Play in steering wheel after alignment?

Ahmed Awad

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Brought my 2004 Ls v8 in for what I thought sounded like a power steering pump. They told me the rack and pinion was broken. They put in a new rack and control arms and gave it an alignment, now I have play in the steering wheel and it’s also off center a little to the right when I’m going straight I’m guessing the play in the wheel caused the wheel to be off during the alignment. But my question is what could be causing this about inch play in the wheel

I attached a video of the play

 
There are several possibilities, but my guess is that the rebuilt rack is most or all of the problem.

Was it really the [lower?] control arms they replaced, or was it the tie-rod ends?
 
There are several possibilities, but my guess is that the rebuilt rack is most or all of the problem.

Was it really the [lower?] control arms they replaced, or was it the tie-rod ends?

Actually looking at the quote it was the outer tie rods they also replaced, not control arms.

They said the play was something in the steering colum that needs to be replaced but at this point I think they’re trying to get more money out of me.
 
...They said the play was something in the steering colum that needs to be replaced but at this point I think they’re trying to get more money out of me.

There is a flex disc sort of coupling in the steering column under the dash. My BMW had one of these, but it was in the engine compartment, near the rack. It did wear out and produced a lot of play that was cleared up when I replaced it. All that said, I haven't known one of these to wear out on an LS yet. If the play wasn't there before the rack replacement, I think that it is safe to say it is in the rack.
If you can get someone to help you, watch the steering shaft where it goes into the rack while someone is moving the wheel to the extents of the play, but no further. If the shaft isn't moving, then it could be the coupler. If it is, then it's the rack or the tie-rods. From what I have heard, the rack is the more likely. I've heard about a lot of bad rack rebuilds.
 
There is a flex disc sort of coupling in the steering column under the dash. My BMW had one of these, but it was in the engine compartment, near the rack. It did wear out and produced a lot of play that was cleared up when I replaced it. All that said, I haven't known one of these to wear out on an LS yet. If the play wasn't there before the rack replacement, I think that it is safe to say it is in the rack.
If you can get someone to help you, watch the steering shaft where it goes into the rack while someone is moving the wheel to the extents of the play, but no further. If the shaft isn't moving, then it could be the coupler. If it is, then it's the rack or the tie-rods. From what I have heard, the rack is the more likely. I've heard about a lot of bad rack rebuilds.

Seems like you should insist that they fix it especially since it drifts right and steering wheel is not centered and there's play. I'm assuming none of these issues were present when you brought it in?
Also if you do the test joegr recommends above be sure to heed his warning to turn it no further that extent of play. Don't turn it too far or you'll end up replacing the clock spring too. Dont ask me how I know this.
 
... Don't turn it too far or you'll end up replacing the clock spring too. Dont ask me how I know this.

Just to clarify here, the test I am recommending is to be done without disconnecting anything. The reason not to turn past the extent of the play is to avoid a false result. There is no danger of damaging anything.
 
Thanks for all your insite I will defiantly be going back and having them relook at everything and at least realign the wheels with the wheel centered properly. I shouldn’t have gone to this shop in the first place they do sloppy work noticed a lug nut missing and they swore it wasn’t there before having the rack replaced, lol 2$ part you’d think they’d replace it for me instead of blaming it on me after I paid so much for the rack and tie rods in the first place..
 

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