Am I right

Howya all,

My car seems to have a mind of it's own when it comes to the steering. Ie it turns itself whatever way the road wants to go kinda like bad tramlining. Say you turn it to the right there is a kinda delay for want of a better word then it over turns and then it will shot either to the left or both ways.

Is it a killed steering rack or lower control arms or trackrod ends?? There is also a knock when I come out of my drive when I come out onto the road and change from 1st to second sounds like a arm knocking nothing to do with the box.

Anyone have any ideas??

Cheers,

Damien.

Sounds to me as if you have worn lower arms. You can check for rack/trackrod play by turning off the engine with the steering pointing straight ahead, then turning the wheel from side to side. You should feel any slack in the rack as movement before any resistance is felt.

I know this as my rack is on its way out and does exactly this.


HTH

Simon.

Cheers Simon, there is like a knocking sound if you do that and turn the wheel quickly with the engine on?? Must try with it off. I think it is the LCA's myself. Same thing happened on a budies beemer and it turned out to be the same thing.

Damien, need a lift for Saturday ??

If there is a knocking when you turn the steering its quite likley to be the strup top bearings. If you start up the car and place your hands on the strut tops whilst someone turns the steering from side to side you should feel it as clonks and bumpyness. Its bacause they will no longer turn properly and the clonking is actually from the spring, as it catches instead of turning smoothly.

Alternative autos sell them for £51 per side.

Any of the above are possible. In the 146 there are several areas that can start making similar knocking.

If its the wishies you should be able to hear the knock as you brake or accelerate (both of which cause the wishy to pull on its bushes). If it's really bad you would also hear it going in and ouot of your driveway over the kerb and on rough roads. One way to test is to jack up the front of the car with the wheel still locked up. Then fit the wheelbrace and try to tighten/loosen the wheelnuts.If there's wear in the wishies then you should be able to see the wheel move forward and back (as opposed to rotating if you know what I mean)

The strut tops or top bearings can also cause a knock although imo this is really more like a clunk, and normally you could tell by the fact that it makes a spring type clunk. You can check for this by turning the steering to about half lock and then turn it back the same amount the other way. Mine makes a clunk when I do this and its the top bearing afaik.

The steering rack can have play in it too and as already said try rocking the steering wheel with the engine off. A small bit of play here is not an NCT fail.


There is also a knuckle joint on the floor where the steering column goes out through the bulkhead. This knuckle can wear and cause a knocking noise too, although you can only really hear this one from inside the car.

How much play is allowed in the steering? Measure at the wheel rim? I take it the NCT is similar to the UK MOT.

Originally Posted by techie

Damien, need a lift for Saturday ??

Lol, it's dirvable but a bit lets say exciting to drive lmao

Originally Posted by mo4

Any of the above are possible. In the 146 there are several areas that can start making similar knocking.

If its the wishies you should be able to hear the knock as you brake or accelerate (both of which cause the wishy to pull on its bushes). If it's really bad you would also hear it going in and ouot of your driveway over the kerb and on rough roads. One way to test is to jack up the front of the car with the wheel still locked up. Then fit the wheelbrace and try to tighten/loosen the wheelnuts.If there's wear in the wishies then you should be able to see the wheel move forward and back (as opposed to rotating if you know what I mean)

The strut tops or top bearings can also cause a knock although imo this is really more like a clunk, and normally you could tell by the fact that it makes a spring type clunk. You can check for this by turning the steering to about half lock and then turn it back the same amount the other way. Mine makes a clunk when I do this and its the top bearing afaik.

The steering rack can have play in it too and as already said try rocking the steering wheel with the engine off. A small bit of play here is not an NCT fail.


There is also a knuckle joint on the floor where the steering column goes out through the bulkhead. This knuckle can wear and cause a knocking noise too, although you can only really hear this one from inside the car.

Cheers thanks for that Mo the garage I was onto said to do the exact same thing to test the LCA's

Originally Posted by symonh2000

How much play is allowed in the steering? Measure at the wheel rim? I take it the NCT is similar to the UK MOT.

Ya the NCT is the same thing but it's the most unconsistent pile of rubbish ever.

Had very similar symptoms with mine, new lower wishbones and all sorted now, solid as a rock

Job thanks I hope it is that

Just get the car in the air with the wheels off, if it's as bad as you say then all the above listed parts will probably need renewing, But to test things out...

Trackrod ends - Hold the rod and try to turn the hub, any knocking and it worn.

Lower arm bushes - Lever the arm near to the bushes, more that 2mm movement and they should be replaced (the whole arm is quicker and cheaper in the long run.

The Rack - Firstly check your power steering fluid level is OK, then grab the track rod and try to move it in and out of the rack, any clunking at the rack end and this shows wear (make sure the key is at MAR to disengage the steering lock).

Top mount bearings - (You need a friend for this) Have your friend turn the wheel, meanwhile you feel the top mounts for rumbling as the wheels turn.

Shocks and springs - With the car back on the ground, drive it back and forth to get it back to normal ride hieght, it should check the car is siting level (ensure tyre presures are correct too) push down on a corner, it should rebound and then sink back to normal hieght in 1 stroke, then the other side. If it's not the same hieght both sides then a spring may have weakened, if it keeps bouncing then a shock has failed (replace as pairs).


As I say though this sounds like a combination of a few of the above problems and good luck finding them.