TED NEAL'S AUTOMOTIVE TROUBLESHOOTING HELP SITE. I have 35 years experience and my associate, Dave McConnell, has 22 years experience. Let me know what the trouble is and we'll do our best to help you out.

SUSPENSION TROUBLESHOOTING TIPS For many car enthusiasts, a car that isn't up to today's handling standards can sometimes taint the joy of ownership. Some owners are known to comment that they "love everything about their car, except the way it steers". A good rack & pinion kit is the cure for the poor steering problems of your car. To troubleshoot a suspension system, one needs patience and car repair knowledge of the factory gear box. By using a more direct gearing system than the factory steering box one can enable a more efficient transfer of energy. As you auto repair turn the steering wheel the steering shaft turns the pinion gear. The pinion gear is in direct contact with the rack gear. The centerlink, which the inner tie-rods bolt to, is bolted directly into the rack gear. This simplified gearing system gives the steering a tight, direct feel that the factory steering box is incapable of. It also makes future troubleshooting simpler. Car problems repair and diagnosis. The factory steering box uses a worm and sector gearing system that is very susceptible to wear. As the worm gear turns, the contact edges slide along the surface of the sector gear and consequently wear these surfaces down. After auto repair some use this sliding action creates slack between the gears, making it hard to troubleshoot which translates into unwanted "play" at the steering wheel. This "play" creates a delay in the control of the front wheels. A car problem related to vibration is often centered around the pinion alignment. A pinion and rack gear are less susceptible to wear. As the pinion gear turns it pushes against the rack gear which reduces the sliding action. Reduced wear insures increased precision by maintaining a tight fit. This precision provides immediate auto repair control and feedback from the front wheels. A quicker ratio means fewer turns of the steering wheel while maintaining the same turning radius. Troubleshooting factory steering systems were slow, responding to 4 turns. A more sensitive steering system will get you pointed in the right direction in less time. You will enjoy quicker turning response and more avoidance of car problems related to suspension. Copyright 2000. Ted Neal, Inc. Please e-mail me if you have any questions about this website or would like to suggest a link. Thank you.