QuestionI own a 1988 Chrysler LeBaron GTS Turbo and have recently ran into some problems with the steering. I can turn left just fine, however when I turn the wheel right, the tires hardly move at all (I have to crank the steering wheel all the way right just to get them to move).
I noticed that the CV boot on the right front side has come off. I inspected it and it doesn't look damaged, it seems like it just slipped off.
Another thing to note is that at certain times I can turn right fine...it seems like an intermittent problem. I have noticed something leaking under the car, but have yet to determine what it is (I'm guessing from the CV boot?).
I would appreciate any help or suggestions that you may have. Thanks!
AnswerHi Merle,
I can't tell you definitely what is causing the difference between the action turning left vs turning right, but it is such a significant matter that I would take the car to a wheel allignment shop and ask them to look at it and give you a diagnosis. You don't want to loose steering control at any time. The rack and pinion may be the source of the problem and you may have a leaky unit or some mechanical wear that is causing this.
On the CV, the boots are held by circumferential clamps at each end and if the boot is not torn you might be able to just put it back and re-clamp it. Look at the other side for an idea of exactly where it should be positioned. However you will want to add some grease to the joint before you put the boot back on because you probably lost a lot of it, and the joint will wear out if it isn't greased. There is cv joint grease for this purpose. The leak under the car could be cv boot grease, or it might be power steering fluid if you have a bad rack and pinion unit.
Roland
