Steering: rack and pinion
- Component
- Steering: rack and pinion
- Manufacturer
- FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION
- Vehicles affected
- 2,283
- Reported to NHTSA
- 1996-03-27
- Owners notified
- 1996-04-22
Defect description
(1) THE MOUNTING PLATE, WHICH IS USED IN COMBINATION WITH FOUR BOLTS TO SECURE THE SAGINAW 710 STEERING GEAR TO THE CHASSIS FRAME, WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE FOUR WELDED BOSSES WITH THE SAME FINAL HEIGHT DIMENSION. THIS PLATE WAS NOT GROUND DOWN; (2) PAINT WAS LEFT ON THE SURFACE BETWEEN THE MOUNTING PLATE AND THE STEERING GEAR; (3) A FLANGED-HEAD BOLT WAS MISALIGNED THROUGH THE FRAME, MOUNTING PLATE AND THE STEERING GEAR; OR (4) THE TOLERANCES BETWEEN THE FRAME AND THE MOUNTING PLATE HOLES WERE TOO TIGHT CAUSING AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM DURING ASSEMBLY.
Safety risk
THESE CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE LOOSE STEERING GEAR BOLTS WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Manufacturer remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR FLANGED-HEAD MOUNTING BOLTS; THE MOUNTING PLATE WILL BE MACHINED TO SPECIFICATION ALSO INSURING THAT THE SURFACE IS FREE OF PAINT; THE STEERING GEAR MOUNTING FASTENERS WILL BE REPLACED; AND THE HOLES THROUGH THE FRAME AND THE MOUNTING PLATE WILL BE ENLARGED TO ALLOW FOR INCREASED ASSEMBLY CLEARANCE.