Help me find source of clacking

and was the rack ok??

 

hmmm.... exhaust?

 

ok check the bolt at the back of your wishbone! came loose on me before

 

jack the front up and turn the left wheel by hand - when i do this i can see / hear / feel a little freeplay where the driveshaft goes into the box, and it makes a clunk that i hear when driving, mainly taking off/changing speed.

ive changed all my front suspension apart from the swaybar endlinks and found this is the only place still clunking


*edit* i see seank90 said this at the start of the thread. did you have a look yet?

 

"If I jack up the car, there is play in the front wheels (when trying to turn them forward-backward), but I thought it's because my torsen differential. I can turn them a little, but after that turning them becomes much harder."

sounds like the rack!

 

-i too have the same play when the wheels are rotated with the car lifted. id imagine it something to do with the diff possibly being out of spec. i tightened the axle nut to spec (like 150ft-lbs) and that got rid of it for the most part, however there is still some freeplay there.

-i think seans trying to get you to lift the car then move the wheel as if the car was turning. there shouldnt be any lateral play, if there is it could indicate tie-rods or a rack issue.

-09 had an issue with the lower ball joint to knuckle nut always backing off. this would make a pretty severe clunk and some very noticable steering issues. maybe check that yours hasnt backed off a bit.

 

my wheels turn a bit like yours, but if i turn the axle as it goes into the box, it clunks in the housing and thats what i hear when driving. I'll be getting poly swaybar endlinks in a while too, but i've got a feeling my steering rack and engine mounts are shot
good luck

 

Hi have you made any progress? Keen to see what you find!

I've got a couple of noises in the front end that have just returned.
First thing is to check n tighten all the bolts I haven't checked for months.

My steering lock doesn't work - replaced the column and it will only lock when the wheels are in the air or very rarely on the ground. With the car also wandering I guess the rack a big problem.

Front left driveshaft clunks in the gearbox on takeoff / reverse and the front right wheel is rubbing on something chronically when i turn hard left and the car leans over.

Going to follow your checks - i've replaced all but the box, steering rack n endlinks already.

good luck all round

 

-id check axle nuts, and lower balljoints for torque.

 

Thanks, Should i torque with the wheel off and car jacked up? Or on the ground? Or both? It's been ages since i did this work, wanna get it right

 

-ive actually never thought about it. i always do it with the car in the air, and put a big screw driver in the disk vents against the caliper to prevent the wheel from turning.

 

Ouch, easier just have someone press the brake

Better to do it with the wheels up, Seals & bearings can damage easily

 

Is your noise still happening?
I looked the other day and the bolt under the left balljoint is stripped, so i'm picking a new balljoint up tomorrow.
I hope that will fix the steering wandering at least. Still need a hoist to get the driveshaft seated properly.

-really long shot - do you have the stock camber adjusters where the steering knuckle joins the strut? If so, are the holes worn out? if thats even possible?