ok so on my way to work yesterday and driving today to get gas and wash it ive noticed the steering is really loose, almost ike the tires are rolling over. should i try turning up the stiffness on my strange 10 ways? or is the problem else where could the steering rack be shot? bad rag joint? tire pressure is ok the balljoints were looking eh last time i had it apart. sway bar end links? its just looseish and unresponsive, lots of slop

 

It maybe in the steering gear box. On my pick-up I was able to tighten it a bit. Never tried on a mustang. Don't even know if it is possible on a mustang.

You could try jacking the front end up and seeing if the wheel will move in any direction by bumping it back and forth with your hand. May give you an idea if something is loose or worn out somewhere.

 

time for you to buy my steering shaft

 

lol, I know prime, I am so strapped for cash right now its not even funny.

 

its not the struts.

I would be leaning more towords the steering shaft too, but get it in the air and look it over.

 

i'll have to jack her up this weekend, aside from studying for a test thats 1/3 of my grade Ive got nothin going on lol...

what do I check for? wobbly wheels? see if the wheels turn left to right/if the steering wheel turns?

the wheel bearings in the front are 2 years old now. I redid them all when I replaced the rotors, I know that for sure.

 

Rack? Could be a bad gearset in the R&P. Or a bad rag joint. Or REALLY worn ball joints in everything.

 

I do plan on overhauling the front end of this car... its again, just a money issue, I graduate in may, from college, so until then and I actually find a good job, not part time crap I am used to finding, money will always be the issue....

but what I want to do consists of tubular K member, new balljoints, stock control arms, new bushings all around, etc

 

just try everything. Grab the side of each tire and shake side to side to see if there is play, then the top and bottom and so on.

check the tie rods, the steering shaft, and everything else involved.

pretty simple, shouldnt be hard to find what the issue is.

 

when jacking up the front of the car, be sure to lift it one side at a time, from under the control arm. if you dont lift from the control arm, the spring will load the lower balljoint, and will not allow you to properly test them.

once you have the tire up in the air, give it a shake side to side QUICKLY, use small motions. If you feel play, suspenct an inner or outer tie rod end. If you can look through the wheels at the outer, you can verify, or eliminate it as culprit.

If there is no play there, get a pry bar, piece of pipe, or a 2x4 under the lifted wheel, and give sharp, short pressure upwards.. if you feel a clunk or bump, you usually will have a bad balljoint.

If you feel the same amount of play side to side, as you do up and down, check your bearings. This can be dont by looking at the steering hub at the outer tie rod, and wiggling the tire. if the brake rotor gets closer to the outer tie rod end, tighten your bearings, and retest

If you feel nothing at all, move to the other side. If bolt sides test fine, you should suspect and inspect the rag joint.