Steering Issue - Dealer wants $1300!!

[Rob]

I have 130k miles and my steering has gotten progressively loose over the years. I have a lot of play in the wheel now and when driving the car tends to meander quickly left and right on it's own... Dealer says I need a new Steering Gear Box and pump for $860 in parts and another $400 to install...

Anyone have any experience with this? Are these numbers in line or am I getting ripped??

Thanks!!
Rob

[LittleBeast]

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showpost.php?p=51703&postcount=4

http://www.planetisuzoo.com/articles.htm/88

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=6728&highlight=steering+box

[PK]

The articles linked by Little Beast show how to do the adjustment.
To help with determining how much to adjust, after each small movement of the adjuster, start the car and with the front wheels up off the ground, turn from lock to lock.
If there is even the slightest binding at any point, the adjustment is too tight.

Good to do the above before you change anything, so that you have a reference to how it should feel.

If the internals have worn unevenly, you will get some tight spots while other areas still have slop.
That is when you have to replace the parts.

PK

[Ebenezr]

The replies above are right on. Adjust that flathead screw on the steering gear. I have 125K miles on mine that I bought a few months ago. It did have a bad steering gear - it bound a little going left. I replaced the steering gear and all tie rod ends and ball joints and the vehicle is like new! You can get a steering gear for 35-65 bucks used from the junk yards - they are easy to find because they are trooper steering gears but it sounds like you do not need one.