Last try at fixing my steering problem before I give up.
#1
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I'm going to give it one more shot and see if anyone here can help me. I think I have exhausted all options at this point and will just replace the steering rack at some time (I'll put everything back together and drive it "broken" until then).
Right now the steering shaft has been removed from the rack. The tie rod ends are adjusted within 1.5 threads of each other so nothing is funky there. I can grab the wheels and turn them to the left so far that the tires hit the a-arms. When I turn the wheels to the right they only move 0.8 rotations of the steering shaft before the wheels lock. I don't see anything bent and have no idea what is causing the problem. Any ideas before I scrap the project and just drive the car like it is?
Details with pictures can be found here:
http://www.lightweightmiata.com/v8/steering/
Right now the steering shaft has been removed from the rack. The tie rod ends are adjusted within 1.5 threads of each other so nothing is funky there. I can grab the wheels and turn them to the left so far that the tires hit the a-arms. When I turn the wheels to the right they only move 0.8 rotations of the steering shaft before the wheels lock. I don't see anything bent and have no idea what is causing the problem. Any ideas before I scrap the project and just drive the car like it is?
Details with pictures can be found here:
http://www.lightweightmiata.com/v8/steering/
#2
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Have you tried setting the steering wheel to the 1.25 turns position and ignoring the equal-ness of the arms and setting the wheels straight by screwing with the threaded rods?
What's a normal miata's lock-to-lock # of turns?
What's a normal miata's lock-to-lock # of turns?
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This is what I was thinking at first, then I started asking myself if the tie rod ends were the same lengths left and right. Then I thought, what about the threaded rods? Is it possible you have the left and right side threaded rods swapped?
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My lock to lock is 2.5 turns and I think normal is 2.8 turns (from what I have heard).
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yep if you are 2.5 turns lock to lock, go all the way to one side and then turn back 1.25 turns so your rack will be in the middle.
from there lock your steering wheel in place with something and adjust your tie rods until your toe is proper.
if your steering wheel is off, remove it and clock it to get it straight again.
from there lock your steering wheel in place with something and adjust your tie rods until your toe is proper.
if your steering wheel is off, remove it and clock it to get it straight again.
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See how the tie rod looks extended on the left side and compressed on the right side. I don't know if that is normal but it doesn't look right to me and I don't think 3-4.5 threads will be enough to adjust that out.
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Well, I just out from under the car (tried for a bit to loosen the tie rod end nuts - gorilla tight and I gave up again). Anyway, I took a closer look at how much adjustment was left and I estimate that if I ate up all the adjustment I had it would only make a 1/10th turn difference in the steering shaft. Definitely not the 1/2 turn I need so it would be a waste of time to even mess with that.
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Hmm. Did the guy at Boss Frog let the jig slip a bit when he was welding on the rack mounts?
Edit: Yep, that's it! The mounts are centered up on your subframe but they are offset to the passenger side one to two inches on the stocker. Your subframe was welded wrong at BF!
Edit: Yep, that's it! The mounts are centered up on your subframe but they are offset to the passenger side one to two inches on the stocker. Your subframe was welded wrong at BF!