Help! Front wheels wont turn

[smokey tennis shoe]

Help! Front wheels wont turn

Backing out of the driveway I heard a clunk sound, and the front wheels will no longer turn.

When I turn the steering wheel, I see the shaft and ujoint looking thing turning, and looking from the drivers side I see the long shaft ( with rubber boot over it), moving in and out. But no wheels turning. Everything I can see coming down from the steering wheel appears to be moving.

I thought there is a problem in the steering gear box thing, but since the shaft on drivers side is moving in and out, I don't know.

Any help?

It is 48 volt Ds 94 model.

[smokey tennis shoe]

disregard please

[Stevegrmich]

. . . what did you find wrong?

[smokey tennis shoe]

This has rack and pinion and a steering gear box assembly . Looking in from the wheel well on the drivers side, you could see the long rubber boot extending towards you and retracting away from you, when the steering wheel was operated.

However the wheels were not turning. I found coming out of the gear box, going to the passenger tire, a piece that attached to the spindle. This piece attached to the spindal, then went inside a long rubber boot, and was flopping inside the rubber boot.

I cut the tiewrap off the boot and peeled it back, and this metal ( tie rod?) was suppose to be threaded into the end of the worm drive looking part, that was extending and retracting towrads the drivers wheel.

So i threaded the piece back into the worm driven part, tighten it with a 3/4" wrench, tie wrapped the boot back on, and now everything works as it did before.

i downloaded the exploaded parts illustration from the manual, and by looking at that drawing, was able to figure it out.

Since no on e responded, and since i got it fixed, I was going to delete the post, but could not figure how to delete it.

Anyway, Thanks for asking.

[Stevegrmich]

initially upon reading your post, I thought that the front wheels would not roll, as opposed to being able to turn with steering wheel . . . glad you figured it out . . .

[shadowman]

yeah that is a tire rod.........really odd it un-did itself but now keep an eye on tire wear because theres a good chance front end is off........................