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Help me diagnose this steering/suspension problem

Hi, me again, with the 1997 Camry with 167,000km on the clock.

Let me describe the symptoms of my problem. When driving in a straight line over bumps, it feels like there's a small amount of freeplay in the steering. I can hold the steering wheel perfectly straight, but the feeling I get is that the front wheels are doing their own thing to a small degree. It feels worse when I'm applying the brakes at the same time. Note, when the steering is off centre, i.e. cornering, it feels perfect, and on a smooth surface there's also no problem.

I've had the suspension checked out by a specialist and no problems were noted. The car has also just passed a six-monthly state inspection with no faults noted (if it was something like worn ball joints or tie rod ends the car wouldn't pass inspection).

I'm truely stumped.

Reply to
Chip
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My Camry is a similar mileage, mostly hiway work. It has some movement in the steering as well, tho it is not as much as you have described.

The free-play is most likely in the mesh of the rack and pinion and/or the rack-outer ball-joints which live inside the rack-boots. Because the steering is so direct on these cars, every little bit of wear seems more obvious.

Try standing outside the vehicle while reaching in to move the steering wheel back and forth a small amount. Watch how much steering wheel movement occurs before the road wheel moves. This is a rough and ready test for steering-rack wear including the rack outer ball-joints. Do this with the engine off as the power=steering tends to mask movement.

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

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