Steering rattle/knock

[Rod1883]

I'm getting a shake, rattle and knock up through the steering over rough roads (and there are lots of those). Has anyone any thoughts on where to start looking - steering rack mountings, column brackets, etc etc?
Thanks

[sujitroy]

Good starting point if not serviced before. Those special plastic type bushes wear and the bush / bearing at the bottom. then the serrated washer at the top behind the steering wheel

[Lingen]

Rod.
I would also check the two UJs in the lower column for wear, and the clamp bolts at either end of it for tightness.
Mike.

[jbuckl]

https://www.socforum.com/forum/forum...sh-replacement

phone number is out of date.
parts became readily available after that file was posted, but at a premium

[Motorsport Micky]

Track rod control arm bearing just inboard from the hub...sometimes a bugger to get out.. Might need to part split by hack sawing from inside outwards (take the hacksaw apart and feed the blade through the bearing) be careful not to cut into the track control arm. Then drive the bush out of the arm.

Micky.

[DJT]

In my case it was play in the steering rack. Another shim behind the nearside nylon knuckle sorted it. Done in situ in about 1 hour.

[Rod1883]

Thanks everyone. Plenty to look at then.

[richardthestag]

everything that they say above, though I have never had an issue getting the bottom link apart like MSMicky has.

what would I do?

sit in the car, any play in the steering wheel up/down or side to side? if so check that the steering column clamp is tight, if it is then you need to change the top bearing clamp ring. The bearing and clamp ring need to be pulled towards each other to take out the play. DIY'able

Next in the engine bay, get hold of the end of the steering column where it attaches onto the intermediate shaft near the bulkhead, is there any up/down or side to side play that is definitely steering column side ? then the plastic bushes that separate the inner and outer column have failed. column out to replace. DIY able but trickier

Next jack the front end up and get a wife, child, friend to gently rock the steering an 1" either side of centre.

First hold the intermediate shaft between the column and the steering rack, any play is most likely to be the intermediate shaft, however check also at the steering rack input. Pinch bolts may be loose etc etc If the play is on the rack side of the Intermediate shaft...

Then get assistant to rock the steering wheel while you hold each road wheel at each side. can you feel the knock? I would be checking wheelnuts, balljoints, wheelbearings if so.

Then same exercise under the car, where the steering rod comes out of the steering rack through a gaiter and attaches to the hub. if you can feel a knock here then it might be that the steering rack is past it, BUT also check that the rack is NOT moving against the mounts which are just inboard of each gaiter under the main chassis rails.

If you find no joy there then a decent pry bar will detect play in the track arm joint / bush, antirollbar bush or the tie bar. All of these could cause a rubble through the steering wheel.

Lastly and a good one that fixed and nasty rattle on a customer car was that the springs had been installed 180degrees out and were contacting the inside of the inner wing turret on slight steering. Spring bows out when under load, if it is bowing in, forward or backwards it could connect with the body and cause a rattle / noise.

If your car has recently passed an mot I would like to think that wheel bearings, steering, bushes / joints on the front strut, track arms, anti roll bar and drag links were all checked and passed.

If you are one who "#MoT exempt INIT", then

[jbuckl]

The top clamp ring improvement / mod is worth fitting… needs preloading though.