<E28> Stiffness in steering system

[Tabe Johnson <tabe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Folks,

My 1986 E28 (535) has always had pretty vague steering.  Two mechanics
have told me the steering box is worn, because I told them there was a 
small amount of steering wheel play in the straight-ahead position, compared
with quite a lot of play when the wheel is turned to the far left or right.  I
was prepared to live with that, knowing the cost of steering boxes.

Anyway, a serious problem cropped up a couple of days ago:  If I'm turning the
steering wheel, it is stiff in the straight-ahead position, then everything
is fine
until I get to 180 degrees (to the left or right, doesn't matter.).  There,
the
steering wheel is upside-down, and it is stiff again.  It is so stiff that
I have
to "help" the wheel centre itself - if I've been making, say, a right turn,
and want to go straight, I can't just let go of the steering wheel.  The wheel
will almost go back to its straight ahead position, but I have to turn the 
wheel against the stiffness for the last little bit.

Any suggestions or theories?

I think it is somewhere in either the universal joint between the steering
wheel and the steering box, or in the steering box itself, because the problem
crops up _every half turn_ of the wheel.

Has anyone taken off that u-joint?  Is it possible to do without removing the 
steering box?

Thanks,

- --tabe

tabe@domain.elided

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