Steering is an integral part of any car. Thanks to this node, the vehicle can change the direction of the trajectory. The system consists of many elements. The main component is its backlash is unacceptable. About malfunctions and signs of breakdown of this mechanism - later in our article.
Characteristic
The steering performs several functions:
- Increases the effort that is applied to the steering wheel.
- Transmits torque to the wheels through the drive.
- Produces an independent return of the steering wheel to the neutral position.
The main component of this mechanism is the gearbox. It has its own gear ratio (for each car this parameter is different). At the moment, a rack and pinion is used. Previously, manufacturers used a worm and screw assembly.
Why is rake so popular? This mechanism is characterized by a simple device and high efficiency. Due to its design features, it can be installed on cars with front and also on cars with independent suspension.
Symptoms
How to determine that backlash is out of order is not the only sign. So, when turning the steering wheel, the driver exerts more effort than required. Of course, there are some nuances here (after all, there are drives with and without an amplifier). So, on a hydraulically driven one, you will notice a characteristic hum of the pump. Sometimes this is accompanied by leakage of working fluid from the reservoir. As far as mechanical drives are concerned, the turning sound will remain the same. However, the steering will become noticeably tighter. This is the first sign that the steering rack has failed. Backlash during rotation of the wheels can occur on both types of drive - mechanical and hydraulic. Another reason is the rail gland leak. In this case, characteristic streaks will be visible on the node, as in the photo below.
This indicates that the drive mechanism has become unusable. The problem is solved by installing a new oil seal / boot or replacing the element assembly.
Why is backlash formed?
In most cases, this problem is related to the condition of the road surface. After all, every bump is taken over not only by the suspension, but also by the steering mechanism. So, with frequent driving through the pits, play of the steering rack shaft is observed. Much depends on driving style. To save the rail as much as possible, you need to brake well in front of the pits. But even this does not guarantee that a backlash will not appear soon. Riding through concrete joints and other bumps just ruin the rail. The load on the gearbox increases tenfold. After 10-15 years, steering problems appear on the car. By the way, upon reaching this period, foreign automakers recommend changing the rail. But the problem is that it is very difficult to find a new part for such an old car. And repair kits do not always save. How to eliminate play in the steering rack? One of the surest ways is the so-called tightening of the steering mechanism. Of course, the resource of the gearbox will not increase from this. However, for a while, you can forget about the constant twitching of the steering wheel and ride in comfort.
What is the norm
Manufacturers have set a standard at which backlash is considered normal. So, this figure is not more than ten degrees. This can be measured at the service station, using a backlash meter. This tool is shown in the photo below.
The device is mounted on the steering wheel and wheels.
When they rotate, the free gap is determined. If it is higher than normal (that is, more than ten degrees), the steering rack play needs to be adjusted. This operation, unlike measurements, can be done by hand. Below we will look at how to do this.
How is the steering rack tightened?
Play, which is higher than normal, can be reduced by adjusting the gear mechanism. To do this, tighten the corresponding screw. It is located in the end cap of the rack. For convenience, use a pit or overpass. In extreme cases, you can use a jack (in any case, we need access to the rail from the bottom of the car). So, we expose exactly the front wheels and proceed to the tightening.
First make a mark and remove the locknut. The 18 key tightens the steering rack. The backlash should gradually decrease. It is important not to make sudden movements. First, we twist the bolt 15-20 degrees. Check steering response. If the result is not satisfactory, repeat the procedure again. Ideally, after tightening, you need to make a test drive. The sound of the rack should disappear, and when turning the steering wheel should easily return to its place.
Underwater rocks
What problems can a motorist face when performing steering tightening operations? The first is the angle of rotation. The tighter the rack, the lower the degree of rotation of the front wheels. Accordingly, the maneuverability of the car is reduced. The second point is the efforts applied to rotate the steering wheel. The tighter the nut is tightened, the tighter the steering wheel. This is especially noticeable on cars with a mechanical type of drive (these are domestic "dozens", "trenashki" and foreign cars of the early 90s). As for machines with hydraulic booster, here the load increases on the pump. Fluid pressure will increase inside the system. It is possible that the hose or cuffs will leak. If you feel that the steering wheel has become very tight and weakly returns to the neutral position, you need to loosen the nut. Riding on a heavily tightened rail is not recommended. This will cause wear on a number of other elements.
