My steering has a mind of its own now. It has started to track on any crack or uneven pavement. I checked the steering shaft and there seems to be a bit of play in the u-joints. So my question is how much play is too much or should there even be any play.

 

Without any funny sounds coming from the front end, I think your first step should be having the alignment checked!

 

alignment check +1

 

tires do that...

 

With a fresh alignment and brand new tires, my car does the same thing on some of the parkways in New York. Not saying an alignment isn't a bad idea if yours is in question...cheaper/easier than new steering shaft.

I've had slop in the steering shaft since I bought the car. Though I've bought the part, I've yet to change it but from what I've read a does tighten things up very nicely. My steering wheel was "rattling" over the pock-marked pavement in my neighborhood at low speeds and it was driving me crazy.

I bought it from Ian at 944online.com. It's a new, genuine Porsche part for another Porsche application that he has a machine shop modify to work with the 944 power steering rack. It wasn't cheap ($300) but I preferred a longer term solution than sourcing a used one with a waiting-to-go-bad u-joint.

http://www.944online.com/

- Dave

 

alignment was just checked. I had new rears put on a month ago and noticed it starting then, very slight but noticeable. So I had an alignment done and everything checked out fine.

 

Wait did you use a different shop to check the alignmnet ? I have had bad alignments twice one on my mini truck modded of course handled great got an alignment redone for new tires, handled like crap! Got the alignment redone at a different shop handled great again!

On the 951 some shop ( don't know the details) did an alignment and it... hmm actually it did what your describing! It was kinda darty, in addition at about 120 the car felt like it was on it's tippy toes!

Went to a different shop different alignment car is rock solid again.

Additionally you know the Tech needs that funny tool in order to set the rear toe right? I can't remember what it is but any tech that works on the car has to have it and should know what it is! If they don't know what it is and don't have it ; then your rear toe is off!

 

tramlining is pretty normal for any 944 or 968 the moment the tie rods/ball joints/control arm bushings or the column develops play... get the car off the ground, inspect all your bushings and shake the wheels down that will show you if the ball joints in your control arms are shot. basically.