During the movement of a vehicle, very often there is a need to adjust the direction of movement: for example, when turning and turning, changing lanes, overtaking, ahead, detour, etc. The steering system provides the vehicle with these maneuvers. During the operation of the car, its components and assemblies become unusable. Steering malfunctions are one of the most pressing issues of the technical condition of transport.
Signs and causes of malfunctions: technical aspect
The unfavorable condition of roads (especially Russian ones), the driver’s disregard for the rules of operation of his vehicle (violation of the frequency of maintenance, low quality of components), lack of qualifications in carrying out technical and service maintenance and the prohibitive service life of the vehicle lead to unstable operation of the control system. 
The most common symptom of a bad steering system is play in the steering wheel. According to the technical specifications, backlash is a non-working (or “idle”) stage of the unit’s functioning. For example, when the steering wheel is turned to a certain angle, the control wheels do not move until a certain moment. This is backlash.
The main reasons for this dysfunction are:
- wear of the so-called “ball” joints (steering rod ends);
- wear of the steering mechanism (worm-roller or pinion-rack pairs);
- Steering shaft bearing wear.
Backlash, therefore, occurs primarily as a consequence of long-term use of the vehicle.
The second type of malfunction is knocking and beating of the steering wheel, which are very often caused by wear of the notorious “ball” and destruction of the bearing on the steering shaft. 
Some of the malfunctions are determined by problems in the functioning of the hydraulic, electric or pneumatic power steering associated with wear of the components of this subsystem (loss of the tightness of the mechanism, destruction of pump or compressor parts, etc.).
Elimination of these problems usually involves replacing worn and damaged parts. Therefore, it is advisable to carry out repairs with the involvement of highly specialized car service professionals.
Malfunctions: legal aspect
Unstable operation of the control system, according to experts, is a serious factor destabilizing road traffic. Indeed, such a condition of the car seriously affects road safety. The driver is deprived of the ability to adequately control the trajectory of his vehicle, which can lead to loss of control and, as a consequence, disastrous consequences. 
This determines the effect of the following legal norm prescribed in the traffic rules: the driver is strictly prohibited from driving with such defects. If they occur, you must stop immediately and try to eliminate them on the spot. If this is not possible, you should stop using the car.
The specified steering malfunctions are provided for by a special regulatory legal act - “Basic provisions for the approval of a vehicle for operation...”.
- The total play in the steering of the car exceeds the established values: for passenger cars - 10 degrees; for buses and trucks – 20 and 25 (respectively).
- There are movements of components and parts of the system that are not provided for by the design of the car.
- There is loose threaded connections.
- The power steering provided by the design is missing or in a faulty condition.
Even a cursory analysis of this list of faults will allow us to draw a conclusion about their extremely negative role in ensuring road safety. Serious administrative sanctions for driving a faulty vehicle also seem quite justified. The Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation provides for the removal of the driver from driving a car, the detention of the latter, the prohibition of its operation, associated with the removal of state registration marks from the car, as well as an administrative fine in the amount of 500 rubles.
Let's sum it up
Any malfunction of the vehicle can, with varying degrees of probability, affect its handling. However, steering instability is recognized as one of the most serious, in the presence of which the operation of the car is strictly prohibited. Qualified repairs, timely service, high quality components, gentle driving conditions are the most effective means of maintaining the control system in proper condition.
The importance of the steering system of a car is not worth mentioning once again, since it is already clear to everyone that it plays a key role in driving safety. That is why you should not neglect regular inspection and repair of all parts of this system, because frequent use leads to wear and tear of even the most reliable components and assemblies. The most common symptom of a malfunction is the phenomenon of steering wheel play. Any motorist who is more or less literate and knowledgeable about traffic rules should be familiar with this term in order to be able, if desired, to diagnose and fix the problem in a timely manner.
In order to understand how the total play in the steering works, you need to understand a little about the design of the steering system. From a technical point of view, it can be described something like this: in the transmission of steering rods there is a rod that is not fixed tightly, with a gap of 1-2 millimeters. If it were not for this distance, then all the parts involved would wear out much faster, as a result of strong friction. The gap allows you to hold the hook without coming into contact with the walls of the gear teeth - this is where the backlash arises.
