Urgent: A problem with an 80% loss of steering on my EB.

|Nate · 10-05-2011, 10:45 PM

Sorry if this is in the wrong section but it is of quite a bit of urgency.

Driving home last night on the Moorooduc highway, it comes to a roundabout where the peninsula lounge is, there is an abandoned railway track that goes across the road. Long story short, I go over the railway track (It's a bit of a dip in the road) at 40 km/h and as I try to turn around the round about, I practically have lost 80% of my steering

The wheel turns only about 90 degrees each way then locks and won't go any further. My car has been absolutely fine until I hit that railway track. There was no snapping sound or any weird noises after driving over it, and the car drives in a straight line perfectly fine.

So now I cannot turn sharp corners without mounting the gutter, and I barely made it home.

If anyone can draw on their wisdom or previous experiences and give me some information on what it might be, I would be incredibly grateful!

I really hope whatever has gone wrong, won't burn my wallet

Thanks guys,
Nate.

**ebxr8240** · 10-05-2011, 10:50 PM

Check parts / joints while someone turns steering wheel back & forward..
My guess ?? Would be power steering hose ...
Check steering shaft etc... ??

|Nate · 10-05-2011, 11:00 PM

I'm not the most mechanically minded but the front left Tyre rod end was replaced on Thursday.

And apparently the joints were fine but something must not have been D:

What would I be looking for when I do check the joints and shaft?

irish2 · 10-05-2011, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zxctive

What would I be looking for when I do check the joints and shaft?

Anything touching or rubbing. Get someone to turn the wheel whilst you listen to a mechanics stethescope (big screwdriver) placed on parts of the steering.

burnz · 10-05-2011, 11:05 PM

does ford still run a pitman arm??

JG65TE · 10-05-2011, 11:06 PM

i can not honestly think of anything that would cause loss of steering to that extent and still be able to drive fine straight. My best bet would be steering rack has destroyed itself............... yeah I know poor bet... Unles there is a cyclist caught under the car and his broken bones are stopping the turn ?....... ok ok, im leaving

JG65TE · 10-05-2011, 11:08 PM

meh..... im staying, Does it physically lock at around 90 degrees like cant move it any further or is it spongy to turn ? . pitman arm gone by then mr burnz........ excellent..........

|Nate · 11-05-2011, 12:21 AM

Bahahaha, sorry cyclist |:

Uhh, would the rack be a big job to fix ?

I turn to 90 degrees and I literally pull it really hard but not too hard cause I'm afraid it'll break something.
But when I slowed right down to like 10km/h I could get it to maybe 130 degrees, but no more than that.

It isn't spongy, just rock solid.

Ford_The_Win · 11-05-2011, 12:30 AM

I know this may seem quite a feeble response, but as far as I remember, there is a little rubber thing/seal that the steering column passes through at the firewall (?). A lot of people complaining of steering problems in their E-series find that this little seal is physically making it difficult to turn the wheel and that there is nothing wrong with their power steering or rack. Don't take my word for it, I just remember reading about it a few times, it's something you could look into. I feel for you mate, it's not a nice thing when this sorta problem occurs

I doubt it would be your power steering pump/hose, I have lost power steering plenty of times in old cars and they are still perfectly driveable, albeit more difficult. There would be oil splashed around in the engine bay I would imagine.

JG65TE · 11-05-2011, 12:50 AM

mmmmmmm, but it does seem speed dependant........... i know what ya mean about the lower boot getting tangled but feel is more. be careful driving it until you ge it looked at by someone. ......dont worry about the cyclist, there is more.

. IF and if its the rack, its no huge job, buy a rack, slap it in and off for a w/a..........all done..... cmon fellas .... answers ?. the car is too new for me to diagnose

|Nate · 11-05-2011, 01:13 AM

No way, any answer to this problem is helpful and far from feeble, thank you to everyone who has posted!

Hmmm I really hope it's a little seal, but would it physically make it impossible to turn it further than 90 degrees?

Yeah it really isn't, I just had my stereo fixed and everything was starting to go all okay for my car and I was enjoying myself then this bloody happens, also it being scary and really lucky it was late at night with no cars around |:

Yeah, the pump was topped up with fluid last week. There is a little oil/grease on the left side under the pump and stuff, but that has been there way before this happened. Exactly, if power steering went, I presume I'd still be able to turn to a full lock, just with a bit more effort.

jg65te, yeah anything over 20km/h and I can turn only about 90 degrees, anything under 20km/h I can go to about 120, but no more.

I'm not driving it at all until my mate comes down tomorrow to have a look at it, if that results in no avail, I will be heading down to the local mechanic!

Hheehehe yeah my boss at work is a cyclist so no problems there ;) Ah well that's good then, that's some worry off my plate.
I'm glad it's a 92 EB rather than a FG, but I guess if I had the money to get one of those I would just pay to get it fixed straight away :P

Thanks again for everyones input, it'll allow me and my mate to go over it and hopefully diagnose it with much more ease.

84xespac · 11-05-2011, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ford_The_Win

I know this may seem quite a feeble response, but as far as I remember, there is a little rubber thing/seal that the steering column passes through at the firewall (?). A lot of people complaining of steering problems in their E-series find that this little seal is physically making it difficult to turn the wheel and that there is nothing wrong with their power steering or rack. Don't take my word for it, I just remember reading about it a few times, it's something you could look into. I feel for you mate, it's not a nice thing when this sorta problem occurs

I doubt it would be your power steering pump/hose, I have lost power steering plenty of times in old cars and they are still perfectly driveable, albeit more difficult. There would be oil splashed around in the engine bay I would imagine.

I had the same thing happen as what has happened to the op in my EB many moons ago. Only happened once and corrected itself but I was told the same thing by a suspension bloke but as it never happened again so I never looked any further (young and stupid at the time).

jcxr · 11-05-2011, 10:44 AM

Years ago on a company EB wagon, I thought the p/steering had carked it, but found it was the steering column had screwed up. Replaced column, all good.

|Nate · 11-05-2011, 12:05 PM

Jcxr, what would I be looking for to see if the column is actually the problem?
Cheers mate

|Nate · 11-05-2011, 05:44 PM

Okay, so my mate and his mate came to the conclusion that the steering rack has carked it, the power steering pump pumps fine, the liquid goes down into the rack and the seal on the left side has broken or something which is causing all the fluid to pool in the rubber bag on the tyre rod.

So no pressure in the system has caused my loss of steering pretty much.

So the cars getting towed tomorrow to go get a new rack put on and a new pump as well just to be safe!

Thank you to those who gave their input, I really appreciate it.

Mods you can delete the thread if you wish

Thanks again guys,
Nate.