Just replaced steering rack in my car. The steering always points slightly to the right when going straight. The easy way to tell if it's the steering rack is to wiggle the steering wheels, check for freeplay. You might hear a soft knock coming from the inside of the steering rack - provided that your steering rack bushing is holding it solidly.

My steering rack have no leaks. Rubber boots is clean, not torn. After cornering the steering wheel didn't quite return back to center, I have to turn it myself (only notices this after comparing the old steering rack with new china steering rack).

My mechanic guy greased the inner rack first, and then he told me to use the car like normal and see if it fixes the issue. After I use it for a week, the grease inside becomes black. So it's confirmed la something is wrong inside the steering rack, probably the gears inside was busted. It's a 13 years old Persona.


This post has been edited by Steponlego: Nov 28 2020, 11:19 AM

i'm trying to solve the same issue too, it seems like replacing the steering rack is only half of the solution.

fiddled around with the front brakes, found out that the brake caliper pin was seized on both sides. plus my left wheel bearing is busted too. the left rotor has gone bad.

in short, almost all front suspension part can cause slight off in alignment. at this point i'm replacing all the front suspension part. but since this is the first time in 12 years, maybe it wasn't so bad.

Usually the steering wheel will not move. So nobody readjust it. Unless you specifically ask the technician to re-center you steering wheel because you take off the steering wheel for whatever reason typically after replacing steering rack. I just had my front wheel realign for RM30 plus RM5 for steering wheel recenter/adjust because the steering wheel is way off to the left even when the wheels are straight - this of course when the car is not moving.

But if the steering wheel is slightly off the any side when driving, chances are there are some other causes that you need to investigate...

Hey OP, just sharing here. Finally my steering wheel is centered. Main problem was bad steering rack, left wheel bearing gone bad, left rotor warped and seized caliper pin on both sides of the front brakes. Now my Persona feels ok.

In hindsight, the steering rack was probably still good to use for a few more years, probably better to move from cheaper parts first - brakes and bearings, and then work your way up to the expensive part.

Knuckle can bend? I mean, how much force do you need to bend the knuckle?

Did alignment many times, the steering wheel always points slightly to right. I have faith in the technician doing the alignment, he seems to be quite proud and thorough with his work. It goes like this: i get some part replace>go to alignment>replace another part>do another alignment.

Anyway, the steering rack is actually not the culprit. It was a bad front wheel bearings on both sides. Had to diagnose it myself because the bearings does not show usual bearing problem (wheel freeplay and grinding noise) and most workshop prefer not to spend much time on it. The only symptoms I experience is occasional clinking noise coming from the brake pad clips and rhythmic thumping noise when cornering to one side.

The reason why my wheel bearings does not present with the usual grinding/humming noise is because the bearings only started to become bad. I detected it too early. When the mechanic took the bearings out, they were mostly intact, only the grease has totally gone and dried out.

Here I diagnose the bearing problem: Jack up the front wheel(s). For regular auto transmission can jack only one side no problem, for CVT cannot. Not sure for manual. So preferably both front wheels. For 4WD probably need to jack all wheels.

Start the engine, put the car into drive with both front wheel above the ground. Then visually inspect the wheels. Look for abnormal rotation or something. For my car, the wheel can be seen clearly have some side to side movement which causes the clinking noise. And then finally, grab the springs on your suspension. If your bearings is bad, you can feel rough vibration traveling through the springs. It is unmistakable. It feels like rolling a piece of metal on fine sand.

Make sure to hit the brakes first or put the car into N and let the wheels stop before turning off the engine. Don't be like me who immediately shift to P when the wheels are moving.

Another thing I learn is that you can never really tell from which side the abnormal noise is coming from. Don't rely on cabin noise when driving because noise is vibration and vibration travels throughout the body of car.

This post has been edited by Steponlego: Jan 19 2021, 11:41 PM

I believe the rear alignment has always been okay after first alignment job. The tire shop guy would never let go an opportunity to charge me extra. First alignment job he charge RM50 for front and rear, subsequent alignment after that he charge RM30 for front only. I used to think that his alignment job was crappy, until I go to other alignment shop.

The latest and last alignment job after front bearing replacement the guy did front angle camber adjustment.

But yeah, I only suspect it was a bad bearing because that's the last thing I can replace on my front end - now everything on my front suspension is brand new. Figured that the wobbly wheels from bad bearings might cause the steering wheel not centered when driving, but the angle measurement on the alignment machine all within spec.

Not sure man. This is my first experience having the car fixed at the mechanic until it really fixed. I think just the bearing without the hub is the norm on the front side.

Close to Rm2k actually. I literally had all front suspension parts replaced over the span of 3 months. The right bearings was the last thing I replaced. Left bearings 2nd last. Only noticed right bearings also bad when noise issue and alignment still persists. I throw parts at the problem until it fixed.

https://goo.gl/maps/wKtRsFEev6yyV9yh6

just an inconspicuous kampung tire shop. the boss there is very thorough with his job. tried 3 other shop before this, he's the only shop that make sure the tire pressure is right before doing anything. do ask him to check for steering wheel centered or not, last time he charged me extra RM10 for adjusting the steering wheels after steering rack replacement.