Why would my car pull so hard when I hit a puddle? Could it be my rack and pinion? Has anybody changed a rack and pinion in a 97 and is there a video for this or a good explanation.
Thanks guys.

 

If it's not pulling when you're driving on dry pavement, I doubt that there's a problem with the rack. I don't know why it pulls when you hit a puddle, other than the fact that most puddles are not symmetrical and one side will be deeper than the other.

 

It pulls very hard. I took it for an hour long drive today and it isn't bad on bare pavement but even if there is a little dirt it could pull the steering wheel out of your hand if you aren't ready for it.

 

Start with the basics. Check your tie rod ends and ball joints first. It sounds more suspension related to me instead of a rack problem. Jack one front wheel up at a time and position your hands on the wheel at the 12:00 and 6:00 position and shake the hell out of the wheel. If you have in and out movement, then you need to check the ball joints. Placing your hands at 3:00 and 9:00 position and push and pull the tire and see if you have side to side movement. If so, then you need to inspect the outer tie rod ends. Also, If you have a sway bar, check the end links and the mounting bushings.

 

normally the car will pull when you hit a puddle, just because it slows one side down more than the other (especially moreso with puddles deeper on one side.)

If its pulling hard on light sand/dirt, I would also agree with tie rods and ball joints, ot sounds like they have excessive play.

If yours is the DOHC I would check the evo solenoid also, If its staying fully open it is giving full power assist at any speeds, which can make things abit squirelly at times (when I put my motor in the connector wouldnt hook in, so on the highway its sensitive as **** and even at normal speeds a good gust of wind can throw me to the other lane. these cars light weight doesent help much either)

When I did my motor swap, it didnt seem that it is that hard to remove the steering rack if your dead set on doing this. Its a matter of a few bolts on the cradle and wiggling it out of the compartment (seems it would be easier to unbolt everything and bring the steering rack out of the side) The hardest part may be the u-joint and the fluid cables (my lines were so oxidized I had to cut the line and soak the bolt in breaker and use vise grips on it, since it stripped down to nothing easily)

 

Thanks guys for the info. I will go over everything suggested.

 

Get back to us and let us know what you find out.

 

I had already replaced the tie rod ends, so that got ruled out. I checked each wheel, off the ground, for excessive play and there isn't any. I am not sure how to tell if the sway bar bushings are worn enough to account for this problem. And I only have a SOHC, so that rules out the other possibility.
Could a simple wheel alignment be the problem? I think there is a little more wear on the outside edge of the two front tires. Would that cause the crazy steering wheel pull. It also feels funny when you crank the steering wheel all the way one way and go to pull away.

 

You may need to check the lower control arm bushings and your struts. A front end alignment may help if you've got a good shop you trust. Tell them what's going on with the car and they may have some recommendations or be able to tell you what's going on. Other than worn strut bearings, I'm out if ideas if it's not the lca bushings.

 

So a guy I met up here owns 4 Saturns and he told me just crawling underneath the car that I am looking at new control arms and stabilizer bar bushings.
Thanks for all the suggestions.