nervous steering. Options

[Silvan]

A couple of months ago a citybus forced me to hit the sidewalk on the passengerside. (he took a corner too wide) Costs; two new tires. rest turned out to be ok. Got the tires alligned several times but steering stays a pain. If have to correct it all the time, takes sudden jumps to left or right. I have it checked out so many times now, i lost count. Steering to the left goes smoother than to the right, I have to use more force.
Somebody ever experienced this?

It is driving me nuts, I want it to be ok as it supposed to be.

This post has been edited by Silvan: Feb 22, 2005 - 6:09 AM

[Newbie]

Have you check the control arms? Are they ok?

[Hanyo]

sounds like the powersteering cyclinder is bent (ram).

You should have that checked out.. See if you can lift the front end of the car off the ground. And turn the steering wheel with both front wheels in the air. see if that creates a different results.

[Silvan]

Control arms are ok, that was the first I've checked.
Just called a toyotadealer, they also said powersteering was the thing to look in. I'll sort it out next weekend en let you guys know.

[Blakout16]

yes, check the belt. i had simular problems from sliding into a curb on an icey day... bent the rim and screwed the alignment up sum but took the powersteering with it too... check the powersteering fluid, belt and tension.

[Silvan]

I'll check the belt. Haven't done that.
It is driving me crazy, plus the danger of it when it makes sudden moves.

[LewFX]

i have an extra rear suspension arm if you need one. i hit a curb and both my rears got bent, rear tie rods got replaced

[Silvan]

Thanks for the offer, but I think my problem is situated in the front. I don't know where to look at anymore. Starting to think I have a bent chassis.

[Silvan]

It had stopped raining this weekend so I could take a closer look. arms are ok and there's no play in joint's whatsoever. The only thing that wasn't ok was the fluid. It was brown like tea, wich in my opinion means moist is entering the system so there must be a leak somewhere.

[TTE]

It had stopped raining this weekend so I could take a closer look. arms are ok and there's no play in joint's whatsoever. The only thing that wasn't ok was the fluid. It was brown like tea, wich in my opinion means moist is entering the system so there must be a leak somewhere.
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I think if you had a leak you would be running out of fluid but since you hit a curb I would be looking for bent or loose power steering parts like steering linkage, ball joints and other steering parts. Also do you have any sound coming from under there somewhere.

[Silvan]

I came to the same conclusion, I don't loose any fluids.
And yes, there is a sound when I steer to one side. But the sound isn't there all the time. I think that's from pressure in the powersteering pump.
(sound like a belt screeching, but the belt is ok)

[TTE]

I have kind of the same problem. Today with engine off I tried to move steering wheel to the left and right and I could hear some clunking noise. Does it mean that something is loose or bent? I bet that something is loose. I'll go to the mechanic to find it out.

[Silvan]

Could be suspension/springs youre hearing. ( Shame on me, I don't know how to explain it in proper technical English terms)

The end of the spring is resting in some sort of dish half way up your suspension. They sometimes make noise when turning your steeringwheel.