[Zdaddy]

After running over an 11R22.5 going down the highway at 75 mph and sustaining just over 3k in damages, the steering has had an issue the dealer/body shop just can't seem to replicate after three attempts. Reason being is that it takes just over an hour of sustained driving for the issue to..begin.

So here are the symptoms- After sustain driving there is a noticeable detente steering just off dead center. The longer you drive, the more noticeable it is to the point of having to fight the steering to turn. Once past the detentes just beyond dead center the steering is normal. It get rather scary on long drives.

The dealership (Jeff Gordon Chevrolet) and insurance company (USAA) both basically informed me that if they cant replicate it in a shop environment then they can't or won't fix it.. regardless of the fact that if may kill me and or my family.

Any suggestions on cause and repair?

Thanks in advance!

 

[[email protected]]

sounds like you have a bent shaft that goes through the rack, as it heats up it will get worse,

The only way you will really be able to track it down is to get the power steering fluid good and hot, just letting the car sit won't typically do it.

Drive around at slower speeds, doing a lot of turning until you can get the car to do it fairly noticeably, and quickly get the car off the ground, with the engine off manually turn the wheels left to right at the wheel, feel for a bind, if a bind if found with the car in the air it's most likely the rack, and at that point would rule out any possibility of a strut mount/bearing issue. If the binding goes away when the car is lifted, you have a strut mount/bearing problem.

Those are the two most likely issues.

 

[pony killer]

maybe drive it yourself til it starts happening and then bring it in for them to diagnose. See if the dealer would work with you on something like that.