A common issue in 2nd and 3rd gen Ford Escorts (and possibly other Mazda BG chassis cars) is loose steering. This can easily be felt when driving by the play in the steering wheel which usually allows it to move an hour or two (like a clock) towards either direction before actually having an effect on the wheels. This condition can last for a long time before resulting in really dangerous failure, however it is quite easy to fix.

The condition is a result of the steering rack bushings either being worn out, loose, or the bushing retainer nuts having loosened themselves over time. In most cases it is the later, and can easily be repaired by removing the bushings retainer, realigning the bushings, and reinstalling it until it's tight. While quite an unorthodox approach, silicon or rtv can be used inside and outside the bushing to help with keeping them in place. Usually replacement of the bushings is required upon doing this, because the old bushings will be worn and more loose from all the movement the steering rack did when it became loose.

The nut which holds the bushing retainer on is a 14 mm. Extra care should be taken when removing or installing them, as damaging the thread could result in having to change the entire sub frame, and there is limited work space to reach anything if an attempt to fix the thread is made.

For those that want to make their steering slightly stiffer, aftermarket polyurethane bushings are available from Energy Suspension.

Also see

• Power steering elimination reasons and benefits.
• Variable camber steering system, an interesting concept.
• Ford Escort & ZX2 section for the entire index of all Ford Escort and ZX2 related articles.