what's wrong here?

so i took off my steering rack bushing in attempt to change them out, which i still haven't accomplished because the motherfuckers are glued on there or something, ive torn the pass. side bushing to pieces and have most off except the part on the very top, which i cant reach.. of course

anyways, after i'd disconnected the bracket holding the rack up there i got a call and had to leave,, i drove a few miles with the bracket off and without bushing, the steering wheel was about sideways on my way home but the car was going straight, i also couldn't accelerate well because as soon as i let off the gas, i 'caught traction' or something ad the car jumped to the right side, so backing up the car into the garage when i finally got home, i had to move the wheels while not moving the car which was difficult, something then happened and power steering fluid covered my driveway.. i thought id blew my pump but when i idled forward, power steering seemed to work fine.. idk tho, i didnt drive very far..

heres the pic of how its been for a few days, on ramps.. the steering colum wont move back up to where i can bracket it back in, not by hand at least.. not sure what im asking.. besides... help

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t232/wakeboardingguy/2010-10-11_16-50-28_172-1.jpg

[decke48]

let the wheels free float.. tire cant move on the ramps, when you push up the tierod wants push out

is that broken where the boot is torn tho? where did the PS fluid come from?

[Navi271]

Ok, I'm actually glad I'm not the only one that had a melted/glued passenger side steering rack bushing. I mean, what the hell is up with that?!?!

It could be just the boot there that's torn. Those CV boots like to sling grease EVERYWHERE even tho they are so small. I could imagine the steering rack boot doing the same. I'm not quite sure tho, as last time I looked BOTH of my steering rack boots were torn.


Ok actually scratch that... After rereading... Since the steering rack had no bushing or bracket to support it, when you turned the steering wheel, the motion of the steering rack didn't really transfer to right wheel. I'm not sure how the steering rack and power steering work, but it could be possible that when you turned the wheel, it forced the steering rack straight down toward the ground right at that joint where the boot is torn and may have cracked, broken, or bent something in the steering rack. (which could be why it won't go back in place) I can draw pics if you don't understand what I'm saying, but I think I have a good idea on what happened.

Could be time for a new steering rack!

[MannyMohawk#5]

^^^That's what it sounds like.


I cannot believe you actually drove the car with the steering rack not bolted to the subframe!

Yeah.. I live on the edge

[wiisass]

Yeah.. I live on the edge

On the edge of being retarded?

[ouch1011]

My guess is that you broke one of the hard lines that bolt to the rack.

For future reference, if some structural piece is bolted to your car, and you unbolt it, umm...don't drive the car :)

[jamal]

yeah you bent/broke the hardlines all to shit and they're not going to let you push the rack back up easily. You'll probably need to replace the lines, and maybe even the rack. Time to go to a junkyard.