Stiff Steering Issue

[doug]

I recently bought an 1992 525i that had some work done to the front end before i picked it up. it had new control arms and struts put in. However, for some reason, now the steering is stiff as all hell. it takes to hands to make a right-angle turn and it won't return to center.

I checked out the articles on http://www.bmwe34.net, but i still have some questions...

in this article: Steering Play

It says it is possible to over tighten that nuts which makes steering stiff. i don't get how that would stiffen the steering, its just one nut that does touch any moving part.

and in this article: Steering Box

it mentions first unbolting a screw, and then adjusting the allen nut. "unscrew the nut # 13 and turn the screw 1/4 of a turn" and "Take a flat file..and with any sharp edge on the file..score a mark on the top/end of the steering box adjustment allen screw so you can keep track of clocking....very easy to get lost without a mark after you loosen the 17mm collar locking nut." im guessing the colar nut is just something that holds the allen bolt in place, but i don't wanna go messing around with this if i am not sure.

Here are the symptoms:
- Steering is equally stiff at any speed.
- There is about 10 degrees of play where it is easy to turn, but anything more than that is tough
- If i am going around a long corner, like an on ramp, it is stiff to turn the wheel to make the turn, but once the wheel is turned for a few secs, then there is 10 degrees of play from where the wheel is located and it is stiff to straighten out.

if any of this rings a bell to an obvious problem, i'd love to hear about it.
thanks

[Dave535]

Couldnt be alignment, could it?

[doug]

The alignment isn't that bad. its just that its damn near impossible to turn the wheel.