power steering fluid flush and that did improve my steering response, but I've never seen such a lack of response as I did on that video although in the vid it's hard to tell if the car moves or not

 

car doesn't move, car is going straight when I turn the wheel like that.

 

Any ideas as to what I should do? Get a helms manual?

 

I checked my power steering fluid, even added a bit more so now its at the high level marker. No difference. I'm going nuts here.

 

Can somebody on a stock suspensino setup please post a vid clip of them driving straight and wiggling the wheel liek I do in my second vid please?

 

ball joints maybe?
true- fluids and rack may be a possibilty.. how many miles on ur CL nate? loose steering can be caused by lots of things..sometimes ball joints are just so worn out that they dont pivot the way they are supposed to..? jus my


PLUS..ball joints are wayyy cheaper than rack and pinion..

 

If anything, it would be the tierods, and not the ball joints

 

my car is getting very close to 140,000miles

 

my car has the same amount of play maybe more or less, but i do atleast get a shake out of my car when i do that.. im at about the same mileage. ill try and make a vid asap.

 

Cool man, thanks

 

Your mechanic checked your tie-rod for shure? Take it to another mechanic. Actually, take it for an allignment. If there is anithing wrong with the tie-rods or bushings or the steering system, he will tell you and no do the allignment because it wont work!

 

I'll be going back for a full alignment once my camber kit is installed so they can adjust everything and i'll have them specificially pay special attention to those things and my balljoints.

 

your tie rods might be worn. any clunking or hitting when driving?
forget your ball joints they simply effect the camber.
powersteering levels have nothing to do with it.
if its not your tie rods then leave it alone. going any further isn't worth the time or cost

 

, that would be a steering rack or something else pretty costly.

 

My car was doing that too, but it was because of the tie rods and ball joints needing replacement. Could be your steering rack going, get it checked bro, you don't want your steering to go while you're on the highway.