97 GT Steering Sticking

1997 GT. Steering was a bit loose and seems to stick when going around corners. Replaced inner and out tie rods with new. Steering is not as loose, but seems to stick a bit.

By sticking i mean when you go around a corner the wheels come back straight 80% of the way, but the last 20% you have to turn it back by hand. Makes it difficult to drive.

Power steering pump is not making noise, but since that is only providing flow (pressure) I am not sure that would cause the sticking issue.

So I am thinking either worn rack or rag joint. Any ideas?

There are several things which could keep the wheels from coming back to straight after making a corner. They are:

1. Steering column universal joint needing lubrication.
2. Damaged or loose tie rod ends.
3. Lower arm ball joints worn or dry on grease.
4. Front end out of alignment

The U joint between the column and the steering gear could be binding. Since it's the last 20% that doesn't return to neutral I think you've got some components in the steering that need lubrication or are worn out.


You've replaced the tie rods and they were probably greased and sealed at the factory. However, if they have grease fittings they should be lubricated.

Most often, when the wheel doesn't return to straight ahead after a turn it is the lower ball joints that are worn out and dry on grease. They support the total weight of the front of the vehicle and if stuck could cause problems.

If the front end alignment is off it could cause they problem you describe.

Thanks for the help. So you are thinking lower ball joints more than steering rack. I noticed that you did not even mention steering rack in your post. So that is not a major concern for this problem?

Also, while trying to figure out what is wrong, we noticed one other clue. Maybe related or not. If we turn the wheel a little bit back and forth, we can hear a slight clunk. The tires do not appear to be turning. So additionally there is a bit of play in the steering wheel still. Not sure if this matters or not. Really just want to fix the return to center problem.

I will look at the lower ball joints again. I am pretty certian they are factory and no zerts, but I will check that too.

The rack is mounted onto the firewall with bolts going into rubber mounts. These have been known to loosen over time. If you can get your hand in there grab it to see if it is loose on the firewall. If you can put the car up on jacks you can check for loose/worn parts by letting the steering wheel lock and by moving the tire from left to right. Any loose parts should be able to be seen. If you have play, but can't see any components that are worn, then, the rack and pinion is probably worn. If there are any torn or missing rubber boots on the rack that is probably where the problem is.