Ed Petry

Hi everyone,
The steering on my '81 feels 'heavy'. There is power assist but it takes more effort to turn the steering wheel on the 928 then it does on my 944. A knowledgeable friend also thinks it is a bit hard to turn. Alignment may be an issue and will be checked out.

Are there any know issues with the steering on the 928?

Thanks in advance

The Deputy

My 84 seems "heavy", too. But, I believe I've read on here that this condition is somewhat normal. Yes, in my mind...these 928's are totally different than 944's.

Actually, I find myself watching 944 videos more and more...and find myself wanting one again. Much more nibble in my opinion...and much more fun to drive.

Brian.

Cosmo Kramer

Is the steering heavy but smooth or is it stiff in certain spots of the turning circle?

dr bob

In my opinion...

The solid and stable feel of the 928 at warp speeds is caused to a large extent by the firm and not twitchy steering feel at those speeds. A side effect of that is that the steering might be a little too solid and not twitchy at lower speeds.

Consider driving another similar-year 928 with similar tires/wheels, and decide whether your particular car is having a problem.

Steering assist is a function of several factors. One is available pump flow and pressure. The flow is tied to pump (and engine) RPM. Pressure is limited by a recirculation valve internal to the pump. The second is the action of the spool valve between the steering wheel shaft and the pinion gear in the rack assembly. The valve is sensitive to the difference between the position you are asking for at the steering wheel and the position of the pinion gear connected to the rack. More difference means more flow and pressure applied to the hydraulic piston connected to the rack inside the tube. Last but not least is the friction in the rack and the rest of the steering system, plus the tires and the wheel offsets. Alignment setting can but should not contribute appreciably to steering wheel effort.

Some manufacturers claim to have "speed sensitive" power steering, something that's more a sensation than a fact in cars with the same conventional power steering that's on the 928. The 928 suspension and steering geometry make the steering seem more centered and stable the faster the car is travelling, but much of that is lost when front wheels with insufficient offset are used. In reality, there is no part of the power steering that knows how fast the car is travelling down the road.


Or you could be a little low on steering fluid.

Ed Petry

Seems to be stiff at different times and locations. Does not want to start moving from point it is at and feels like it is resisting the change. Does not feel like it wants to find 'center'. Stays where set. Does not seem fluid, rather choppy and harsh.

And don't get me wrong...love this car.....just love it.

The Forgotten On

Worn out tie rods can also cause really heavy steering. When I had mine replaced it felt like it took half the effort it previously did with the worn out ones.

Cosmo Kramer

Jack up the front end, and spray some penetrating oil on the universal joint on the steering shaft where it attaches to the steering rack. Work the steering back and forth while it is jacked up and see if it frees up.

mark kibort

alignment is huge on a 928 and it can feel real weird if done wrong or out of adjustment. i have HUGE tires and race rubber and it drives like a dream.. no heavy here.

Randy V

Bump up the tire pressure to 38 front, 36 rear.

Ed Petry

Thanks Cosmo Kramer for the advice. Spraying penetrating oil on the knuckle did the trick. Steering was immediately better. Need to have the alignment set which should make it even "lighter".

jbrob007

Hey Ed, Did you find anything else wrong or in need of adjustment in your search...?? My steering sounds like it's experiencing the same problem. Even going down the road at speed, if I turn the wheel it STAYS there until I manually turn it back to center. Even slight steering wheel movements require the driver to manually return the wheel to center. Neither of my 86.5 cars had this issue. The 84 Euro sat for over 3 years so it may just need some LUBE of the knuckle... we'll see.

I'll try the penetrating fluid on the knuckle, but in the meantime any help or suggestions, insights, etc, from anybody would be greatly appreciated.

Joel

Ed Petry

Hey Joel,

Sorry for the tardy response. I have not done any real work on this issue since the initial posting. My plan is to look at it this driving season. Will post results of the search and any repairs needed.

jbrob007

Ed, If you've removed and replaced the Pod, you may want to check the clearance. I have a non-standard steering wheel and it was rubbing / sticking against the Pod. Took off the wheel, found the correctly sized washer and reinstalled... problem GONE!

Ed Petry

Hi Joel,
My wheel is stock but does seem to rub...good idea. Thanks

gazfish

My steering was very heavy and lumpy after the car had sat for a while, I found a small coolant leak from the temp sensor was dripping down onto the PS drive belt causing it to slip. Might be worth checking the belt tension?