Play In Steering Wheel

[ThirtyTwo]

Hi guys,

I took my R32 gtst to my mechanic today about the slight bit of play in my steering. He had a good look with it up on th hoist and reckoned it was a component in the steering column as oposed to tie rod bushes or steering rack related issues. I have a wobble in the steering at about 80km/h as well but I don't know if that is just because i need a wheel balance.

Has anyone had the same verdict and replaced something in the column?

James

[sweefu]

Have you checked the rubber steering column bush/coupling?

[sweefu]

Have you checked the rubber steering column bush/coupling?

[sweefu]

Have you checked the rubber steering column bush/coupling?

[Moodles2]

Aftermarket steering wheel by any chance?

[ThirtyTwo]

Have you checked the rubber steering column bush/coupling?

Nah I haven't but I will do now. Where abouts is it on the column mate and what am I looking for exactly? Also its a stock wheel but it's an r32 gtr wheel.

[Moodles2]

The wobble at 80km/h sounds alot like HICAS when the steering wheel wasn't aligned perfectly straight when people put aftermarket steering wheels on, I only mention it as the stock steering wheel has been taken off.

[ThirtyTwo]

The wobble at 80km/h sounds alot like HICAS when the steering wheel wasn't aligned perfectly straight when people put aftermarket steering wheels on, I only mention it as the stock steering wheel has been taken off.

Cheers mate that would explain my HICAS light coming on every 15km or so lol. If I get the wheel perfectly straight (it is definitely off a couple of degrees) will the wobble go away or just the light? Also is the steering coupling you mentioned located in the car or underneath the car before the rack?

[GTSBoy]

Rubber coupling is in the engine bay.

It is quite likely that your non-genuine steering wheel doesn't have the correct drive for the steering angle sensor. No input to that and HICAS gets the shits up. Especially if it is not dead on centre. Other option is that the steering wheels does have the correct drive but that the alignment and the steering wheel angle do not agree - hence the sensor will always be reporting an off centre condition.

Doesn't matter. Just kill the HICAS with fire and move on.

[ThirtyTwo]

Ok cool mate I'm just gonna go with the HICAS lock. When the HICAS light comes on, does that mean its disabled? As in rear wheels are not steering? I took the car out today and while the hicas light was on I caught a wikid slide that felt way smoother than usual...

[GTSBoy]

Yeah, the R32 has hydraulic HICAS, and when it faults the rear solenoid locks up. The HICAS rack then effectively becomes a lock bar.

I bought my R32 last century and the steering wheel had no drive for steering angle sensor. Light would come on and HICAS would go crazy, crab walking the car down the road (needed 30degrees of steering lock to keep it straight). Pulled the smaller of the two plugs out of the HICAS ECU and drove it like that until this January, when I have removed the entire HICAS system from the car, including the rear subframe (replaced with non-HICAS subframe from a Cefiro).

At the minimum, just do what I did and pull the plug. Should deactivate it with no dash light. Still leaves you with all the dead mass and sloppy tie rod ends in the rear, but better than random HICAS shenanigans while you drive. Otherwise, lockbar it for sure, but be aware that you still have all the tie rod ends in there allowing the back to be a little more vague than it could be. And also be aware that lock bars are defectable.

[ThirtyTwo]

Yeah, the R32 has hydraulic HICAS, and when it faults the rear solenoid locks up. The HICAS rack then effectively becomes a lock bar.

I bought my R32 last century and the steering wheel had no drive for steering angle sensor. Light would come on and HICAS would go crazy, crab walking the car down the road (needed 30degrees of steering lock to keep it straight). Pulled the smaller of the two plugs out of the HICAS ECU and drove it like that until this January, when I have removed the entire HICAS system from the car, including the rear subframe (replaced with non-HICAS subframe from a Cefiro).

At the minimum, just do what I did and pull the plug. Should deactivate it with no dash light. Still leaves you with all the dead mass and sloppy tie rod ends in the rear, but better than random HICAS shenanigans while you drive. Otherwise, lockbar it for sure, but be aware that you still have all the tie rod ends in there allowing the back to be a little more vague than it could be. And also be aware that lock bars are defectable.

Ahh awesome explanation mate appreciate it. I'll go and pull the plug now lol. Where is it located mate?

[GTSBoy]

HICAS ECU lives under the parcel shelf on the RHS of the car.

[ima_slap_joO]

Have you checked the rubber steering column bush/coupling?Lol.Is the wobble free play in the wheel that only comes after 80k?

Edited March 20, 2012 by ima_slap_joO

[ThirtyTwo]

Have you checked the rubber steering column bush/coupling?Lol.Is the wobble free play in the wheel that only comes after 80k?

I've got two problems i think mate, one of which i fixed today by disconnecting a plug on the HICAS ECU. My other problem is that I have a bit of play in the steering wheel when im stationary. Its hard to describe but it feels like theres a couple of degrees each way when the steering wheel feels like its catching up to the angle that the wheels are on. I.e if the tires are dead straight the steering wheel will start moving the tyres at 87 degrees instead of 90. This problem developed when i mounted a kerb with a bit of speed a while ago. FYI I had my gtr steering wheel on there for a while before that and it was dead firm.