Technical Heavy steering slow speeds

[lazybones51]

Hey,

I recently purchased a mk1 Punto 60 sx and am having some issue with the steering at slow speeds. When your trying to park the steering is really heavy, I'm used to non pas cars as I have a couple of cinq, but this Punto seems unusually heavy.

The top mounts were squeaking so I applied a little light oil, which stopped the squeaking. I checked the track rod end, one is smooth in action but firm, the other is firm but notchy, could this cause the problem ? When you turn the steering you can hear the rack & pinion gear going round, I pulled the gaitors back and applied a decent amount of grease, the mechanical noise was less but it made no difference to the steering. Both front tyres are up pumped to 30psi and are like new in tread depth.

I'm out of ideas and don't want to start replacing parts which may be OK. Hopefully somebody might have an idea which I have over looked.

The car drives perfect otherwise.

 

[fingers99]

Just a thought -- on the Mk1 the pas and non pas cars use the same top mount but reversed. If you put it on back to front you'll really have heavy steering on a non PAS car.

 

[lazybones51]

Just a thought -- on the Mk1 the pas and non pas cars use the same top mount but reversed. If you put it on back to front you'll really have heavy steering on a non PAS car.

Do you know which way around they should be facing ? They are both facing the same way, I have read about people having them being opposite ways around and it causing problems.

I guess it's not a huge pain in the bum to pop them off and spin them around. Might even replace them for the sake of £15.

 

[fingers99]

I can't remember. May be in the Haynes, if not see if Monroe have any downloadeable instruction sheets (the one that comes with their struts is very good).

 

[dumbledore]

Haynes has got a picture. 2 positions, towards the front manual steering towards the back power steering.

 

[Peter Pick-Up]

Tire size and pressure..??
Both make a huge difference...!!

 

[dumbledore]

Heavy steering at low speeds is a trademark of no power steering. So unless you know it should be lighter it may be just normal.

 

[fingers99]

I've found the Mk1s over light with the tyres at sensible pressures.

 

[lazybones51]

The steering is defiantly too heavy, I'm used to non-pas cars and am an not small in build either.

I will check the tyre sizes, I know they are both the same size but cant remember what they are exactly.

I will have a look this weekend and see which way around the top mounts are. With the front wheels off the floor the steering is really light, but once you go past a couple of turns in either direction you can feel it get heavier.

 

[dumbledore]

With the wheels of the floor it should be light lock to lock. If not there is definetelly a problem. You will need to do the investigation with the wheel of the floor to see were the problem might be. Can't think of any obvious culprit though.

 

[fingers99]

Mind you. going heavy with wheels off the floor indicates something amiss. TRAs are cheapest parts to substitute.

You could try disconnecting one TRE at a time, see if still heavy. If still heavy with both disconnected, would point to rack.

 

[lazybones51]

Mind you. going heavy with wheels off the floor indicates something amiss. TRAs are cheapest parts to substitute.

You could try disconnecting one TRE at a time, see if still heavy. If still heavy with both disconnected, would point to rack.

I was going to replace them anyway as one of them was notchy. But I will check the orientation of the strut mounts as well.

Off the floor it doesn't go that heavy, but you can defiantly feel a change in resistance.