Is it effective?
Statistics say that tightening the steering rack gearbox really helps to remove play. However, in 20 percent of cases, the problem is not solved. First of all, this is due to the high wear of the drive gear pair itself.
This is a gear rack and gears. Also, the reasons for the backlash may be the wear of the tie rod joints or a loose mount of the steering arm. Therefore, the adjustment of the rail does not always give an effective result. So, in the presence of such symptoms, experts recommend checking the condition of the front suspension units. There must be no play on the tie rods, ball joint and suspension arms. At the same time it is recommended to check the shock absorber. His stock should walk properly. On a MacPherson type suspension, its replacement is complicated by the fact that the element is assembled with a spring. For its dismantling, a special press is used.
Conclusion
So, we found out how to remove play in the steering rack, why it occurs and what are the adjustment pitfalls. This mechanism directly affects traffic safety. Therefore, if a malfunction is detected, do not postpone repair or adjustment of the steering rack.
Changing the direction of the car is the main purpose of steering. The mechanism ensures the movement of the car in a given direction.
The backlash of the VAZ 2109 steering wheel is an unpleasant source of knocks and uncontrollability of the car. How to eliminate the steering play in the VAZ 2109 with your own hands, this article suggests that you read this article.
Steering units of a car VAZ 2109
The main components of steering:
- steering mechanism. It increases and transmits a certain force to the drive for the steering wheel. This force is transmitted to the driver.
On the diagram:
- 1 - steering wheel.
- 2 - shaft with a drive gear at the end.
- 3 — .
- 4 - steering rods.
- 5 - rotary levers.
- 6 - drive wheels.
Turning the steering wheel by the driver rotates the gear, it causes the rack to move left or right. Then the rack transfers the force that comes to the steering wheel to its drive.
- Another steering unit is its drive. On the VAZ 2109, it is equipped with two rods that transmit force to the levers, leading to the rotation of the telescopic racks located on the wheel suspensions. Racks turn the wheels left or right.
Causes of backlash
If, while driving, the vehicle starts:
- Reacts to his actions with some delay.
- They are difficult to manage.
- The front wheels do not turn well with a sharp turn of the steering wheel when the car is stationary.
Such troubles indicate the presence of increased play in the steering wheel - a gap between the elements in the control system, the formation of which is associated with rotational movements.
The reasons due to which steering play appeared on the VAZ 2109 can be:
- Untimely or poor-quality lubrication causes wear of parts.
- Incorrectly adjusted or loosened fastening of the steering rods and elements of the steering mechanism.
- The pressure in the chambers of the front wheels has decreased or there is no air.
- Received the deformation of the steering rods.
- Driving at high speed on a bad road.
- Large variable loads.
Tip: The gap must be removed as soon as possible, otherwise it can lead to irreparable consequences. The steering wheel play of the VAZ 2109 should not be more than ten degrees. When checking the backlash on a vehicle with power steering, the engine must be running.
How to measure steering wheel play
The instruction indicates that in order to measure the backlash of the VAZ 21093 steering wheel, you need to purchase a backlash meter.
If not, then this operation can be carried out in a simple way:
- The front wheels are placed in the straight ahead position.
Tip: You need to pay attention to the position of the drive wheels. If it corresponds to a straight-line movement, but the steering wheel spokes are not in a horizontal position, then there is a violation in the angles of the wheels, there are defects in the suspension or steering.
- The ruler is installed so that its end rests against, the lever for switching the headlights is touched by its middle part, and the plane of the ruler touches the outer surface of the steering wheel rim, as shown in the photo.
- Without changing the position of the ruler, the steering wheel turns in either direction before the front wheels begin to turn.
- A mark is applied to the steering wheel rim in this position, the wire can be fixed.
- Without changing the position of the ruler, the steering wheel turns the other way until the front wheels begin to turn.
- A second mark is applied, the wire is fixed again.
