87 caravan steering problems

My step-daughter has just 'inherited' an 87 caravan, thats been off
the road for some time from a recently deceased reletive.

i drove it home and noticed a 'dead spot' in the steering. witht he
wheels stright, and the steering wheel lineed up, rotating left
happens straight away, rotating right seems to do nothing for 1/4 turn
and then it turns.

I've had it up, and down, and can't see anything wrong, causing it,
and the wheels are moving together 9one isn't moving before the
other). Its almost as if the pinion gear is slipping on the rack over
that 1/4 turn. Has anyone experianced this sort of thing before, any
ideas what it is, and what would need to be replaced?

 

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It sounds as if the steering rack is going bad.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

Thats what i suspected. it felt like the pinion was missing a tooth. I
see the replacement rack is about $75 at Advance, how hard is it to
replace?

 

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Very easy to replace on a lift in the air. I have never done one on the
ground

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

 

Glenn, I am trying to find a place that will flush the steering system
on my 1990 Spirit. I figure that there is a lot of moisture collected
in the system after this much time. I cannot find an independent shop
that will do it. I would do it myself, but there is not very much room
to disconnect the line from the P/S pump.

Is this something that most if not all dealers can do?

-KM

 

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There is a machine that is used for power steering flush but me personally I
believe it is a waste of money. All it does it put fluid in the reservoir
with one hose while another sucks it out.
More then likely you have a seal problem that is blocking the fluid flow.
The only fix is to replace the rack.

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech