Steering wheel center not defined

[Dattebayo]

Hello all. I have a new issue since replacing my passenger tie rod. Both tie rods are verified in good condition, the rack is tight, and other parts seem fine if I yank on it down below, but the center line when driving tends to wander a little. It was fine for about a month after the replacement, but I slowly saw it come back to almost the way it was before the tie rod replacement.

It's a little scary on the freeway only, and the rest of the time it's just fine, but I somehow have about 2 inches of easy free play in the wheel when parked. It flops from one side to the other when driving, so I constantly have to baby-sit it unless I want to end up in someone else's lane or a ditch...

Any quick ideas for an adjustment or replacement? I really don't want to get too involved as I plan to dump this little thing for something more substantial once I get a little more in the account...

It also should be known I have NO power steering from the factory.

[JB'sTitanXD]

not sure what could be the problem, iam going to assume you have had the alignment checked already

[Desert Rat]

What truck (year, etc). I see your profile says 1987 850 pickup....not sure what an 850 is, but a '87 Nissan doesn't have a steering rack.

[Dattebayo]

Nissan sold the 87s as an 850 some which way. I don't understand it either, but the parts guy is (supposedly) never wrong.

Well, I suppose I was referring to the inner and outer rods being fine then. I can jerk on the wheels and rods all day and they won't budge. Yet the wheel still has this play in it and the center line is all wishy-washy. I turn to a certain point and it seems like something flops over and I'm off in the other direction.

[BRubble]

If it were mine, I would jack up the front end,, and have someone turn the steering in the slop zone,, while watching what is moving and what is not.

If the Steering Rod turn's but nothing else beyond the Steering gear Box,, then the problem is in the Steering gear Box,, and may be able to be adjusted. If the slack can't be adjusted out of it,, then you'll probably need a new one. As you can see, I'm suspecting the Steering Gear Box,, but if movement can been seen past the gear box,, then you'll be able to see where the problem is at.

You may have to try and turn the wheel's to the left,, and then to the right while your friend in the seat keep's the Steering Wheel Stationary as well.

Once you get the Front End Jacked up, with the Front wheel's off the ground,, I'm thinking that you'll see where the problem is.

Good Luck

[Dattebayo]

Does anyone know how to adjust the steering backlash? I can't find anything wrong with the tie rods, ends, or either the idler and Pittman arm...

If adjusting it doesn't take, then I guess I'll need to rebuild the steering box. I just can't find a tutorial anywhere that shows how to do the job. The damn FSM just says "adjust the backlash" like every idiot should be BORN knowing how to do it or something. JFC, man...

[BRubble]

On the '93 with AT, that I had. The Adjustment was on tope of the Steering Box. The service manual for mine,, didn't say anything about it either.

The adjustment,, looked like a small bolt with a Screw Driver Slot in the top,, with a lock nut.

On mine,, it didn't take much adjustment at all to take the slack out of the steering.

What I did,, was mark the position of the adjustment bolt and then back the screw out,, just a tad, and then check the steering wheel,, to see if it had more slack. It did,, so I adjusted a little bit "IN", then rechecked the steering wheel to see if the slack was getting out. It was,, so I continued just a little bit at a time,, till the slack was all out.

Be sure not to adjust too tight,, or the steering wheel,, will be too hard to turn, and likely to make driveing more difficult.

Good Luck,

[Dattebayo]

Thanks, will check it out after I unearth my car like Canadian archaeology tomorrow.