Couldn't resist a chance to upgrade Mum to airbags and ABS, even though I am halfway through replacing the cracked head on her TS 2.6.

She couldn't care less about the dents, so I figure 700 bucks for a TF Advance already on LPG with new tyres and a full service history from its one owner is not too shabby!

I'll pop it under a cover behind the bottom shed and register it when the TS eventually dies.


Couple of questions though - whats the common cause of vague steering? It seems waaaaay overpowered and too light, but doesnt seem to clunk or anything. Worn rack?

Also, the steering wheel is a bit crook - are all the airbag wheels interchangeable?

Can you have a test-drive in someone else's TE-TJ 3rd gen - the vague/overpowered steering may be just standard ...... revised both steering rack and power-steering pump introduced at first in Ralliarts gave better steering feel/feedback, and was introduced to all models in TL/TW.

I would 'assume" that all airbag wheels on 3rd Gens are interchageable. Try searching for old threads concerning the black/red Ralliart Momo steering wheels - I am pretty sure there were threads about swapping these in, and the threads had good pics and "how to" focus. You could cast you eyes over such threads and scope-out your clapped-out TF wheel, or else look at a self-serve wreckers (often the one in western Sydney I go to has mostly-dismantled interiors - including steering wheels in various stages of rape/removal. You can easily see what whats under the airbag pad and shroud etc).

I drove a TJ Wagon and the steering was just horrible.

My TJ AWD is fine though - not sure if the wagon had a problem or the AWDs received the same steering bits that the ralliart got.

thats how they are.

Oh dear... I thought the TS steering was overpowered, but this is ridiculous! Hmm. Oh well, see if Mum minds first :)

Any trick apart from swapping in TL rack/pump for improving feel? Nolathane rack mounts?

Forget about nolothane anything on any car, nolothane is rubbish

If you want to spend big $$ you can get the TL onwards or you may find a s/hand set up. Remember that dampers etc can also cause this sort of thing as well so there may be an issue. Please dont take the "it is standard" line as no one here has felt or driven it.

Do yourself a favour, check out a couple car yards and take a couple TF wagons for a drive, I know that they are over assisted but are not that bad in reality

Cheers all. I think there must be something worn - its just too "disconnected" feeling. Haven't even jacked the thing up to look properly yet!

Anyway - deal with that come time for it to be put on the road ;)

Ah right - something definitely amiss. Pulls to the left, and seems to want to "fall into" left turns, and resists right hand turns a lot more.

So either a worn rack - or when combined with some creaking in the front end, control arm bushes. Either way not a drama.

Have you checked all the tyres , their pressures and alignments ? Could be a combination of things if this car was not well maintained.

Pulling to the left is a sign that the rack valves are worn thus you may need a rack then

Tyres new and correctly inflated, and nothing obviously loose or worn out looking, so internal rack wear likely. Valve wear makes sense with the way it "feels" as well. Considering a reco rack is only a few hundred, I am not stressed about it!

This car has been really well looked after and well loved - I am most pleased with it. Rocker gear and oil cap look shiny and clean, so it's always had oil changes done before time which is nice. Trans oil needs changing though.

Good LPG system, new exhaust and tyres, mint interior, (nice outside apart from hail dents, cracked tail light and door mirror casing), AC works, cruise works, towbar, heavy duty rear springs, etc etc. If a rack and a timing belt is all it really needs I am stoked :)

Pulling to the left is a sign that the rack valves are worn thus you may need a rack then

Mine still pulls to the left & it's got a new rack in it?

Mine still pulls to the left & it's got a new rack in it?
Pulling to one side couldn't just be a bad wheel alignment?

Pulling could of course be just alignment - mine I think is more than that because even though the tyres are new they have seen some use and would show abnormal wear patterns.

Plus I have had many many cars, and plenty of alignments - this feels different. But I may be being tricked by the super dooper power assistance! Worth an alignment check before ripping a rack out.

With a dodgy rack, wheel allignment will not make a pinch of difference, the steering will be easier to turn to the left than it is to the right, as the OP has stated.

Wheel alignment will just make the car tend to wander to one side, may be left or right