Power Steering Slight Popping Feeling in Wheel

[70rr-brian]

As the title says....every once in a while I feel a slight popping feeling in the steering wheel when I am turning it. This feeling is noticable primarily when the car is barely moving. Like backing out of a spot and turning. But I dont want to throw anyone off with the backing out and turning. This happens when going forward with just ever so slight wheel movements. I can feel it every once in a blue moon when on a road at speed taking lots of quick left/right turn in succession. This pop is not an OMFG the front wheels are going to fall off pop....but just a subtle popping feeling in the wheel. And it only pops once per turn of the wheel if it even pops at all. More often than not it doesn't.

The steering wheel is torqued to spec and every bolt that holds the column in place is also torqued appropriately. All front end parts have been replaced...although I know the left side lower ball joint has a bit of play in it and needs replacing....(yeah new ball joint roached after 3k miles) but I am pretty sure that is not whats causing this. I suspect the steering gearbox is the culprit. If I grab the shaft where it meets the steering box I can move it up and down and side to side a little. That is to say there is some play there. That may be causing this feeling IDK.

Thoughts?

 

[Pops1967GTX]

I would clean & check valve body..possibly contaminated fluid or restricted fluid flow causing the popping......

 

[Stumper]

Check the bolts that hold the gear box to the K member and make sure they are good and tight..

 

[Montclaire]

Well, it's hard to say without driving the car, but it sounds like the steering fluid is cavitating and you're getting a momentary bit of pump catch. Try adding some Lucas, that might thicken the fluid up a bit and get rid of the problem. There is also a filter that will slip into your return line that will catch debris, but maybe you already have one and it's clogged?

 

[john.thompson068]

I bought a rebuilt factory manual box from Buy Auto parts and installed a Grant steering wheel at the same time. I have a slight clunk from the steering wheel whenever it moves past a certain spot. It must have something to do with buying a cheap rebuild of a factory box. However, the clunk feels and sounds like it is coming right out of the column. I honestly don't see how installing a Grant hub and steering wheel would be causing the noise. So more investigating will be required. At least I can steer the car straight through first and second gear now until I install a tubular front end.

 

[Histoy]

Sometimes the upper steering column bearing fails, and can make a noise or give a rough spot when turning the steering wheel.

 

[john.thompson068]

Sometimes the upper steering column bearing fails, and can make a noise or give a rough spot when turning the steering wheel.

Actually, I was thinking it could have something to do with that and that eventually I was going to have to rebuild the steering column in about three years from now. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[70rr-brian]

I haven't tore into it yet...but at this point I too am leaning towards the upper steering column bearing based on some testing I have been doing. Any idea what part number I am looking for or where to get it?