Steering Wheel "play" is more than I want.

[Jazzman]

My steering wheel has more play in it than I would like. It has about 1" of movement that does not actually impact the location of the front tires. I find I have to work to keep the car going straight in the lane, especially at high speeds. I have checked all the connections, which all seem to be tight. Where would this play likely come from, and it there anything I can do about it? (Just a a refresher, I have a Breeze power steering rack, KBC power steering pump and KBC reservoir, Breeze braided stainless lines and Breeze connections.)

2nd issue: When I turn my front wheels too far either direction (to the lock), I get a nasty noise. I remember reading somewhere about putting on limiters to prevent this, but can't find my notes on the subject. What are these limiters, where do they go, and what is the sound that I am hearing when I turn too sharply?

Thanks!

[wareaglescott]

The sound is likely your tires rubbing the F-panels.
I installed the rack limiters. (ordered from breeze) and mine will still get a slight rub at full lock. I put 1 on each side. Possibly 2 could have stopped the rub. I find it happens so irregularly that I just avoid full lock or when it does happen it is so slow and minimal I dont worry about it much.
Always meant to take the 1 of one side and add it to the one on the other side to test it with 2 and see the result but never got to it yet.

[Gumball]

There are a few places to look for that little bit of play.... and methods of tightening it up a bit.

1) Where the upper and lower column slip together. A) did you use the belville washers - those wavy little guys will fit in the two recesses on the double-D upper shaft and when it's slipped into the lower shaft, they will take up some of the slack. B) Did you drill the lower shaft and tap it for a set-screw? Doing this will really tighten things up a bit, but some say that it reduces the collapsability of the column in the event of a collision (I added such a set screw to my build).

2) At the u-joint in the steering near where it connects to the rack. I added a couple of mylar washers that I split so that they'd fit down into the u-joint and this took up a tiny amount of remaining slop in my steering. Now, the amount of freeplay at the steering wheel when it's turned without making any rack / wheel movements is about 1/2 of the size of the rivets on the wheel.

[RickP]

Hey jazzman, did you mean to say KRC power steering pump? Assuming you did, I bet your pump shipped with the standard control valve. You can essentially slow your steering input down by installing a smaller control valve. It puts more “feel” into it. More like rack and pinion as opposed to more power steering. I had the same symptoms as your describing and installed an ID -4. Best 28 bucks I’ve spent. No more fighting to keep the car in it’s lane and tracks perfect around corners. 30 minutes to install.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/krs-krc25311000

[Gromit]

Straight line stability should be controlled by caster, if you have enough it and it is matched side for side It should track straight at speed, I would be suspect of the alignment. especially where you had it done with the disk spacer issue and wobbly wheels reported from the HB cruise

Chris AKA Gromit

[mike223]

For your limiters, Ford part # N-804842-S, widely available such as:https://lmr.com/item/LRS-3504HDW/

They go here:

steering-rack-travel-limiters-mustang-005.jpg

[CraigS]

Toe-in also affects straight ahead stability. Looking for 3/16 to 1/8 inch total toe-in. As a bit of a WAG, also be your tire pressure is 20-22 especially the front. One other possibility I had on my car. I have assumes it is because it's an old one but a quick check is worth doing. The steering wheel hub slips down on to the shaft and is located by two tapered flats on the shaft matching up to the inside of the hub. On mine the bolt bottomed out on the end of the shaft but the hub wasn't tight on the shaft. I found a washer large enough to clear the shaft so the bolt could push the hub on far enough for the tapered flats to work.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Although it doesn't account for freeplay, of which there should be virtually none, your original alignment may be questionable due to the wheel/hub interface issue that you had and may be something to revisit. My preference for power steering on a street car is approximately 8 degrees positive caster, .5 to 1.0 negative camber and 3/32" total toe in. Be very sure that it is toe in and not toe out---toe out will cause the car to be darty and lacking in straight ahead stability.

Good luck Kevin!

Jeff

[Jazzman]

There are a few places to look for that little bit of play.... and methods of tightening it up a bit.

1) Where the upper and lower column slip together. A) did you use the belville washers - those wavy little guys will fit in the two recesses on the double-D upper shaft and when it's slipped into the lower shaft, they will take up some of the slack. B) Did you drill the lower shaft and tap it for a set-screw? Doing this will really tighten things up a bit, but some say that it reduces the collapsability of the column in the event of a collision (I added such a set screw to my build).

