steering problems

[Bob Fouts]

My 85 has over 100,000 miles and a couple of years ago I spent way too much money to have a oldsmobile rack and pinion steering system put in. Now it is shot and I am looking for any imput as to what to do: return to the origional or try somthing else. IMHO the origional design has endless opportunities to encourage poor steering. Looking for any constructive suggestions. Thanks Bob

[WayneC]

My 85 has over 100,000 miles and a couple of years ago I spent way too much money to have a oldsmobile rack and pinion steering system put in. Now it is shot and I am looking for any imput as to what to do: return to the origional or try somthing else. IMHO the origional design has endless opportunities to encourage poor steering. Looking for any constructive suggestions. Thanks Bob

Can't you just get the Olds setup rebuilt?

[ernier]

Is the 85 a GM Chassis? If so there's a ton of stuff available to upgrade the original G Body steering without going to the rack. But if you've made the commitment to the rack and pinion why not just fix the parts that are in need?

ErnieR

[Gunslinger]

Is the 85 a GM Chassis? If so there's a ton of stuff available to upgrade the original G Body steering without going to the rack. But if you've made the commitment to the rack and pinion why not just fix the parts that are in need?

ErnieR

1985 was still the Stude chassis. I believe the last year it was used.

[Del]

The Late 80s early 90s Olds & other GM Rack & Pinion designs were less than desirable. They had a tendency to "fail" by locking in a hard right or hard left. The Remanufactured units had this design flaw corrected. If the original "OEM" factory units were were ever redesigned, I am unaware of it.

My expectation is that a Remanufactured (NOT a rebuilt unit) Rack & Pinion might solve your disappointments with your conversion. A properly designed & installed Rack & Pinion far exceeds a manual sector with the Studebaker power assist & bell crank tower system.

[Bob Fouts]

The Late 80s early 90s Olds & other GM Rack & Pinion designs were less than desirable. They had a tendency to "fail" by locking in a hard right or hard left. The Remanufactured units had this design flaw corrected. If the original "OEM" factory units were were ever redesigned, I am unaware of it.

My expectation is that a Remanufactured (NOT a rebuilt unit) Rack & Pinion might solve your disappointments with your conversion. A properly designed & installed Rack & Pinion far exceeds a manual sector with the Studebaker power assist & bell crank tower system.

The85 Avanti used the Lark frame, it was the last year to do so. I don't exactly know what went wrong with it as it worked sort of OK for about 5000 miles. ( the olds rack and pinion that is) The turning radius was much larger that the origional system, and on a wet road the front end feels like it's on glare ice. I think itmay have something to do with how the tie rods are configured. They were dropped down fairly close to the ground . I was on a trip to theeast coast and after leaving Chicago the steering suddenly seemed to be and was very loose. Had it checked in La Porte andthe mechanic said it was a very poor job overall. At that point I decided to scrap the whole steering and go back to the origional. I know it's got a whole bunch of moving parts but if I can take out the slop with new parts and or adjustments at least it won't feel like glare ice.