swoody

Hello all,

I know this issue is kind of vague, but I will try to detail it here as best I can.

I "inherited" a 2000 Civic with power steering, which has gotten just over 110,000 miles. The past few times I've driven it, I am feeling the steering radius does not turn smoothly, but rather I can feel a sort of pulsing as I turn the steering wheel. It's almost as if the steering wheel slightly catches a number of times as I turn it through the full radius. It does not feel like a mechanical resistance or sludge in the system, but feels more like the power steering to me.

This is most noticeable at slower speeds, but is also present at driving speeds as well.

I was hoping to get some input here, and hopefully we can put some ideas together.


Thanks!

Woody

ezone

Jack the front wheels off the ground and try it both running and not running. See how it feels.

Then disconnect the tie rod ends from the knuckles and try it (this isolates the rack and column).

Are the notches at half turns or quarter turns? Check the U-joints below the column.

swoody

The "notches" I feel are much more frequent than that. Just on a gentle turn, I can feel it "bump" or "pulse" a number of times.

It's really not very noticeable, but slow turns and smooth pavement make it more pronounced.

ezone

Oooh...Ummm...Crap tires?
Lumps or slipped steel belts might feel that way.

swoody

These tires definitely have some age on them. Would this be noticeable only during turns though? The car rides straight and smooth when I'm not turning.

Also, I don't feel these hesitations when I am in motion with the wheels are already turned. It is only when I am physically turning the steering wheel when they're noticeable.

ezone

You don't mean when you are completely stopped, right?
You are moving forward at some speed when you feel this?

Can you associate the twitch feeling with tire revolutions, like maybe one twitch per revolution, or 2 per revolution?


Yes, I have noticed crummy tires cause odd feelings through the steering wheel. Are they aired up?

If your rear tires are any better then the fronts, try rotating them to the front and see how it drives.

swoody

These hesitations are inline with the movement of the steering wheel, not the tires. If I am on a long, smooth curve, I will feel them as I initially turn the wheel, but not if I am holding it at a steady position.

ezone

If you think this is in the rack and not the tires or suspension, then go for the stuff I mentioned in post #2 if you are serious about figuring out what is causing it.

Or see how much a rack would cost and then decide if this issue isn't all that bad. LOL

swoody

Haha. Good point

I will be able to get my car off the ground next weekend, as I have to replace the muffler anyways. I'll give it a shot to see how it feels with the car in the air.

I was thinking about going with a manual steering rack in the past, but with all the little things I need to fix first, I honestly don't want to just invest that amount of money if I don't have to.