2) At the u-joint in the steering near where it connects to the rack. I added a couple of mylar washers that I split so that they'd fit down into the u-joint and this took up a tiny amount of remaining slop in my steering. Now, the amount of freeplay at the steering wheel when it's turned without making any rack / wheel movements is about 1/2 of the size of the rivets on the wheel.

Thanks for the checklist.

1a) yes it did use the Belville washers - thought I didn't know to call them that! I used the more colloquial term "wavy washers"!!
1b) yes, did the tap and set screw thing. But this does get me to thinking: did they get tightened up the last time I, or someone else, was working in there? I will check on this.
2) I will have to go looking for this connection and whether the mylar washers might help. If you happen to have photos of how you did this, it would be greatly appreciated.

By the way, I enjoyed reading the "Rustang" build thread. How is that project coming along. I am considering sort of following in your footsteps, though not to the extreme extent you did!! Thanks for your counsel!

[Jazzman]

Straight line stability should be controlled by caster, if you have enough it and it is matched side for side It should track straight at speed, I would be suspect of the alignment. especially where you had it done with the disk spacer issue and wobbly wheels reported from the HB cruise

Chris AKA Gromit

Yes, this is a good point. The car drives straight, it is just that when I must make a correction or turn there is a short distance of turn in the steering wheel that does not affect the actual wheel direction. I do plan to take the car in to have alignment touched up, I just haven't gotten to it yet. Thanks for the reminder.

[Jazzman]

Hey jazzman, did you mean to say KRC power steering pump? Assuming you did, I bet your pump shipped with the standard control valve. You can essentially slow your steering input down by installing a smaller control valve. It puts more “feel” into it. More like rack and pinion as opposed to more power steering. I had the same symptoms as your describing and installed an ID -4. Best 28 bucks I’ve spent. No more fighting to keep the car in it’s lane and tracks perfect around corners. 30 minutes to install.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/krs-krc25311000

Yes, I meant KRC. You caught my poor typing!! I actually already did replace the control valve. I don't remember which one I went to, but the amount of effort required to turn the wheel is just about what I expect. That info is in my build thread somewhere. I am really happy with the setup.

[Jazzman]

Although it doesn't account for freeplay, of which there should be virtually none, your original alignment may be questionable due to the wheel/hub interface issue that you had and may be something to revisit. My preference for power steering on a street car is approximately 8 degrees positive caster, .5 to 1.0 negative camber and 3/32" total toe in. Be very sure that it is toe in and not toe out---toe out will cause the car to be darty and lacking in straight ahead stability.

Good luck Kevin!

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. I will take your instructions to the shop when I have them redo the front alignment.

[Gumball]

Here's a pic of one of the mylar washers - I bought a bunch of different thicknesses from the local Ace Hardware and just worked the ones that fit best into place. Had to cut a small pie shape out of each in order to get them to fit over the u-joints, but they did a great job of taking up almost all of the last little play in the wheel.

Thanks for asking about the Rustang - it's sort of in a stalled phase while I do a bunch of work on my house.... have to keep Mrs. Gumball happy.

[Jazzman]

Thanks for asking about the Rustang - it's sort of in a stalled phase while I do a bunch of work on my house.... have to keep Mrs. Gumball happy.

Oh boy do I hear you there!!!

[Big Blocker]

What Jeff said above in post #8 . . . with the front wheel to hub issue we looked at at Dave's house [that] Friday night, the amount of runout could have set your toe-in to toe-out on the initial alignment.
I don't remember what we measured at the tire surface, but an 1/16" at each wheel could account for 1/8" out IF the tires were at that position when measured. Toe-out on these cars is a critical measurement and NOT desired. Toe-in is the preferred adjustment for straight line tracking . . . along with tire pressure as a secondary value. Remember, we are driving around on some pretty fat tires and therefore susceptible to a wider "footprint" picking up every defect in the road (compared to a skinny tire). Lower pressure will help with that aspect. Also, tread design can play a part in what is called "tram-lining". That's when the tread design follows the lines in the road and can make a car very "twitchy".

Still love your car, happy you won all those awards at HB, glad I got to meet you at Dave's.

Doc