Heavy / stiff steering
- Thread starter Connor
- Start date
SNAP. I’ve just been to Halfords for the same. I’ll report back in 10!Just been out to Halfords and got a can of WD40 White Lithium spay grease.
In the car park applied to top and bottom UJ's. Wow, instant improvement.
Now just have a slight squeek behind the wheel, took the cowling off and applied where i could, still squeeking a little
but only when steering to the left ??!!
I know i have a slight worn ball joint on the front right, have been told by my indy that it's nothing to worry about.
I'll get them to check again when i have the front bush's done.
Top tipping everyone
Connor.
Literally sprayed grease all around the area and there’s a noticeable improvement. Still feels heavy, but I do have a gravelled drive and wheels were on the ground.
Connor
Are you sure that's not the person twirling the wheel?Now just have a slight squeek behind the wheel...
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2014
- Points
- 174
- Model of Z
- 2.2i Sport
When mine went stiff (fnarr fnarr) I wound up taking the column out. Shear-head bolts don't help, but got there in the end, filled the bottom of the column with white grease, and gave the UJs a good soak with Plusgas. Sorted the stiffness/graunching, and it's still sorted (did it September last year)
Attachments
Easy way to remove the shear bolts is get a Dremel or such and with a cutting disc cut a flat screwdriver slot in the end of the bolt. These are rarely very tight and if you have a screwdriver with a hex shaft below the handle you can use a spanner to turn it if need be.
Tony.
Tony.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2014
- Points
- 174
- Model of Z
- 2.2i Sport
Centre punch and hammer does it for me. And proper hex-headed bolts back in. Just don't understand shear-head bolts to hold the column in. Unless BMW expected people to steal the column, of course.
Been back out in the car this evening. steering is still sticky/heavy. Tyre pressures adjusted to slightly higher values and still no better.
I think tomorrow I’ll get both wheels off the floor and test as mentioned. It might also be worth test fitting my old wheels (not winter tyres) also.
Connor.
I think tomorrow I’ll get both wheels off the floor and test as mentioned. It might also be worth test fitting my old wheels (not winter tyres) also.
Connor.
Might be a silly question Connor, but have you checked the power steering oil level?
Tony.
I always jack under the front subframe or axle carrier at the rear. Then put axle stands on the jacking points.
You’ve got to stick the jack well under the car. And it helps to have a high/quick lift jack if you do it like this.
I do it this way Connor. Run a front wheel onto a block of wood or a brick to raise the car up, then you can get your jack under the front lower arm rear mounting point. Jack the car up and place a stand under the jacking point. Repeat at the other side. Just remember to place the block/brick under the last front wheel before lowering.
Tony.
Tony.
Can you drive another Z3 to get a comparison? I've always thought the steering on mine is heavy despite replacing TRE's and other joints. I've sort of got used to it and assume it may be just because they have a quick ratio steering rack.
People say that they don't like the "Electric" steering on the Z4 Steve, I have absolutely no issue with it. It is different but I've got used to it and now it's just "normal"
Tony.
Tony.
I've just been thinking that I've never actually checked my steering column so I'm quite keen to do that now.
I was going to do mine this morning but couldn't get anywhere near the UJs. I'm assuming there's more room beside the 1.9 lump than the 6 pots?Just been out to Halfords and got a can of WD40 White Lithium spray grease.
In the car park applied to top and bottom UJ's. Wow, instant improvement.
Now just have a slight squeek behind the wheel, took the cowling off and applied where i could, still squeeking a little
but only when steering to the left ??!!
I know i have a slight worn ball joint on the front right, have been told by my indy that it's nothing to worry about.
I'll get them to check again when i have the front bush's done.
Top tipping everyone
You can get to the exposed bits on the straight 6’s but not near enough to get inside the gaitors.
Also in reply to your previous post, I’ve had 2 Z3s prior to this one so I know it’s not quite right.
Thanks for this Tony,
I will have a go on Saturday. I checked my PS reservoir again, and the fluid doesn’t seem to be circulating? I’m not sure if id notice if it was or wasn’t??
Anyway, I investigated further and put some rolled up kitchen town into the bottom of the reservoir and it came out with a smear of black, although my Fluid was clean. Could the stiff steering be maybe caused by a blocked reservoir filter?
I also checked my tyres again to see if I could spot any tracking/alignment issues and I think, although not sure until I get my wheel off, that atleast one of my tyres has random wear patches, which again having looked online points to issues with the suspension or alignment?
The saga continues...
Connor.
Black power steering oil points towards a failing pump mate. You can get a "flushing agent" for power steering systems, which might be worth trying in it then drain it an refill with new fluid.
Tony.
Tony.
Well that’s the thing Tony, the oil is the colour of the new fluid, it’s only when I lightly scraped the bottom of the reservoir it was black. If I test for the mechanical steering issues by raising the car and doing as you suggested, and all seems OK, do you think changing the reservoir is a good staring point?
Thanks again,
Connor.
If the fluid is pink it says to me its recently been filled. And that suggests the system could have been run low on fluid or even empty. This often occurs because the return pipe rots out and leaks.
A S/H pump might be worth a try but I would flush the system out beforehand.
Tony.
A S/H pump might be worth a try but I would flush the system out beforehand.
Tony.
I read somewhere that there is a non serviceable filter in the bottom of the reservoir which tends to block over time. Don't think that I've seen anyone practically confirming this, but I do have a new reservoir in my spares heap waiting to be fitted sometime (and a cooling loop) but I'm not keen to disturb the old connections.