Dead spot in steering

[Beerplease]

Ok, so a year ago I had a leak from the metal PS pressure line going into my stock '86 rack, flare failed no way to repair it. So I removed the stocker along with the whining PS pump. Bought replacements from autozone and bolted them in and bleed the PS rack/pump with car off of the ground. No leaks and the pump hardly whines now, this must be a Ford feature cause every Fox body has done this that I have owned. Anyway put the car back on the ground and take it for a test drive. I was alarmed immediately when I discovery a real sloppy dead spot in the steering of the car. I can move the wheel 2" or so in either direction with no effect on the turning of the car. I pull it back in and rebleed the system with no change. I just checked the car a few days ago with not running and the same problem exists. It has to be the rag joint right? If it only did with the car running I would think it was a bad rack, or possibly I counted the distance way wrong on the ball joint install causing a bad alignment. I did not have any of these issues prior to replacing these parts, and have had the steering rod/rag joint out previously with no issues. Could I have installed the connection wrong somehow at the bottom where the rod attaches to the rack?

[MikeFleming]

Look at the rag joint first.

Simple enough to test: Have someone wiggle the steering wheel gently from inside the car, engine off, while observing the rag joint shaft in/shaft out movement from under the hood or car.

[Beerplease]

Look at the rag joint first.

Simple enough to test: Have someone wiggle the steering wheel gently from inside the car, engine off, while observing the rag joint shaft in/shaft out movement from under the hood or car.

Got a chance to look at the car yesterday, sure enough the rag joint was broken in two places!

[MikeFleming]

Got a chance to look at the car yesterday, sure enough the rag joint was broken in two places! SuperGlue and some duct tape. Good as new.

OOPS! Wrong forum!

( nevermind. )

[Lanes84s]

I bought a new joint from bumper to bumper. It isn't a specific piece but it should cost around $10. Mine was broken in about 8 pieces and I have 25 degrees of wiggle lol!! and we drove it like that, not a pleasant drive. Good luck man :D

[dagenham]

When I got my car the original polyurethane rag joint(what was left of it) was still left in the car. It steered the same way, the steering wheel was all over the place but the car would not move. VERY SCARY!
I replaced it with a normal HELP! replacement.

[dynoguy]

I killed mine the very first track day. Put in the MM shaft and really like the solid precise feel. Probably not what you would want for a resto but highly recommend for open track use.

Chris

[Beerplease]

Well she's far from stock and I love all my other MM pieces so that may be the way to go. I did some searching and read somewhere the Energy supsensions made a poly replacement joint for our cars but can't seem to find one. Does anyone have a source for a SVO specific replacement one if I don't go MM?

[cometcyclonemk]

X2 on the MM unit. Put one in mine with a Flaming River QR manual rack on aluminum bushings. ZERO slop, and much better feedback at the wheel.

[Beerplease]

Well I needed a fix quickly so I bought a standard rubber one for the time being. A little tougher than I remember and pay attention to the orientation of the little tabs the are there in case of the joint failure. If you orient them backwards it will not fit and the tabs on the longer one will hit the lower piece on the rack! Pays to have the factory manuals around.

[brsvo]

The rag joint looks fool proof til its disasembled. I love my digital camera for remembering how things were together when reassembly comes.

[Lanes84s]

lol I took mine apart and never looked at it beforehand...it was impossible to put back together so I had to look at my GT's and that helped a little