Help please, advice needed

[Sara]

Hi, been on this great site several times but i have never actually posted anything on here as the car has always been totally reliable and trouble free, until now.

I own a 2000 Fiat Bravo JTD SX, i recently had the clutch changed at my local garage. But ever since getting the car back, now and again if i turn the car sharply to the right at very low speeds i get a clunk sound coming from the passenger side of the car. It only does it when i turn the car right and sharpish (110 degree turn of the wheel. The car drives normally straight, round corners, etc, no wobble in steering wheel or car. Also i have noticed that my steering wheel is slight off centre aswell since getting my car back, i.e when going straight the wheel is slightly off to one side. If i turn the steering wheel full lock one way and make a note of its position and turn the steering wheel the opposite way and note its position i can clearly see the steering wheel goes further one way than the other.

I had the car back several times to the garage, they said they can't see anything wrong with it, in regards to the steering they say they never touched it. They had tightened the sub frame, mounts etc and checked everything they touched but still its clunking.

I really am running out of ideas. My friend assumes its the steering rack, but what would be the symptoms?

Please Help.

Sara

 

[john]

that sounds like a fairly tough one, one of my mates steering racks went and it was obvious cause there was loads of play in his steering wheel (a good 10 degrees of movement in the wheel which didnt turn the car at all). But from what you describe i honestly wouldnt know - someone here will. they are very clever.

 

[Leo - Mr Leroy]

A mate of mines Punto made a clunk noise when steering, turned out to be the swing arm. Same thing happened to his sisters Punto, again it was the swing arm.

whether this relates to your problem i dont know. I dont know much about cars, im not usually here to help, rather to be helped...

 

[Sven]

First did you have the tracking done ?
Second to get teh clutch out they must take out the cv jointso the nut may not be tightened good and proper.
Third, if the steering rack was at fault, the steering wheel would be all spongey, unprecise ......

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[Anonymous]

Swing arms? Not sure what that is. Will need to google that.

Sven, the tracking wasn't done recently as the car was fine. The steering wheel is not spongey, very precise but just out of alignment. Would a CV joint cause the clunk do you think?

People tell me all sorts of things from Driveshafts, ball joints, gearbox misalignment etc. I would really like this fixing.

Sara

 

[Sven]

Mine guess is the tracking, its not much and it will show if the wishbone, or something else is at fault.

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[Anonymous]

Really appreciate your help Sven, so shall i get the tracking done? What about the CV joint is there anyway i can get my friend to check it?

 

[Buzz]

yah, i also would check the cv joint, and wishbone. Its probably the ball joint.

As for the steering wheel, its probably been off for something, and replaced with the wheels turned slightly. My 1.4 did that after i changed the stalks, but was easily fixed by taking the steering wheel back off, and putting on more carefully.

i doubt its clutch related clunking.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys, i will see if i can get an independant garage to look at it. But what stumps me, is that the car has been back to the garage and up ramps for them to look and repair. Wouldn't they notice the CV joint or wishbone being a problem or damaged?

Sara

 

[Allan wall]

re

the steering out of alignment i woudl say is almost 100% just tracking, you shodul have it re-done anytime you have work done where they unbolt the dampers or whatever.

the clunk, what about a wheel bearing? can you wobble the wheel in and out of the arch at all? liek the wron way to the suspension if you get me?

only other clunk i've ever had is the anti roll bar lose on my old subaru Justy!!

 

[Sara]

Its not a wheel bearing as the garage and my friend, wobbled the wheel around.

So basically the suspects are:

- Wishbone
- CV joints
- Anti Roll Bar

Thanks, i'll have to find another garage to look at these. Can you visually check them or does it need to be replaced before they can tell its cured the problem. If i start replacing the above, then its going to cost me alot.

Thanks Guys.