From the driver's perspective, play is defined as the free movement of the steering wheel necessary to obtain the response of the element of the system that you control (in our case, the front wheels). Simply put, this is the distance that the steering wheel travels before the car makes a certain maneuver. This phenomenon cannot be called negative, since minimal play is present in the control of any car and increases in proportion to the size of the vehicle.
However, after a long period of operation, the backlash increases to a dangerous level, when the car stops listening and responds late to the driver’s “commands”.
If you do not react in time and do not carry out an inspection, at best you will face expensive repairs, at worst - according to the traffic rules, your car becomes a potential source of danger on the road.
Causes of backlash
You need to look for the cause of the play, of course, in the design of the steering system:
In general, backlash is almost always provoked by some kind of malfunction in the steering wheel-rack-traction-wheel chain. In order to identify the cause, you need to go through each link, carefully check the details and identify where and what was not tightened - since it is precisely this element that is stopping the work of the control. But in order not to confuse the backlash with any other faults, you need to study its practical symptoms.
Signs
If the car’s chassis becomes less and less sensitive to your influences, then it’s time to analyze the problems that have arisen in the control. The maximum permissible free play of the steering wheel is 30 millimeters, or 10 degrees, according to traffic regulations. Any deviations from the norm are considered malfunctions.
In order to determine whether the backlash fits within this parameter, you need to do a small check:
Although in fact it doesn’t matter what exactly helped you diagnose the problem - the 524 play meter, some other model of this device, or simple measuring tools. If the problem is identified, you need to fix it.
How to remove
In order to adjust the steering, you will need a few simple tools that will allow you to adjust the mounts.
If the K 524 M play meter shows an undesirable result, you should try adjusting the universal joint reinforcement screws. These elements are located on the steering shaft. To do this, we find the hinge adjustment screw and set the acceptable value. Then the check is repeated, and if the free play is still exceeded, then the reason is different.
If the readings on the backlash meter are too high, it is also recommended to adjust the steering rod joints. But this will be more difficult to do, since you will need a lift or a room with an inspection hole. Most likely, you will find that the hinges are “broken,” which means their fastenings need tightening. You can also tighten the tie rods.
Sometimes the condition of the parts leaves no other options but to completely disassemble the steering mechanism and replace worn elements. In this case, it is better to turn to the services of a professional auto repair shop so as not to damage the system due to inexperience.
A modern car is a complex set of components and mechanisms that, unfortunately, are subject to wear and tear. The steering wheel control system wears out especially quickly due to the fact that most of its components operate under extreme conditions; a malfunction occurs, such as play in the steering. First of all, you need to keep in mind that its elimination should not be put off for a long time, since we are talking about damage associated with a danger to the lives of not only the driver and passengers, but also other road users. And so, let’s look at the reasons why this malfunction occurs, and also find out how to remove the total play in the steering column.
Steering design
The design of the steering system in modern cars is almost the same for most models produced; there are only minor differences.
- Steering wheel.
- Cardan-type intermediate joint.
- Steering gear.
- Left and right pulls.
- Internal and external tips.
- Adjustment rods.
Principle of operation
To understand what steering play is, consider the principle of operation of steering systems in a modern car. The steering wheel is connected through a cardan joint to a mechanism that is a hollow (usually duralumin) tube, inside of which there is a gear rack moved by a gear connected to the cardan joint. The rack is connected through internal tips to rods, which are connected through external hinges to the steering arms on the front suspension struts. Thus, any movement of the rack leads to the rotation of the wheels and any play in the steering can lead to serious consequences from a delayed reaction to movement to a complete loss of control of the car.
Reasons for play in the steering:
- poor tightening of the steering wheel nut;
- wear of spline joints;
- wear of the cardan joints of the intermediate shaft;
- loosening of the steering mechanism to the body;
- increased gap between the rack and gear in the mechanism;
- tip wear;
- wear of the rubber-metal hinges securing the rods to the mechanism or weakening of their fastening bolts;
- loosening the adjusting rods.
The play may be accompanied by a knocking sound in the steering column, which may indicate wear of parts.
Causes of steering play
It is quite easy for a car enthusiast to independently determine the causes of backlash. To do this, you need to place the car on a flat area, open the hood, set the wheels in a position corresponding to straight-line movement and sharply turn the steering wheel in both directions at a small angle (for this you will need an assistant) and use your hand to feel all the components, due to a malfunction of which, play occurs in steering control. Your hand will immediately feel the faulty unit by the characteristic shift when the wheel rocks.
