You have to make sure the rear rubber sub frame bushings are good. Rear steer is not uncommon to some extent with any car if they are worn.

You have to make sure the rear rubber sub frame bushings are good. Rear steer is not uncommon to some extent with any car if they are worn.

My usual test is to come on the fuel and let totally off. If the steering needs correction when I do this I am at least going to have a hard look at the rear section.

Of course, changing the fluid will not cure your current condition, but the fluid and filter need to be changed after you resolve your slack problem. It may very well take a box rebuild, but you need to get the car up and check all steering joints before you resort to that.

Once the problem is resolved, change the p/s fluid by removing the return line from the reservoir and lower it into a drain pan. Plug the hole that you pulled the line from and get about 4 quarts of p/s fluid from the auto supply.

Open two cans of the fluid and have them at the ready. Get an assistant to start the engine and have them watching for your signal to turn off the engine. When they start they engine they should immediately start turning the steering wheel lock to lock. Pour in the fresh fluid as the system takes it. After you have poured in the last quart and the fluid goes down to the point where it is hard to turn the steering wheel, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY.

Replace the filter inside the reservoir. Remove the plug and replace the return line back to the reservoir and fill the reservoir with the fluid. Have the assistant start the engine and start turning lock to lock again to bleed air until it turns easily and there is fluid in the reservoir. You will have to be adding fluid as they do this because the fluid level will be decreasing.

The above is what I call the ASE Test P/S fluid flush method. There are questions on the ASE test that involve this method.

Do NOT get the idea to use solvent for the flushing in place of fluid. Flush with fluid as solvent will destroy the pump.

Good luck with it.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

My rule of thumb would be to do it as often as the transmission, and immediately if it looks like old or burned tranny fluid looks.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Change the filter too.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Just some observations when trying to switch steering boxes:

1) The box is HEAVY. Probably 50 lbs cast iron. Gets tiring after pushing it up into place 10-20 times.

2) The box for the W126 and the W123 ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. They look identical, but the mount holes where the bolts go in are in different places. Looks like I'm gonna have to repair the old box instead of replacing it. =(

3) It helps to slide the box back onto the steering shaft first, then wrap a piece of rope/power cord/etc around the thing that you can pull on to ease the position until it's right where the holes are. I really don't see how people can do it without either hoisting it up with a rope or pushing it up with a jackstand, etc.

4) The input shaft (w/steering coupler) moves exactly 3 rotations from one end to the other. Therefore, I think it's safe to say that if you flip the steering wheel upside down (so the star looks like a 'Y'), and turn the coupler all the way to one direction (doesn't really matter which), then one and a half rotations of the steering wheel will be 'center'. Once you get the steering wheel to that point, mounting the pitman arm on will be fairly accurate. Of course some folk may kill me for being improvisational when there may be an exact way.