Steering Noises

[gRoberts]

Hey all,

When turning right (sharp) it knocks from the right hand side (sounds like it anyway) and when driving it pulls to the left.

Any idea's?

Thanks

Gav

[steve_earwig]

The knocks sound like a driveshaft but Ićm not sure about the pulling. Time to jack it up and have a look I reckon.

[gRoberts]

My next door neighbour knows a fair bit about cars and suggested that also.

Expensive? I've looked up on ebay, and prices are cheapish, but need to know what the labour will be like? I've got a Haynes manual, but not very good with cars.

Cheers

Gav

[FalconII]

You have a few faults that can cause knocking on 406 cars.

knocking while moving on full lock is normally a CV joint. not too hard to do the knock is the bearings clicking in the housing. only about £30-50 from a motor factor.

a loud clunk at full lock that happens when your stationary then happens again when you go full lock the other way is normally a wishbone, steering rack end, or droplink end. most common first. again fit yourself and not too costly

the last one is when you hear a cluck then the steering goes one way and the next clunk the car stears the other way and feels skitish. happening when braking hard or accelerating hard. this can be the above or the top bering on the suspension. £30 from a motor sales place or £15 from a brakers yard replacing the whole arm.

[gRoberts]

It only appears when turning and accelerating. I'm getting some noises from the rear which also sound like bushes.

I haven't had the chance to take a look yet, might do today. How would I really see what's causing the issue? I'm not exactly mechanically minded unfortunately.

Thanks

Gav

[FalconII]

if its when you put power on in a corner it is normally cluck cluck cluck of the CV Joint not too much to replace cost wise just need a big mate to pull the drive shaft out and pull the suspension away from the car. normally. or get a garage to do it.

just make sure you get the front and rear tracking done, or you will eat up tyres.

[Longintooth]

Hi
Your problem is the top strut bearing - it is common. The bearing seizes up and when the wheel is turned it holds the spring which then goes with a twang when it overcomes the sticking bearing. It pulls to one side or the other because it stops the strut from centering back properly. There is a photo on here somewhere.

[steve_earwig]

This be the thread. I can't see how it would give you noises accellerating tho.

[rapport25]

I have simular noise with mine and was told it was play on the steering rack. Only happened when the engine is very warm stuck in heavy traffic or when the outside temperature was above 25 degrees. Next time its in for a service will ask them to chuck some grease in. Thanks Supa.

[gRoberts]

I've been told its one of the engine mounts.

To be honest, i haven't had it fixed yet. Its on my list of things to do.

[Longintooth]

Hi
The distortion here is that when the car is jacked up the ball bearings just shift a bit so it unwittingly seems to cure the problem for a while and when they do a daft thing like greasing the rack it is said to be that 's what the problem was or any other silly reason. The only cure is to fit new bearings left and right.

[Longintooth]

Hi Steve
It may be that just the slight lift or weight shift causes the strut to just spring back, just a coincidence but that does not means other things should not be checked along the way.