97 Maxima Steering Rack Adjustment

This concludes a long-standing effort to diagnose the tendency of my Max to bump-steer and drift. I began noticing the drift at 80k, currently it's at 123k. In the end, tightening the pinion tension adjustment corrected the problem. However, the cost was nauseating: $713 to adjust the rack, replace both inner rack boots, and one of the rack bushings. Supposedly they didn't bill for the entire labor amount since they hadn't done the job before. The rack boots and bushing were only done because we were digging in that deeply.

Before, the car would wander or drift when going over uneven road and bumps. Similar cars that I've driven would hold a straight line much better because of the extra effort required to turn the wheel. On mine, there was practically no resistance to moving the steering system by turning the front wheels (when the front was raised). After, the car holds a steadier line and rides smoother due to the bumps not being transferring into the rack and pushing the car off-line. It feels like new.

I was correct in having the rack adjusted according to Nissan TSB

00-37B, but I was completely blindsided by the cost. The adjustment screws are positioned nearly flush against the sub-frame, and the mechanic had to remove the y-pipe and subframe to gain access to the rack. In the TSB illustration, the adjustment nut faces down and forward, making it easily accessible. On a Maxima (the TSB covers more than one Nissan vehicle) it's the other way around. Their original estimate was 2-3 hours, and the final tally was twice that. I guess I learned my lesson to set a price ceiling on EVERYTHING I let a garage touch my car for. And in the end, they did nothing I couldn't have done myself - especially if I knew Ihad a $700 budget for additional tools. (My main obstacle to the DIY option)

Just to rub salt in the wound, I had to pay for the shop to purchase the Kent-Moore tool J35999 to measure the rack tension. On the TSB illustration, it looked suspciously like a cheap spring-based fish scale, and when I mentioned that to the mechanic he chuckled. But they went ahead and ordered it, only to find it was indeed only a fish weighing scale. It even has a built-in measuring tape. So Kent-Moore sells a $5 fishing scale for $32 in a Kent-Moore box. Trust me, go to Wal-mart and get any other

0-50lb scale instead. So now I am the proud owner of a $32 fishing scale.

My recommendation: if you have a drifting steering in your Maxima, and you're determined to make it go away, be prepared and take it to someone who is fast and efficient. If you're lucky, they will have done this job before, and take them a 50lb fishing scale you bought yourself.

Dave

Reply to
David Geesaman
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I feel for you. Sounds like you were seriously hosed.

I'm convinced that front end work is art, science, and sometimes a little fraud all mixed together. I was told at 51,000 miles that my rack bushings were too soft and should be replaced. I didn't think there was anything wrong with the car, and declined. Best decision I made that year, apparently, because I had no idea how much money they were talking about. At 102,300 it still drives like new.

JM

Reply to
JM

I feel I was hosed by circumstances, not necessarily the shop. There are still some open items I need to research - in fact I think they didn't follow the latest revision of the TSB (which I provided for them). The shop gave me a feedback card - I may use that as leverage for a partial refund if it appears they did not do it correctly.

The rack bushings shouldn't be a big deal to inspect and/or replace the next time you have an alignment done, or any time someone suggests replacing a tie rod. If the bushings appear worn but the rack never moves around, you could probably leave them alone.

I considered doing this entire job myself, and had they called me when they decided it was necessary to remove the frame, I may have taken the car back and re-evaluated. I was worried I wouldn't do it correctly myself, but in the end I feel that would have been safer. I am now convinced the shop had no more knowledge or expertise than I do on this issue. The risk of them blowing my bank account was much greater than I anticipated.

Dave

Reply to
David Geesaman

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