rafacalz

Normally my car doesn't have much play in the steering wheel, but a few days ago it decided to have a huge amount of play about 2" worth. I topped off the power steering Fluid, it helped a little but not much. Im thinking maybe the rack and pinion has gone bad. What do you guys think?
The car has been lowered for about a year and a half

uberstang1

Few things to check out here, Tie rods and the steering shaft first. The shafts on these cars use a rubber rag joint, which can fall apart, stretch especially if you have longtube headers that move heat to it. ITs faily easy no notice if you have a buddy to turn the wheel why you check. If the tie rods and and shaft turn out the next culprit I would imagine is the rack itself. Does it leak?

cliffyk

^+1. The only way to find out what's up is to have someone you trust (because the engine needs to be running) move the steering wheel back and forth while you observe the steering gear and see what isn't moving that should be--or what is moving that shouldn't be...

SXGT

is it hard to access the steering gear? I need to be looking for a tutorial on this. also OP do you hear a poping sound sometimes coming from the tie rod?

uberstang1

Not hard at all the rack is bolted direcetly to the k frame, theres an access slot in the k frame ro remove the punch bolt with holds the shaft to the rack.

rafacalz

thanks everyone!! im going to do that today, i haven't seen a fluids on the ground, but i really wont know till i get under there. plus my car is probably mad at me or something because the throwout bearing went out yesterday afternoon, ill have my hands full this weekend lol

rafacalz

and no, i haven't heard any popping noise