Manual Steering Troubleshooting

CONDITION	POSSIBLE CAUSE	CORRECTION
Hard steering	Incorrect tire pressure Gear housing lubricant low Insufficient lubrication or abnormal wear on steering linkage Siezed or damaged ball joints Steering shaft too tight Steering column incorrectly aligned	Inflate tires to recommended psi Refill and check for leaks Lubricate or replace components Replace ball joints Readjust Realign column
Drifting	Incorrect tire pressure Loose lug nuts Mismatched tires Worn or loose wheel bearings Brake drag Faulty shock absorbers or coil springs Pitman arm binding Loose steering gear Vehicle uneven riding height	Inflate tires to correct psi Tighten Replace and match Replace or tighten Check and readjust brakes Replace broken or faulty parts Adjust or replace arm Check for worn parts replace and adjust Adjust level
Excessive steering wheel play	Steering wheel shaft loose or worn Steering linkage loose or worn Worn wheel bearings Worn ball joints Worm shaft bearing out of adjustment Loose steering gear housing	Adjust shaft or replace Adjust or repalce Replace bearings Replace or adjust ball joints Readjust Tighten housing
Steering wheel slides	Worm shaft or ball damaged Sector shaft damaged	Replace components Replace components
Vibration or shimmy	Incorrect tire pressure Tire out of balance Worn shock absorbers or springs Loose steering gear housing Loose steering linkage	Inflate to correct psi Balance tire Replace defective parts Tighten Adjust or replace linkage
Noise	Incorrect tire pressure Wheel bearings loose or worn Hub caps or rims loose	Inflate tires to correct psi Repair or replace Tighten or replace