- The distance between the marks along the rim is measured. Its value should not exceed the calculated value.
Backlash is converted into linear units (millimeters) using the formula:
L=(5°360°)hD, where
L - clearance in millimeters of the steering wheel;
h = 3.14;
D is the outer diameter of the rudder, mm. For a regular steering wheel, it is 400 millimeters.
Then L=(5°/360°)x3.14x400=17 (mm)
5 ° 360 ° - the optimal play of the steering wheel.
- If the distance L is greater, and it is not possible to bring it by adjustment, then it is necessary to carry out a further check of the steering in order to determine the reason why the free play has increased.
The backlash of the steering wheel up and down the VAZ 21093 appears due to a crack in the steering bracket. Therefore, to remove it, you need to replace or repair the bracket.
You may need to replace the screws that hold it in place. How to determine the steering play on a VAZ 2109 car can be clearly seen in the video.
If an increased gap is detected, faults must be found and eliminated.
For this:
- The reliability of fixation to the frame of the rudder crater on the steering wheel shaft is checked. If necessary, you need to fix them.
- The reliability of the steering wheel on the shaft is checked by rocking it perpendicular to the plane of rotation. In the presence of pitching, you need to tighten the nuts securing it.
Before the trip, it is imperative to check the car in order to avoid an emergency and victims later. No repair cost will be higher than the cost of a human life.
With unreliable and bad driving, a car can become a death machine when innocent people get hurt.
Many domestic motorists, including the owners of the VAZ "seven", are familiar with such a steering defect, which is the steering wheel play. It is especially clearly felt when the car is moving at high speed in a straight line. A common way to identify the symptoms of this malfunction is a sharp turn of the steering wheel. In the event that it (the turn) is accompanied by a knock, there is a backlash in the VAZ 2107 steering wheel.
The article brought to your attention will discuss the sequence of actions performed in the process of checking the technical condition of the steering mechanism, as well as in the implementation of adjustment measures.
Control of the amount of free play (backlash) of the steering wheel
I. Preparatory measures for checking the free play of the steering wheel include installing the vehicle on a flyover (inspection hole), bringing the tire pressure to the level recommended by the manufacturer, and selecting an assistant.
II. By swinging the steering wheel to the right and left, we determine the magnitude of the angle of rotation until the moment the wheels start to turn. It should not exceed (in each direction) 50. In addition, if the turning force is more than 20 kgf, or 196 N, this is a sign of a violation of the normal engagement of the elements of the steering gearbox (hereinafter referred to as RM).
Adjusting the engagement of the steering gear elements:
I. We set the wheels of the vehicle to a position corresponding to straight-line movement.
II. We clean the RM crankcase cover from dirt and grease leaks.
III. Using a screwdriver, remove the cap protecting the adjusting screw.
IV. By means of a key on "19" we weaken a nut of fixing of an adjusting screw.
V. The assistant performs energetic swinging of the steering wheel left and right.
VI. By turning the adjusting screw, we correct the amount of free play (reducing the force applied to the steering wheel) by increasing (decreasing) the engagement gap. Clockwise rotation ensures its (gap) decrease, counter-clockwise - increase.
VII. Using a slotted screwdriver, fix the adjusting screw while tightening the nut. Install the protective cap in place.
VIII. We check the turning force at the extreme left (right) position of the front wheels, which allows us to find out the true degree of wear of the gear worm. If necessary, we correct the engagement of the elements of the RM gearbox in one of the extreme positions of the wheels.
IX. The implementation of the above measures ensures the backlash of the VAZ 2107 steering wheel within the limits specified by the manufacturer.
Video - How to eliminate steering play
Backlash is a term in mechanics that implies the presence of free play in an element of a mechanical system. It is a parameter by which one can judge the amount of movement of the node mentioned above in order to receive a response from another - controlled node.
In other words, the size of the backlash is characterized as the amount of rotation or displacement of the controlled element, which does not lead to any changes in the object.
In the case of a car, u is the steering angle at which the car continues to move in the same direction.
What is meant by total steering wheel play?
