I have a 2005 base model and in the Maintenance Logbook it says to "Retighten steering locking bolts" at 50K or 4 years. I have poured through the service manual and searched the forum. WHAT is a steering locking bolt? Is this just something really simple I am missing. There are bolts for the steering gear, but I can't imagine those needing retightened as a regular maintenance items. Any body, please help?

 

From the 2004 Workshop Manual, section 19, page 38.
Maybe?

ADJUSTMENTS

STEERING GEAR

1. Using Special Tool 9168 Ball Joint Puller (2) remove the tie
rod / drag link at the pitman arm (1).

²

²

adjustment, if necessary.

 

Thanks, I am going to check out the manual. From this description it looks like it might be a pain + tools = expensive pain

Cheers
Scott M

 

So I'm stumped too. Is this exactly what is refered to in the service schedule? I've just had a mechanic tell me he needs to replace the Idler Arm because of excessive movement. If you can just tighten it up then...

 

the tool for pulling the ball joint is about 44.00 but i'm sure there are others that are cheaper and will do the job. a good ball joint fork will do the job at 20.00 ,it may rough up the rubber boot tho.

 

I think the above adjustment is for the worm and sector gear clearance.
Been a long time since I made this one because all my cars for the last 50 hears have been rack and pinion.

I do it without disconnecting anything.

Place the steering wheel straight ahead. Engine off. Slightly rotate the steering wheel feeling the resistance. I then adjust the screw for minumim to no free play.

To get a feel for this, compare the free play with the wheel straight ahead to the free play with the wheel 90
degrees rotated where there will be considerable free motion.

I have 20k miles on my CF and checked this today and feel no adjust is necessary.. 50k miles sound like the right time for for this as regular maintenance but I don't understand how this can be called "steering lock adjustment." German to English translation?

 

The word lock comes from the term 'lock to lock'.
The steering gear will wear in the straight ahead and a little on either side of that position more than any other position. There will be two items wearing, the tapered pin that is adjusted inward and the worm gear.
You cannot just do the 90-0-90 position or you may find that it locks up solid at 180 or more and you do not need to find that out at the wrong time, hence the need to test it from 'lock to lock' and get the best adjustment that gives the best condition from 'lock to lock'.