Excessive play in front wheel steering?

[crazy larry]

Does this look excessive? Also, can we tell by the movement of the flex cover that the play is in the inner tie rod end or is this possibly problem with the rack itself? I don't really notice this while driving. I was rotating the tires and did a quick check for play. Nothing in LBJ.

I'm getting a frame patch and new suspension soon and want to fix this first so I only need to do alignment once.

Thanks in advance from your advice.

 

[spartacus]

Does this look excessive? Also, can we tell by the movement of the flex cover that the play is in the inner tie rod end or is this possibly problem with the rack itself? I don't really notice this while driving. I was rotating the tires and did a quick check for play. Nothing in LBJ.

I'm getting a frame patch and new suspension soon and want to fix this first so I only need to do alignment once.

Thanks in advance from your advice.

Grab the OTRE and pull and push it if the movement is there then it could be ITRE or the rack. Rule out the wheel bearing as well but they would make a rotational noise when bad.

 

[Keez Piano]

It seems to me that if it was steering related, the wheel movement would be on the rotational axis only. From that picture it looks like the wheel is moving top to bottom. Wheel bearing or ball joints. I think you can grab the tie rod end at the ball joint and have someone rock the steering wheel. If it's loose you can feel it. Wheels on the ground

 

[Bad Luck]

Does this look excessive? Also, can we tell by the movement of the flex cover that the play is in the inner tie rod end or is this possibly problem with the rack itself? I don't really notice this while driving. I was rotating the tires and did a quick check for play. Nothing in LBJ.

I'm getting a frame patch and new suspension soon and want to fix this first so I only need to do alignment once.

Thanks in advance from your advice.

Hard to say without being able to see the rag joint or other wheel to determine if your are turning the whole rack and steering wheel or have slack in the inner tie rod

 

[Will_M]

reply

check suspension, ball joints, ty rods etc with a crow bar, if all tight, could be something internal collapsing or loose.

 

[rickmum]

Can anyone verify if bad lower control arm bushings would do this? Mine are pooched and my wheels do this.. My rack is leaking from the top but everything else checks out.

 

[Bad Luck]

Can anyone verify if bad lower control arm bushings would do this? Mine are pooched and my wheels do this.. My rack is leaking from the top but everything else checks out.

Have someone wiggle the wheel while you look at the bushings where the lower control arms attach to the frame

 

[FD7683]

I can see the rack move a tiny bit and thats with just turning the wheel by hand. You are probably due for new steering rack bushings anyways but I would also be inspecting the upper ball joints, bushings, and obviously both inner and outer tie rods. Energy Suspension makes a nice polyurethane kit for around $30 and it really changes the steering characteristics (no more excessive slop).