Another term that needs to be considered is "total backlash". By this is meant the total angle, the countdown of which starts at the extreme position of the steering wheel on one side, when the turn begins, to the opposite position, when the car starts moving in the other direction.
To understand the principles of operation of the total backlash, it is important to understand the design and operation of the control system. Based on the technical component, the principle of the backlash has the following form.
In the transmission of steering rods there is a rod, which is fixed with a small gap of one or two millimeters.
This distance is necessary to protect the steering gears from wear due to excessive friction.
The presence of a gap is a technological solution that allows you to keep the hook in the required position and not touch the surface of the teeth.
For the driver, this parameter represents the steering wheel free play, which allows to get more precise control of the car and to feel at what point the direction of the vehicle is changing.
In essence, this is the total distance that the steering wheel travels before the car goes to the left or right.
Many mistakenly consider this phenomenon to be negative and try to get rid of it. You should not do this, because steering play is the norm for every car. Another thing is that it must have a strictly defined value.
An interesting pattern can be traced here - the larger the dimensions of the car, the higher the backlash indicator.
In the process of measuring the total backlash, a number of conditions must be met:
- The front wheels are in a neutral position and are on a hard (asphalt or concrete) surface.
- Steering wheel tires are dry and clean.
- The car engine is running. This is true if the operation of the power steering is being tested.
- The tension of the power steering pump drive belt, as well as the level of the working fluid, must comply with the requirements approved by the manufacturer.
The total backlash is checked by measuring the angle of rotation of the control wheel between the fixed positions of the movement change to the left and right.
To obtain accurate parameters, the measurement is made from two or more times.
What is the beginning of the steering wheel turn?
In addition to the above, there is another term that you need to know about - the beginning of the turn of the steered wheel.
This parameter hides the angle of rotation of the wheel by 0.06 degrees with an error of 0.01 degrees in one direction and the other.
The parameter is measured when pushing away from the position of rectilinear motion.
Permissible backlash in cars
The SDA prescribes the normalized indicators of the total backlash for various cars. In addition, this parameter should not exceed the figures specified in the documentation for the operation of the machine.
If there are no special recommendations in the manufacturer's papers, the backlash should be as follows:
- For passenger cars, as well as bus and truck units made on their basis - 10;
- For buses - 20;
- For trucks -25 .
- For VAZ-2106, 2107, 2110, 21213 - 5;
- For Gazelle 3302 - 20 (passenger version) and 25 (truck).
Causes of a large backlash
An explanation for the increase in backlash can be changes in the design features of the steering, as well as the destruction of their elements.
The main reasons include:
Generally speaking, backlash occurs when there is a malfunction in the chain between the steering wheel and the wheels.
To find out the reason, it is necessary to go through the entire chain and identify “weak” points. The main thing is to make sure that we are talking about increased free play, and not about other problems.
Other causes of steering play include:
- Wear or incorrect adjustment of the engagement of the "worm" and the roller mechanism.
- Worn pendulum arm axle or bushings.
- Loose crankcase fasteners.
Signs of breakdown
As noted above, in order to effectively eliminate a malfunction, it must be diagnosed in a timely manner. To do this, it is enough to know the signs of play in the steering.
The main symptoms include:
- The appearance of a knock in the steering mechanism;
- Increased vibrations while driving;
- Creaking when turning the wheels;
- Deviation from the given trajectory with the direct position of the steering wheel.
When adjusting the steering play, you should take into account the manufacturer's recommendations and traffic rules.
The configured parameter should not exceed the upper limit, but it is also not worth underestimating the indicator.
Too little steering wheel play can lead to additional discomfort and poor vehicle handling.
At the same time, the appearance of a small backlash should not be ignored, because over time this parameter may increase, and then it will be more difficult to deal with the problem.
Yes, and it’s inconvenient to drive a car when you constantly have to “catch the road” and turn the steering wheel in one direction or the other.
Diagnosis of the problem and the instruments used
To determine if the parameter is within the norm, you need to do a little check.
To make sure there is a problem, you can use a special device - a backlash meter.
With it, you can check the total (total) play in the system.
One of the options for the device is K 524 M or ISL-M, which can be used by ordinary car owners and professionals at service stations.
