Steering

[Ratrace427]

I have two Deloreans at my house at the moment. I am fixing one up for someone else and i have noticed that his does not turn very sharp. Both cars are close to the same vin and both have the gun metal rims making them early 81s. My car can turn into the drive easy but his cant make it. I have to stop and back up to get a new aim in his car. Any info on a change in steering boxs or something of that nature? His car is 108 before mine. I have not tested how sharp the car can turn left because i am always making a right turn into the drive. I should do more testing but it is apart at the moment waiting for new parts.

[Michael]

It's very possible that one of the cars has a newer steering rack in it. The vendors now rebuild them so there are some non-original racks out there. Check to see if the car that has a large turning radius has the same radius on the other direction.

[Ratrace427]

I got the car going and checked each direction. It turns so far to the left that i think something is broken and wont turn to the right hardly at all. Do i have a lot of work to correct this?

[Mark D]

Sounds like your steering rack is not centered to the wheels.

When you turn all the way to the left the tire hits the sway bar before hitting the stop on the rack. When turning to the right you hit the stop before you're able to turn very far.

Have you seen this thread?

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?211-Observation-Steering-Wheel-Turns-Lock-to-Lock-1-Full-Turn-Left-1-5-Turns-Right&highlight=center+rack


If you look at the tie rod ends that connect to the steering knuckles does one side show a lot more thread protruding from the tie rod end than the other? You could also possibly have a bent arm on one or both of the steering knuckles.

[DMCMW Dave]

Sounds like your steering rack is not centered to the wheels.

When you turn all the way to the left the tire hits the sway bar before hitting the stop on the rack. When turning to the right you hit the stop before you're able to turn very far.

Have you seen this thread?

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?211-Observation-Steering-Wheel-Turns-Lock-to-Lock-1-Full-Turn-Left-1-5-Turns-Right&highlight=center+rack


If you look at the tie rod ends that connect to the steering knuckles does one side show a lot more thread protruding from the tie rod end than the other? You could also possibly have a bent arm on one or both of the steering knuckles.

Make sure the rack isn't loose in the frame, sometimes they will jump out of the locating tab at the right end. (Either improper assembly or a very hard pothole hit (typically a wheel-bender).

[Dangermouse]

Didn't we just see something like this on another thread that turned out to be a cracked LCA?