Bullitt2518
New Member
Need some help trying to figure out what the steering issue with my 1997 Cobra may be. I've been given random opinions by people (it's the tie rods, your steering shaft knuckle is bad, power steering pump is going...), but most of them don't make sense because the opinion giver can't/won't give me info on how to tell if they're right, short of just spending a ton of money on random parts until I finally get the right one 
Here's the issue - back in April I drove it after it sat all winter (outside since I lived in an apartment at the time). I thought the steering felt kind of funny and a little tight, but I'd been driving a freaking 1999 Tahoe all winter with a steering system that's looser than a cheap hooker. After a couple of weeks, I started to get some "sticking" when turning the wheel. It's hard to describe, but when I would turn the wheel, it would be hard to turn for about 2-3 inches then it would be normal for 2-3 inches then hard to turn for 2-3 inches (that's distance the steering wheel is being turned, not the actual turning distance of the car). There seemed to be no other issues with it - alignment is still spot on, brakes working perfectly, etc.
Fast forward to about 2 months ago, and now it's just difficult to turn the wheel at all. It's as if I've got a manual steering car. It takes two hands and a shit-ton of effort to get the car to turn at all to the point that I don't feel like driving it at all - and refer to above winter driving vehicle to understand that it takes A LOT to make me not want to drive the Cobra!!. The power steering fluid still looks good and is not leaking anywhere. The brakes work fine (i've been told that since the power steering system and hydroboost system are tied together if the PS pump was going or gone I would be having braking issues as well as steering issues).
I've got one mechanic friend who took a quick look and feel of the system telling me that the knuckle connecting the steering shaft to the rack is loose. Another one is now saying that the entire rack is bad & needs replaced. Various friends "who know what they're talking about" (quote from my SO) have said the tie rods are going bad, to replace the control arms, fix the control arm bushings, and on and on and on.
Does anyone have any ideas about what may be wrong - from experience or actual knowledge of the issue? Or, detailed info on what I can do to find out what exactly the issue is would be great too. What specifically should I look at or look for? Any tests that I can do to pinpoint the issue?
Please don't suggest I take it to a shop/mechanic to pull apart to diagnose or fix - I do not willingly let anyone other than myself work on my car unless I'm sitting there watching what they're doing so that I understand what's being done to it. If I absolutely have to take it to a mechanic I will, but as long as I can find out what the problem is, I can usually figure out how to fix it.
Here's the issue - back in April I drove it after it sat all winter (outside since I lived in an apartment at the time). I thought the steering felt kind of funny and a little tight, but I'd been driving a freaking 1999 Tahoe all winter with a steering system that's looser than a cheap hooker. After a couple of weeks, I started to get some "sticking" when turning the wheel. It's hard to describe, but when I would turn the wheel, it would be hard to turn for about 2-3 inches then it would be normal for 2-3 inches then hard to turn for 2-3 inches (that's distance the steering wheel is being turned, not the actual turning distance of the car). There seemed to be no other issues with it - alignment is still spot on, brakes working perfectly, etc.
Fast forward to about 2 months ago, and now it's just difficult to turn the wheel at all. It's as if I've got a manual steering car. It takes two hands and a shit-ton of effort to get the car to turn at all to the point that I don't feel like driving it at all - and refer to above winter driving vehicle to understand that it takes A LOT to make me not want to drive the Cobra!!. The power steering fluid still looks good and is not leaking anywhere. The brakes work fine (i've been told that since the power steering system and hydroboost system are tied together if the PS pump was going or gone I would be having braking issues as well as steering issues).
I've got one mechanic friend who took a quick look and feel of the system telling me that the knuckle connecting the steering shaft to the rack is loose. Another one is now saying that the entire rack is bad & needs replaced. Various friends "who know what they're talking about" (quote from my SO) have said the tie rods are going bad, to replace the control arms, fix the control arm bushings, and on and on and on.
Does anyone have any ideas about what may be wrong - from experience or actual knowledge of the issue? Or, detailed info on what I can do to find out what exactly the issue is would be great too. What specifically should I look at or look for? Any tests that I can do to pinpoint the issue?
Please don't suggest I take it to a shop/mechanic to pull apart to diagnose or fix - I do not willingly let anyone other than myself work on my car unless I'm sitting there watching what they're doing so that I understand what's being done to it. If I absolutely have to take it to a mechanic I will, but as long as I can find out what the problem is, I can usually figure out how to fix it.
