Alright guys and gals, I know everyone will tell me to search this and find other posts similar to this issue, but I literally have found almost nothing helpful that is really what my issue is.
Se here's what's going on: I have a clunking in my steering coming from directly in front of the wheel, maybe a little to the left. It used to be only when my car was cold or if it was raining, but now every time I turn the steering wheel more than 1/2 of a turn I feel a little bit of a pressure buildup (just enough to tell that there is one), there's a release and clunk. It mainly happens at speeds lower than 15 mph, and it happens a lot more in parking lots when sitting still. Whenever I turn it more than a half turn and hear that clunk my steering won't return to center once I do get moving. It will always hang on about 1/6 to 1/8 of a turn in the direction I was just turning, forcing me to either pull my steering to center and hold it manually (royal pain on the freeway) or jerk my steering past center while moving in hopes of getting it to center. My power steering fluid is fine, and my steering seems fine other than that as far as the assist goes, but I really want this problem solved!
I've had my car in the shop and they said it was something inside my steering rack and that it would be almost $1000 to replace the rack. I don't have that kind of money to throw into my car, but I can't afford to buy another car either (and I wouldn't want to either). I know that my struts need to be replaced, but I don't think it would be that (although that may have caused it, with how rough our roads are here). Any advice on if it would be something else and if I should just try and replace it myself? I've heard that they can be a pain to replace, but if I can find a decent rack I think I might try and figure out how to do it.
Se here's what's going on: I have a clunking in my steering coming from directly in front of the wheel, maybe a little to the left. It used to be only when my car was cold or if it was raining, but now every time I turn the steering wheel more than 1/2 of a turn I feel a little bit of a pressure buildup (just enough to tell that there is one), there's a release and clunk. It mainly happens at speeds lower than 15 mph, and it happens a lot more in parking lots when sitting still. Whenever I turn it more than a half turn and hear that clunk my steering won't return to center once I do get moving. It will always hang on about 1/6 to 1/8 of a turn in the direction I was just turning, forcing me to either pull my steering to center and hold it manually (royal pain on the freeway) or jerk my steering past center while moving in hopes of getting it to center. My power steering fluid is fine, and my steering seems fine other than that as far as the assist goes, but I really want this problem solved!
I've had my car in the shop and they said it was something inside my steering rack and that it would be almost $1000 to replace the rack. I don't have that kind of money to throw into my car, but I can't afford to buy another car either (and I wouldn't want to either). I know that my struts need to be replaced, but I don't think it would be that (although that may have caused it, with how rough our roads are here). Any advice on if it would be something else and if I should just try and replace it myself? I've heard that they can be a pain to replace, but if I can find a decent rack I think I might try and figure out how to do it.
