I changed my brake calipers and master cylinder on my 85 300d Turbo. Afterwards, the braking is great, but my steering feels really loose and the alignment is way off. Any ldeas?

You might have accidentally loosened or unbolted the tie rod.

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Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Did you remember to tighten the lug nuts properly? Even if you think you did, get out and check NOW. Brake calipers and MC have absolutely no bearing whatsoever on steering performance unless you have a brake dragging and causing a pull to one side.

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The arm going from the tie rod to the brake backing plate area has two bolts. I think on your model. You did not loosen them off when changing the calipers?

Otherwise I can think of nothing else that you might have done to create the sensation of developing sudden loose steering. Check the lug bolts on the wheels as another poster mentioned. Missing tightening them up would be strange. Yet not impossible.

You would not be the first to loosen off the steering arm bolts. I think there was a case very reciently where he accidentally removed one and was asking if it should be lock tighted back on.

Last but not least. There have been some issues with replacement rebuilt calipers. They are recasting the main body for use in some rebuilds. Apparently there are some issues with them. Usually they have to be ground to get over the rotor it sounds like. There may be other issues. So jack up each side and see if the wheels turn pretty freely.


The instantainious onset of steering problems after just changing the calipers, brake pads and master cylinder. There is a pretty good chance something is wrong. Some rebuilders are using the bendix pistons in Ate rebuilds or vice versa. The pistons are too long.

So usually you cannot get the caliper and new pads back on. Now if you used your old pads they might go on. If the car is safe to drive a mile. Do so and check the wheels for heating. They should not even be warm. I was even wondering if the rubber in the new master cylinder was not clearing the return port and leaving the front brakes partially on. What I lack is any sense of what driving a car with this issue would feel like.

Rebuilt parts are becoming more of a crap shoot all the time.

You sre simply going to have to re-check everthing down there.

On the alinement the only thing I can think of is that the upper and or lower control arm bushings were ready to go out and jacking up the car and letting the suspension hang finished something off.

I had bolt lower control arm bushings go out (suspisiously after being towed from the front wheels) and it too only 3 days to ruin both front tires due to severe edge wear. Watch you tires.
In spect the sway bar bushings also. There is rubber on the tips and als rubber bushings where the pivot off the lower fire wall.

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