Technical Steering clunk

[WyreWheels]

Hi,

Back again with another problem. So far, I've not physically looked at the car in any detail as I only noticed it last night parking it up, so I had a listen/feel again this morning as I arrived at work.

Essentially, there's a clunk and physical "thing" to overcome in the steering when it's coming off full lock or the wheels are turned at about 45° to the left. This happens when the car is stationary (with the engine running, I've not tried it with it off). At part lock, I can see the wheels judder as the clunk happens. The noise seems to come from underfoot, i.e I can feel it through my feet if I'm sat in it. When it's being driven, it seems fine and it's steady and there's nothing to suggest anything is wrong.

I'd expect worn ball joints to be wayward all the time, but this seems more specific to a particular point. Strut top mounts maybe? I can see the top mount move ever so slightly when I'm turning the steering wheel.

 

[jrkitching]

MOT testers are very good at finding and evaluating steering and suspension faults; they spend all their working day looking at just this sort of thing.

I've suggested in the past that one way of pinning down these kinds of faults is to take the car for an MOT.

But I'd start by getting someone to turn the steering wheel from side to side whilst you have a look underneath.

 

[koalar]

Unfortunately nobody can say change this that or other, as several parts can have the same symptoms

I have just done a very similar one about two weeks ago

It was quite easy to find as it was consistent

I suspected.a broken spring

So what I did was put my hand on the top of the stut and got someon to turn the steering wheel

I could feel a clunk

Moved to the bottom of the strut

Still there

Moved to the suspension arm

Not therel

But it could have easily been a top mount,.suspension bush. Inner tie rod and so on

 

[WyreWheels]

I’ll have a look over the weekend. Thanks for the feeling tip, I’d not considered a spring, the noise is a bit more like a twang, so maybe it is spring related.

 

[koalar]

I’ll have a look over the weekend. Thanks for the feeling tip, I’d not considered a spring, the noise is a bit more like a twang, so maybe it is spring related.

It's 50/50 but sometimes you will see is a difference in the gap between the wheel arch and top of the tyre

I visual check is as good a place as any to start