Excess Play in Steering

[MattyH16valver]

Went to get my wheels alligned today....but the bloke said that there was no point doing it cos I have to much play in the steering...ie u turn the steering wheel, and the wheels do not move until u have turned the wheel a certian amount, say 2inc as a rough estimate. He suggested that it could be the steering rack or something else...which I can''t remember Is this normal, or a common problem in Williams...and how easy is it to fix? :( Cheers. Matt

[DaveH]

Check the column first as this is the really common one, underneath the rubber boot at the column/rack joint the bush wears and causes loads of play. If its that get it welded up, try doing a search on it as it comes up a lot.

I recently did this and it totally transformed the feel. if its not that it will be in the rack or track rod ends but the symptom for this would be free movement felt at the road wheels rather than the steering wheel.

[MattyH16valver]

Ok mate...thanks for that. I hope that it's the first one u mentioned as that would be easiest....but it never is!

[MattyH16valver]

Just be reading some of the other posts...as u said seems like quite a common problem! :o I'll check the joint on the steering column tomorrow...is it ok to get it welded in situ.....or best to take the whole column out? Cheers. Matt

[MAXIBOY]

get it done in situ. should be a piece of cake.

[Coops]

done in situ, but make sure carpet is well wetted or better rolled back as its get a tad warm round there!

[MattyH16valver]

done in situ, but make sure carpet is well wetted or better rolled back as its get a tad warm round there!

....thats what I was worried about! How difficult are they to get out?

[DaveH]

I had a spare that i thought was good so swapped them and realised it wasnt so i had my original welded and swapped back, took about an hour each way and about half an hour messing about trying to get the pinch bolt back in! As said though, most people just do it in situ

[1fast6]

This is one of the first things i did to the Hybrid Matt. Removing the column is not difficult but can be time consuming if you have never done it before. When i did mine,i took the column out to get sorted as i have always preferred that method myself.

If you get it done in situ, make sure they roll the carpet back out the way.

[MattyH16valver]

K m8...think i'd prefer to take it out, and get someone at work to weld it. You'll have to give your opinion on how bad it is when u come round to get the wheels and make sure it's definately the column and not rack or trackrods. Matt