Set the wheels to the straight ahead position and, turning the steering wheel in both directions, check:
- free play of the steering wheel, which should not exceed 5° (when measured along the wheel rim 18-20 mm);
- steering wheel turning force (when installing the front wheels on a smooth plate), which should not exceed 20 kgf;
- are there any knocks in the hinges, joints and steering mechanism?;
- strength of fastening of the steering gear housing, pendulum arm bracket (if necessary, tighten the threaded connections).
Also, make sure that there is no free play in the ball joints of the rods and in the pendulum arm bracket, and that the worm shaft does not move in the axial direction. Then, by turning the adjusting couplings of the side rods, check the reliability of tightening their clamps. After this, check the condition of the ball joints and rubber protective caps, as indicated below.
The original can be seen on the website VAZbook