Steering Wheel Play - Only to the left - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

no-blue-screen · #1 07-24-2006, 11:23 AM

Hi all,

I have some steering wheel play on my 82 300D Turbo. This started after my father-in-law took the car to the shop. He had taken it to the shop a while back because the bolt holding the lower tie-rod end came loose and the toe on the passenger side wheel was way out. It was only driven about one mile from the train station back home. The shop he took it to replaced the lower tie rod with a new one (passenger side). Now, the steering wheel has play, but only when you turn to the left (toward the drivers side). The wheel will turn about 1/8 of a turn to the left before I get resistance. There is no play at all when I turn the wheel toward the right.

Could this mishap with the tie rod have ruined the steering box? I have done a search, but the searches I returned were people having equal play when turning both ways.

Any help is greatly apprecaited.

159k on the clock.

no-blue-screen · #2 07-24-2006, 02:29 PM

BUMP....anyone have any idea what could be causing this?

rrgrassi · #3 07-24-2006, 05:20 PM

Check the ball joints, the older tie rod end, pitman and idler arm, and the steering damper. If all checks out, it is possible that your steering box is bad.

no-blue-screen · #4 07-24-2006, 05:31 PM

Thanks for the response. Is it possible the steering was just thrown out of adjustment when the PS Tie rod came loose?

rrgrassi · #5 07-24-2006, 05:59 PM

It is possible, but not likely. I had an old Pontiac that did the same thing. The steering box eventually started locking up. It did it twice while travelling highway speeds, and banging on the steering wheel did free it. It turned out to be the steering box. A wrecking yard special fixed it right up.

no-blue-screen · #6 07-25-2006, 07:14 PM

bump....pictures added.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to a lift to do a thorough inspection of the suspension components...so I have posted pictures to see if anyone can see somthing that doesn't look right with the way the car is sitting. To me, it looks like the passenger side front wheel is toed out ...but it's hard to tell. I looked at the suspension by turning the wheel both ways and looking behind and in front of each wheel...but nothing sticks out at me as being the culprit. At this point my main concern is that if it is a ball-joint....the thing could go out on me and make me wreck.

All input is greatly apprecaited.