V70 Steering: Steering rack worn. What are the signs?

[stuartggray]

Have you tried different wheels on the front, ie. swap them side to side, or front to back if directional.
When you say the steering wheel drifts to the right, do you mean the car follows it to the right?

[mrc1501]

Originally Posted by stuartggray

When you say the steering wheel drifts to the right, do you mean the car follows it to the right?

To drive in a straight line, the steering wheel is turned to the right. If I let go of the steering wheel, the car will drift to the right, steadily.

I have swapped over the wheels, and it does not make any difference. I have never kerbed the alloys, so it is not a wheel buckle, or unbalance problem.

On occasion, when approaching full lock, the car makes a clunk.........doesn't sound metallic, but more rubber. To describe the noise is something like this: when I turn the steering wheel approaching full lock, it is as though the car wheel reaches its full range of travel, then jumps a bit more towards the direction of steering.

This only happens sometimes, and if I can remember, it can happen either turning to the right or left. Feedback through the steering wheel does not give any indication that I have reached full travel of steering lock, or any vibration or judder through the steering wheel when the clunk noise occurs. I can turn the steering wheel further in the same direction, until it will not turn anymore.

It is after the car has made this clunk noise, that the steering wheel will go "off centre". The noise may not appear again for a few more days, and it can clunk the steering wheel back to a central position again.

Any steering input that I make, is with the car moving, and never when the car is stationary. I once placed some pieces of cardboard under the front wheels, and when stationary, I turned the steering lock to lock repatedly without any problem, noises or restrictions felt.

The noise I hear only happens when the car is on the ground. What I'm thinging of doing to help diagnose the cause of the problem is to wet my drive with water and let it freeze over, then get the wife to tuern the steering lock to lock to see if we can reproduce the clunk, and I can watch from the front of the car, to see if anything does actually happen when the clunk appears.

The car will go back to have the front wheels tracked again in the meantime, but I will ask the fitters whether, either front wheel has gone away from 1 degree toe in (I think) or whether my problem is down to one side of the car.

[mrc1501]

Originally Posted by mrc1501

Any steering input that I make, is with the car moving, and never when the car is stationary. I once placed some pieces of cardboard under the front wheels, and when stationary, I turned the steering lock to lock repatedly without any problem, noises or restrictions felt.

Yeah, I know, sounds like a contradiction! I used the cardboard effectively as skid plates, so that there was weight on the wheels, but without the stress on the steering system.

[mrc1501]

Had the front wheels off the car yesterday, and had a good look around the steering components. I found that the nuts off both my lower ball joints had become loose, don't know why or how, since they came with the new ball joints. Anyway, cleaned the nuts and threads, and applied some threadlock, so hopefully these will not stay nice and tight.

And, the best bit.................the steering wheel is central again

[stuartggray]

Originally Posted by mrc1501

Had the front wheels off the car yesterday, and had a good look around the steering components. I found that the nuts off both my lower ball joints had become loose, don't know why or how, since they came with the new ball joints. Anyway, cleaned the nuts and threads, and applied some threadlock, so hopefully these will not stay nice and tight.

And, the best bit.................the steering wheel is central again

Maybe the ball joints were not driven home fully when they were installed. Check the two bolts holding each ball joint in are tight too!

[mrc1501]

Originally Posted by stuartggray

Maybe the ball joints were not driven home fully when they were installed. Check the two bolts holding each ball joint in are tight too!

Yep, ball joints fully seated into the hub.........a bit of a buggar when I fitted these. Just a bit concerned as to why the nuts started to come loose. I may order some more soon but I will check them again in a couple of weeks time.

[Model flyer]

Always possible. did you use threadlock on assembly?

[mrc1501]

No, but I have now

[mrc1501]

Had the front wheels off the car again today, and checked tightened the lower ball joint main nut, and the attachment bolts. Nothing on the nut, but slight movement on the bolts. Undid the track rod ends, and again refitted and tightened. Double check tightened drop links and hub to strut bolts.

Had the car tracked again...............lets see how long this lasts for......