I had done some work on Zippy the other day, and my daughter took her to school as usual. I phoned her a few minutes later to ask if the thing I had worked on had made a difference. While she was on the phone, she mentioned that the steering wheel is sometimes centered, and sometimes it is off to the right when you are traveling straight. Of course steering issues are nothing to play around with, so I told her to pull over right where she was and I would come to her. When I got there I couldn't see anything wrong, but I watched under the "hood" while I had her move the steering wheel back and forth. I was amazed to see that the ball joint where the steering rack connects to the front steering arm would rock back and forth a little as she moved the steering wheel back and forth. Of course on that particular part, even a tiny amount of movement causes significant steering changes. Turns out that the nut holding the ball joint to the steering arm had worn its way into the steering arm a bit and it loosened it up enough to allow movement back and forth. From the factory apparently they had not put washers under the nut, and the nut was able to wear on the steering arm and enlarge the hole. Since she had pulled in at an automotive supply house, I went in and got a small box of washers, removed the nut, and put two washers under it. Then I tightened it up and re-inserted the cotter pin to hold the nut in place. If it hadn't been for my very observant daughter (the steering had not been off by very much at all but she noticed it), I don't know how long it would have been (or how sloppy the steering would have gotten) before I noticed it. You can only see it when you have someone inside the cab moving the steering wheel back and forth while you watch under the hood. It made a huge difference in the steering, and Zippy doesn't tend to "wander" with ruts in the road any more. I highly recommend that you check yours - the PK and the SD both have the same steering. Here is a picture of the finished "fix" - total cost $0.04:
I had done some work on Zippy the other day, and my daughter took her to school as usual. I phoned her a few minutes later to ask if the thing I had worked on...
By the way, I am turning up the volume on this earlier suggestion that people check for play in their steering. The steering on Phil's sedan had even more...
Norm: you and Sean need to communicate on this. He couldn't figure out what the issue was. He and Allan and I looked at it. Sean says the thing we were looking...
it really takes two people to observe the wiggle. One to turn the steering wheel back and forth and one to watch the control arm from the front. If yours...
Tiffany turned the steering wheel while Sean, Allan, and I watched the mechanism. Sean said he didn't understand the problem. I know zero about this stuff. I...
I suppose it's possible both norm and my vehicles were an anomaly but I doubt it - Maybe I'll take the washer out and make a video showing the before and...
Phil, I've not noticed this kind of play in my steering but to throw in a couple of washers, just in case, is just not that hard to do. Will do..... Phil...
A video would be very good!!! Daniel ... === message truncated === ____________________________________________________________________________________Get the...
Thanks for offering Phil. Since you have to knock it loose again with a hammer (thats how it comes loose in the first place - they don't have the nut on real...
If the vehicle is brand new, you may not see any play. The problem shows up after you have some miles on it and you hit some hard bumps with the front end....
Thanks for the video. But here's what I don't understand: I can see how the washers will tighten up a loose bolt. But wouldn't a bump knock the thing loose...
I believe that the factory did not tighten the nut enough in the first place, but because the bolt that passes through the plate is tapered, it appears to be...
Wow, I just now took some time here at work (don't tell anybody) to check out the steering play posts and video. So it looks like the steering knuckle is never...
I checked my steering out and it looks to be fine. I have over 2700 ZAP miles on my PK and I am heading out of town (thanks to my Discover EV12A-A batteries)...
I see where this is a really good idea Norm; none of the new ones I have are loose, but I will add the washer, becuase it should be there. Allan, Daniel, Ryan,...
Hi all. I'm just wondering if the voltmeter is linear with battery charge. In other words, if the voltmeter drops from 80 to 75 in X miles, can I expect it to...
Daniel, See http://autos.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Xebra_EV/photos/view/10b4?b=15 <http://autos.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Xebra_EV/photos/view/10b4?b=15> Also,...
Hi David. Thanks for those links. I presume the SOC graph is for a 72-volt system, because it shows about 76.25 being 100%, whereas mine (an 84-v system) shows...
At the risk of repetition, I again urge ZAP to treat these kinds of issues (battery use & management) thoroughly in the Owner's Manual. It is absolutely...
On the LRX the voltmeter operates exactly as it would on a stock Xebra, with the exception that it does not fall as fast. ;) It is still only reading the main...
It starts coming on with plenty of miles left to get to a plug. Off the top of my head I think it comes on at 63 volts. I don't see it that often, so that is...
If the low battery light comes on at 63 volts, that's pretty bad. Our voltmeter always reads optimistically, that is, higher than reality and if it's going to...
You only see the battery light when you are accelerating. If you see the battery light all the time, you are parked and using your cell phone to call for a...
Okay, so now I'm more confused than ever. Sean, you told me to consider 66 volts as "empty," but with a bit of reserve left, but here you are saying the ...
You have some miles in reserve at 66v, but your light will not be on yet at this point. It will likely be flashing under acceleration however... Full voltage...
If full voltage cannot be more than 13.1, then my voltmeter is reading 3 volts high, because 13.1 X 6 = 78.6 and mine says 82 v when it's full. That means that...
UI always thought that a fully charged PbA would be more like 13.6 to 13.8 which would make your 80V correct. During a leveling charge I have heard of Optimas...
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