With the help of a backlash meter, it is possible to determine the amount of free play in just three minutes, including taking into account the installation and removal of the device.
The algorithm of actions for diagnosing steering play is as follows:
- Start the engine (it should idle);
- Place the front wheels parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine. At the same time, make sure that the hydraulic booster is working;
- Turn the steering wheel in one direction and then in the other direction. At this moment, fix the moments when the front wheels begin to scroll in the required direction. The distance that the steering wheel travels between these gaps is called backlash (free play).
Such a check is considered an excellent option for drivers who need accurate and fast information.
It doesn't matter how the problem was diagnosed. If the play in the steering exceeds the norm, it must be eliminated.
How to troubleshoot: basic methods
To adjust the steering, you will need a standard set of tools that allow you to adjust the mount.
If a manual measurement or the K 524 M device showed an unsuitable result, it is worth doing the following:
- Try adjusting the screws that reinforce the universal joints. You can find these elements on the steering shaft.
- Set the required parameter using the hinge adjusting screw.
- Check the amount of play. If the free play remains above the norm, it is necessary to look for another reason.
- Tighten the adjusting nut on the steering rack (if provided), this will eliminate the gaps between the toothed bar and the drive gear, which may be the cause of the play.
The next step in the adjustment may be to adjust the tie rod joints.
It is more difficult to do this in a garage, because a flyover, a viewing hole or a lift will be required to complete the work.
With a high probability, you will see that the hinges are damaged, and this indicates the need to tighten the screws. In addition, it is worth stretching the tie rods.
If the backlash cannot be eliminated by the methods described above, there is only one solution left - to disassemble the steering mechanism and change the failed parts.
In the absence of the necessary experience and knowledge, you can contact experienced specialists at the service station.
4 years ago
Welcome!
Steering wheel play is a fairly common problem in almost all cars, especially cars of the "Classic" family. Backlash can occur for various reasons, ranging from a banal collision with a bump and ending with a malfunction in the steering system itself, so in order to remove the backlash you will have to make efforts that you will appreciate in the future.
Note!
To adjust the backlash, you will need to stock up: A screwdriver and, moreover, a “17” wrench!
Summary:
What can cause backlash?
In fact, it occurs for various reasons, some of them were described above. But if there is a backlash, this may be to blame: Weakened or heavily worn steering gear mount, as well as the pendulum lever and the steering rods themselves.
Note!
Before sinning on all these items of the steering mechanism, it is first recommended to check and, if possible, correct the increased clearance that can be found in the engagement of the roller with the steering gear worm - we will deal with this adjustment!
How to adjust the backlash, it is also free play at the helm on a VAZ 2101-VAZ 2107?
Note!
It is better to do the work with an assistant, as it is much easier and more convenient!
1) First, remove the protective cap that covers the column adjusting screw.
2) Then, loosen the adjusting screw nut (Indicated by the red arrow) with the “17” wrench. The nut must be loosened so that the washer located under this nut can be lifted (Indicated by the blue arrow).
Next, when the nut is loosened, ask your assistant to drive into your car and sharply turn the steering wheel several times in different directions, at this time you screw in the adjusting screw indicated by the green arrow with a screwdriver.
Note!
Do this until the play at the steering wheel is within the normal range. And also, do not tighten the adjusting screw too much, otherwise, because of this, the steering wheel can start to spin very hard!
Note!
After the performed operations, check the free play of the steering wheel if the steering wheel is hard to turn, then slightly loosen the adjusting screw by loosening the nut for this. In the event that, after completion of the work, the steering play remains the same or has shifted but not significantly, and if turning the steering wheel is accompanied by a creak and clicks, then in this case, repair it in a car repair shop or replace the steering gear with a new one!
The steering mechanism is a very thin thing and therefore it is not recommended to repair it yourself, because if the assembly is incorrect, the mechanism may jam on the road and the car will stop responding to steering movements!
Question?
How do you adjust steering wheel play? (Write your answer in the comments)
Additional video clip:
You can watch a more detailed adjustment of the free play of the steering wheel in the video clip which is located just below:
