Well, this is what I love about working on my own vehicles, I always end up fixing more than I need to...and much of what doesn't need fixing at all as well! A couple weeks/months back I checked the archives about steering clunks. Found lots of mention of bad upper control arm bushings so I changed those. Still clunked (although I did eliminate that awful squeaking/groaning). Most recently I thought I traced it to a worn steering relay gear (transfer box some people call it). And damnit, still clunking. Folks, I need some help before I go broke fixing what ain't broke. The symptom is: 1.) loud "clunck" or "pop" when turning the wheel sharply at slow speed. i.e. if I back out of a parking spot with wheel turned hard right, then start going forward while cranking wheel hard left I hear a clunck/pop coming from somewhere under the gas pedal. Definately left side of vehicle somewhere by my feet anyway. 2.) If you can picture what it would sound like if you loosened one of the steering linkage couplings (the ones with two bolts on a diamond shaped flange) removed one bolt and then left the otherone finger loose and then went for a drive that's what it sounds like (and feels like through the steering wheel too). Mostly noticeable when first making a sharp direction change requiring lots of steering wheel turning (i.e. maneuvering in parking lots). Normally cluncks/pops once, but sometimes several times as you continue turning the wheel. This ends up sounding almost like a clunck/crunch/pop for what it's worth. Does anyone have any clue what could be doing this in light of the new bushings and new (used) relay box. All couplings, clamps, rubber couplings are tight and look good from steering wheel down to relay box including coupling on relay box for shaft going to steering rack. Does the u-joint ever fail? could the steering rack itself make this noise? I am going insane over this...any good way of isolating and locating source of steering clunck noises would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Mark |
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