Loose steering

[Kryton]

Can the steering box worm gear be tightened up?
I know on older model Falcons, there was an adjusting screw so you could re-mesh the worm gear to take the play out of the steering wheel - do AU's still have this?

I am assuming the steering box is the culprit as the steering wheel has "free play", yet the vehicle doesnt wander left or right.
Would there be any other cause?

[Evgeni]

Pretty sure there is no adjustment that you can make on the rack.
Provided all the suspension components like ball joints, bushes and tie rods check out, an excessive toe out setting is less stable in a straight line. I think the spec for an AU with standard suspension is max 2mm toe out.

If it is not this, I would turn my attention to the condition of the uni joint from the intermediatary shaft to the rack.
If the rack is on its way out you should hear at least some warning signs.

[GasoLane]

Would this help?, follow the steps on the right hand side of the page.

http://www.valvoline.com/car-care/au.../ccr20060701sr

[hales231271]

The play is usually caused by the intermediate shaft on the AUs.
Connects to steering rack.
Try this.

With vehicle stationary and not running grab the steering shaft in the engine bay and turn with your hands (just above the universal joint).Make sure the ignition lock is not on.
You may feel the "play" in the intermediate shaft.
They wear in the shaft pin.

Picture is from my worn out V8 intermediate shaft.I6 same but with smaller colller.


Rgds
Dazza

[mik]

there is an adjustment that pushes the rack shaft against the pinion , but from what i`ve seen of my own rack they don`t seem to go out of adjustment much, the thing i think that wears mostly on these racks is the inner ball joints and the o rings at the sealing ends of the rack, see if i can get a decent pic size up of the main workings.

[mik]

if you look above the rack housing there`s the piston with the u shape in the end of it, this holds the rack shaft against the pinion teeth, there`s a spring and and a screw in plug that holds tension on it, over tightening this will cause binding, when i did mine i found the plug you put tension on was very tight in the threads(no it was`nt cross threaded), so it was difficult to apply the correct tension, it took a couple of goes to get the tension right.

[prn31]

I think ‘hales231271’ is on the money.

I had the same loose feeling on my AUIII Fairmont V8 wagon. One mechanic thought he could fix it by adjusting the rack, but all this did was make the steering bind. It was so bad the steering wouldn’t self-centre.

I took it to another mechanic who actually races an AU and has an XR8 ute as his roadie. He immediately said that it was the intermediate shaft – “they all do that.” Fortunately he was able to ‘re-adjust’ the rack (luckily there wasn’t any damage to it) and replace the intermediate shaft. A thirty minute job.

The cost of the intermediate shaft was a shock - $560!! I was told that there was no alternative to an OEM Ford part. The only consolation was that it did cure the problem.

[Mechan1k]

I am with Hales .... I had the same issue.
There is a bush with a pin through in ... and that bush gets that worn it cause so much play in it.

I got a replacement intermediate shaft from a wreckers in good condition ... for $70. from memory I got mine from FTG.

Fixed my issues perfectly.

[mik]

Originally Posted by prn31

I think ‘hales231271’ is on the money.

I had the same loose feeling on my AUIII Fairmont V8 wagon. One mechanic thought he could fix it by adjusting the rack, but all this did was make the steering bind. It was so bad the steering wouldn’t self-centre.

I took it to another mechanic who actually races an AU and has an XR8 ute as his roadie. He immediately said that it was the intermediate shaft – “they all do that.” Fortunately he was able to ‘re-adjust’ the rack (luckily there wasn’t any damage to it) and replace the intermediate shaft. A thirty minute job.

The cost of the intermediate shaft was a shock - $560!! I was told that there was no alternative to an OEM Ford part. The only consolation was that it did cure the problem.

$560 ?? i`m thinking you could get one manufactured for less than that.

[Kryton]

Im thinking this may be the problem.
Have price a shaft and ill think ill be heading to the wreckers as well.
Does anyone know if Ford made a revised part or is the replacement (even a new one) going to do the same thing down the track?
Has anyone actually changed the shaft themselves - much to it or is it a complete PITA?

[Evgeni]

$560 sounds like alot but it doesn't surprise me. I was charged $30 for 6 sump to transmission bolts recently.

It is pretty straight forward job - lock your steering. There are 2x10mm or 12mm (I can't remember) bolts at both ends of the shaft. The uni joint should just slide up and off the pinion once you have both bolts loose.
It only goes on the one way, so you cant bugger anything up.

[mik]

here`s another thought , if the rest of it is ok what about taking the shaft to an engineering shop and getting them to drill it and re pin it?

[Kryton]

Could i guess.
I havent removed it yet to have a look to see if its possible or not.

[mik]

another possibility, i reckon if you went to a bearing place you may even be able to get an identical universal the same and let the engy fit it to the shaft , $ 560 buks sounds over the top to me, has ford ramped up the prices of parts to make more dollars?, a few years ago i bought rack boots $15 each, i went to ford spares a few weeks ago 40 buks each.....holy bring the vaseline batman

[prn31]

Guys, I thought $560 was pretty steep, but I needed the Fairmont to tow my race car from Sydney to Melbourne and back the next day and with my girlfriend driving also, not replacing the part was not an option.

This part wears on all AUs, and it is a rego default as well. Getting one from a wrecker would be false economy and yes I imagine I could get one made up if I was in the trade or had the time to take it out of the car and shop it around, but the Fairmont is a daily driver.

Sometimes you just have to suck it up in the knowledge that most other parts are reasonably priced.

[Kryton]

So i ended up getting another intermediate steering shaft from the wreckers for $25 (bargain!) an d fitted it today.
The new shaft has no play, as does the old shaft - so thats not it.
With the shaft out, it is clear that it is the joint from the bottom of the steering column to the intermediate steering shaft, not the uni joint to the rack.

So, i cant see any way to remove this or how its going to be replaced.
Is it a steering column out type of job?
The service manual provides little to no info about this at all.
Anyone else had the same issue and fixed it?

[mik]

i have`nt done one on an Au , but from memory usually intermediate shafts have a cotter pin type arrangement at each end of the shaft, have a look at your new second handy and see if the splines have a key in them (only fit one way), if they do it`s pretty easy unbolt slide the old one off , refit the newy on, fit the bolts away you go, if they dont have a key in the splines , lock your steering with the wheels in the straight ahead position taking notice how the old shaft came off (mark it with chalk or scribe it if you like)and refit the same, it might be needed to spread the spline clamping bit with a couple of screw drivers or whatevers handy(maybe a few hits with a knockometer) if it`s tight.

edit: you should be able to do it from the engine bay i think.

[Kryton]

Got the correct part today.
Its the uni joint from the end of the steering column to the intermediate steering shaft.
For anyone else thats interested, ALL AU1's up to 29/2/2000 use the same uni joint.
After that, its different and wont fit.

[mik]

so is that the same part as the one in post 4?

[Kryton]

Nope.
Its the uni joint that goes on the top spline that isnt pictured.
Steering wheel - steering column - uni joint - intermediate shaft - uni joint - steering rack.

[mik]

ok cheers mate .

[Kryton]

So it turns out it isnt the uni joint after all.
The bolt that holds the column to the uni joint had fallen out at some point which is where the play was.
Put in another bolt and its all good.

[Mechan1k]

Wow ... at least the process of elimination has worked though and it's sorted.
It's a nice feeling to have precise steering back again.

[Kryton]

Should have realised the first time l looked at it.
I thought there was meant to be a grub screw, not a bolt.
Anyway, it is good to have tight steering again!

[Birth]

I have a AUII XR8 200kw and the knuckle at the steering rack has play in it.

hales, you mention that the V8 intermediate shaft is different to the I6 (inline 6)

Kryton explained that all of the AUI intermediate shafts are the same

I'll be contacting wreckers for the replacement of my intermediate shaft. Other than AUII XR8's what other models can I get the right part from?

Thanks,
Ben

[b2tf]

I think I might have one in the shed, if I do it will be a V8 one. Can check and let you know.

[Birth]

b2tf, mate I'm keen. Let me know how you get on.

For completeness' sake, I called Macarthur Parts Plus today and they reckon that the I6 intermediate shaft is the same as the V8 except the V8 has the heat shielding on it. Has anyone used the I6 in a V8 or vice-versa?

[Kryton]

Sound about right from what i was told.
I have a spare I6 one that i didnt need if you need it.

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Birth

b2tf, mate I'm keen. Let me know how you get on.

For completeness' sake, I called Macarthur Parts Plus today and they reckon that the I6 intermediate shaft is the same as the V8 except the V8 has the heat shielding on it. Has anyone used the I6 in a V8 or vice-versa?

Yeah, it is the same. Havent used it in either application though.

[Birth]

B2tf, did you find your V8 shaft in the shed? Thanks, Ben