Steering Tightness

My buddy just picked up a 2008 SpecB (just like mine). I took it out for a drive tonight and the steering in his car is much, much tighter than mine. I can't figure out why though. Since I bought my vehicle it's had the typical Subaru looseness in the wheel, so I didn't think anything of it. He bought the car used, and a visual inspection shows no signs of modification, but perhaps I'm missing something small? Could it be some sort of bushing, and would it really stiffen it that much? If there really is a product out there that delivers this steering feel, I want it! He used to have an 2000 Outback beforehand, and he said the feeling of my steering is similar to that of his Outback, typical Subaru and loose.

 

Could it be the previous owner installed aftermarket steering rack bushings or aftermarket steering shaft mount bushings? What type of feelings do these two bushings give? I've never driven a car with aftermarket steering bushings of any kind.

I just had a new engine put in(pieced together) and before my steering wheel was a little more how to say Flimsy not by much but like a luxury cars steering. When I got my car back with the new engine I noticed my steering was very tight and stiff. I think it has to do with the tightening of the belts. Could just be in my head since it had been a month before I had driven my car but I swear it's stiffer.

Before I had new tires put on I thought the steering in my car was awesome, super tight. Now it feels much looser and sort of predictable. I'd love to get back to the way it was before and not sure what affected it.

New tires always feel more squirmy than broken in tires.

 

You can use steering rack bushings and LCA bushings to help tighten up the steering.

Get a front LSD and wider tires. Problem solved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love my front LSD

We've both got broken-in summer performance tires on our vehicles, so I don't think it's just the tires causing it. His car had all-seasons on it when he bought it, and he says the steering stiffness wasn't affected drastically when he but his BFG G-Force T/A KDW2 tires on. The difference seems too noticeable to be just tires.

 

He's running the OEM LCA bushing and I'm running the PSRS kit from Perrin, which I noticed helped stiffen things just slightly.

 

I should get under his car and take a close look at the steering bushings. Will the rack and shaft bushings be easy to see with the vehicle on the ground?

 

I may consider steering rack and shaft bushings if they really tighten things up this much.