When turning the wheel for a turn, all is fine and smooth. Issue is intermittent and only SOMETIMES that it will "shake" or "shutter" when you are returning the wheel back to straight. I tried this while standing still and it was fine, issue only happens sometimes while driving and your letting the wheel go back to straight that the "shake" occurs. This stumps me because it's intermittent, but could this be a pump issue, or rack issue? I'm not very knowledgable about rack and pinion setups, only dealt with the ball joint type systems. I figured sometime this week i'll just try sucking the old fluid out and changing it, wouldn't hurt anything.

 

anybody? replacing a pump is no big deal for me, but the rack I think is expensive. is that even a possibility; are there any *****, springs, valves, etc. in the rack that could cause this "shimmy"? I suctioned out of the pump resovior and filled 3 times today, about 1/2 gallon of fluid replaced and mixed with old.. old stuff is dirty red so im assuming it's tranny fluid.

 

I replaced a rack on a 96 explorer a few months ago with a buddy. There is a one way check valve thing (IIRC, on the high pressure side going into the rack) and he installed it backwards and it would do the exact same thing. Maybe that check valve is bad?

 

By any chance does it occur when you hit a bump as the wheel is returning?

 

it seemed to do it with or without hitting bumps. only upon wheel return though would it intermittently do it??! odd. anyway after changing the fluid with about 1/2 gallon being filled and drained with the existing fluid....it seems all better? guess it musta just been crappy fluid in there.

 

Mine did that when I replaced the rack and didn't bleed it properly.. Is there any way that air could have gotten into the system? Because that will cause it

 

Well it started doing this again today, only now I could get it to do it while cranking the wheel standing still! Once again intermittent and I'm goin crazy! Should I look into the pump or the rack? I have a pump on hold at autozone it am still unsure if that's a possible cause to hurt this thing...maybe it's the rack? It does it way worse now but again, intermittent. Drove to work fine this morning and then comin back from lunch it was just a mess! Any suggestions or help before the end of work and I change the pump in about 3 hrs...?

 

Did you change the pump?? If you did is it still happening? If it is, replace the rack next.

 

Wimped out and didn't change pump last night. Started up and drove home from work(10-15 min) and no issues. Turned off for about 5 min at home and started again to drive for about another 5 mins, all was well. Then shut down again and let sit about an hour, restarted and drove another 5 mins or so, all was well again!! Then here we are today drove to work(10-15 min) and everything was fine! So this gives me 4 different start-up's and drive times, with no issues...I'm stumped?! I'd almost start thinking it's like a broken regulator spring or a stuck valve in the rack or pump.....if that stuff even exists in those parts?! Today the truck was frosted up pretty good to so I figured the cold would help it act up maybe, but nothing!

 

That's interesting haha. Well if it keeps driving good there is no point to do anything about it right now

 

I recently had this same issue, and it went away with use. Meaning, after driving it for several days, it went away, and now steers perfect.

 

How long has your been driving "ok" now since the issue happened?

 

After a couple days of driving the truck, the problem disappeared, and hasn't come back. I've been driving it solid for about 5 days, and it's been steering just fine.