1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Once the steering rack piston is pressurized, it would be impossible to exert any significant movement at all in the steering rack by pushing/pulling on the road wheel. You would have to overcome the pressure of the power steering pump.
Perhaps you could feel the play through the steering wheel, but it would feel completely different then when the car is off.
With power-assist rack and pinion steering, the main steering rod is connected to the pinion through a "torsion bar," which is designed to twist a certain amount in reaction to the torque being applied to the steering wheel (which is proportional to the resistance exerted on the steering rack by the road wheels). This is partly why the steering feels so rubbery when the car is off. So when you steer to the right, the twisting opens a set of valves that applies pressure to the right side of the rack piston and pushes it left, causing the wheels to steer right. The more torque is applied at the steering wheel, the more the torsion bar twists, the valves open more, and the power assist increases proportionately.
If you have play due to worn rack and pinion gears, the result will be a slight loss of steering precision and on center feel. You will not lose any stability because the rack is moved laterally (and held stable) mostly by the rack piston and not the rack and pinion gears themselves.
Obviously, the only way to remedy worn rack and pinion gears is to replace the rack. Unless the steering gets vary vauge or wanders when the car is running, I wouldn't worry about it.
-Kyle
'91 9000T
151,000mi
posted by 169.152.25...
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