Loosening the nut
The most “harmless” reason for the appearance of acceptable play in the steering wheel is the weakening of the steering wheel fastening due to the loosening of the steering wheel fastening nut. To eliminate this malfunction, it is enough to remove its decorative trim and, using a socket wrench of the appropriate size, tighten the nut to the recommended torque. On most modern cars, an airbag module is installed in the steering wheel trim, which will need to be removed to provide access to the mounting nut. Therefore, all work must be carried out with special care, disconnecting the terminals from the battery.
Loosening the steering wheel nut leads to a more unpleasant problem - due to its rotation on the axle, the splines at the joint begin to wear out, which leads to loss of control. Repairs, which involve mandatory replacement of damaged parts, in this case must be carried out immediately. Wear of the universal joints on the intermediate shaft leads to the so-called “gear effect”, which manifests itself in the fact that when the steering wheel rotates, it periodically rubs. This malfunction leads to deterioration in vehicle controllability, especially at high speeds. In this case, it is necessary to replace the intermediate shaft.
Another reason that causes play in the steering wheel is loosening of the steering mechanism to the body or sedimentation of the rubber gaskets between the steering mechanism and the body. If this problem occurs, it is necessary to tighten the nuts securing the mechanism, or replace worn rubber parts. Increased clearance in the rack gears also does not bode well. It appears due to the deterioration of the contact surfaces of the rack and gear. Also, in this mechanism, the gaps between the rack and the guides relatively often increase. Moreover, the wear process accelerates significantly if the integrity of the protective anthers is damaged.
Wear of rod ends
Particularly dangerous is play in the steering, which is caused by wear on the outer rod ends. The rod ends are perhaps the most vulnerable point in the entire control system. This happens because they work in difficult conditions, constantly exposed to water, dirt, etc.
The seriousness of the malfunction is that the result is a significant increase in the axial and radial clearances in the ball joint of the tip, and, ultimately, it collapses, causing the car to lose control. It is not difficult to predict the consequences of such a malfunction, especially at high speed. In such cases, you must immediately contact a car repair shop to replace the tips.
The inner ends of the rods are attached to the steering mechanism through rubber-metal hinges pressed into their ends. If these joints wear out, a characteristic metallic knock is heard when turning the steering wheel. To eliminate this malfunction, you need to press new ones into the rods. This work requires the presence of pressing equipment, so it is best to carry out it in a car service center. Or the bolts securing the rods to the mechanism are unscrewed. In this case, to reduce and eliminate play, it is enough to tighten these bolts to the torque specified by the manufacturer.
How to adjust steering play
And finally, another reason for play in the steering is loosening of the adjusting rods, which are designed to adjust the toe-in of the car's wheels. This is a consequence of poor tightening of the bolts on these rods after adjusting the toe angle, and can lead to the adjusting rod popping out of the tip.
On some modern car models, the swing arms are not welded to the suspension struts, but are bolted together. The weakening of these connections also leads to the appearance of the described trouble. To exclude this option when determining the cause that led to it, you need to lift the front of the car and remove the wheels and check the tightness of the above connections, thereby adjusting the steering.
Conclusion
As you can see, the vast majority of reasons that cause steering play can lead to very serious and sometimes even fatal consequences. To prevent the occurrence of such a malfunction, it is necessary to periodically inspect all components and steering mechanisms. In this case, during inspection, special attention should be paid to checking the integrity of the rubber boots on the mechanism and rod ends. If it turns out that these anthers are torn, then you need to replace them as quickly as possible. Well, if it turns out that the moment has been missed, and it is no longer possible to correct the backlash, then we do not recommend trying to fix it yourself. The best solution would be to contact a car service center, where professional craftsmen will carry out all the necessary work.
2.1. The total play in the steering exceeds the following values:
- Passenger cars and trucks and buses based on them - 10°
- Buses - 20°
- Trucks - 25°
2.2. There are movements of parts and assemblies not provided for by the design. Threaded connections are not tightened or secured in the correct manner. The steering column position locking device is inoperative.
2.3. The power steering or steering damper provided by the design is faulty or missing (for motorcycles).
At what value of the total play in the steering is a passenger car allowed to be used?
The total play in the steering of a passenger car should not exceed 10 degrees.
At what maximum value of the total play in the steering is the bus allowed to be operated?
The total play in the steering of a truck should not exceed 25 degrees.
