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Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment. 

 

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 Post subject: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 2:11 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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Hi all,

I have an entirely new front syspension.. shocks, tie rods, tie rod ends.. ball joints, some rubbers etc.


Sent it to pedders and they gave it a wheel alignment.. said there were no problems.
It drives sweet however the next day I was driving it to work and noticed a clunk in the steering wheel.

It sounded like the steering wheel was lose so I took it off.. the clunk is somewhere in the shaft, it sounds like it's coming from the top of the steering shaft somewhere..

Pi$$ing me off cos I just got it all perfect.

See this youtube clip to hear it yourself.

{DESCRIPTION}

Can anyone think of what this might be? I was so annoyed cos I thought I was done with my steering / suspension for a while.

ta

Frank
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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 3:11 pm 
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that don't sound good. i would get it up on ramp's and have someone else wiggle the steering and feel around for the clunk.

 

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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 3:42 pm 
Oompa Loompa
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I just had the same problem it had taken me a while to work it out but I had to replace my steering rack and in termediate shaft it had to much play. I only got this done last weekend and now the problems gone good luck

 

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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 5:15 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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thats the weird thing though.. that noise was not there the day before yesterday, and my steering rack had no slop at all.

It sounds like the noise is a loose steering wheel... there is no noise outside the car at all when you move the wheel.
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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 5:24 pm 
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its not the steering lock catching is it?

 

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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 5:29 pm 
Oompa Loompa
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Everything tightened up properly sounds stupid but when my mechanic played around with mine he forgot a bolt in the intermediate shaft haha I pick up straight away he was under the pump lol.
With my el I had replace heaps like you tie rods , ball joints, intermediate shaft, power steering rack I thought I wasnt going to stop still not sure if I'm 100'/. happy

 

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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 5:51 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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{USERNAME} wrote:
its not the steering lock catching is it?


Thats kind of what it seems like. Does that happen with ef el falcons?

The rack was replaced only a couple of years ago. Maybe they undid the intermiate shaft to center the wheel. I'll check but the clank is coming from the wheel end of the steering wheel.

I might use a big screwdriver as a stethoscope and see if i can tell exactly were its from.
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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 6:03 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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{USERNAME} wrote:
its not the steering lock catching is it?


Thats kind of what it seems like. Does that happen with ef el falcons?

The rack was replaced only a couple of years ago. Maybe they undid the intermiate shaft to center the wheel. I'll check but the clank is coming from the wheel end of the steering wheel.

I might use a big screwdriver as a stethoscope and see if i can tell exactly were its from.
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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:59 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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any thing wrong when the shaft dropped the other day?

 

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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:14 pm 
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Check the nuckles on the shaft from steering rack to the steering coloum they get floged out.
Easy to replace. Some wreckers will by Ef El Falcons just to get the shaft as no one is repairing them & Ford dont have them any more either.

 

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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 8:54 pm 
Oompa Loompa
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Yer that's the intermediate shaft if your talking about the same thing I pulled one out at the wreckers and only payed 15 bucks for it nice and cheap at least lol lock your steering if your doing your self though or you will set off your airbag haha

 

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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 2:21 am 
Getting Side Ways
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I will know soon enough. I'll watch the intermediate shaft while getting the wife to rock it. I changed that shaft not so long ago with my spare. When I did that this one had no slop at all.
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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 10:13 am 
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You can disconnect the IS from the rack, with the key still in the ignition (to stop locking)and hold the bell/heat cover and twist the whole lot either way - this will give you an idea if the problem is in that area upwards toward the steering wheel - also tests the unijoint at the lower column.

Then you can remove the IS from the column, and fit to the rack, twist again to check the IS unijoint.

 

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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment.
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 7:51 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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WA, Australia

ok... I've been pulling the steering apart and working my way down.

The steering shaft housing incorporating the ignition and tilt adjust mech is all gone.

The top half of the shaft is all gone.

I know it isn't the rack or the bottom uni joint just off the rack as I got under and grabbed the metal bell around that and stopped it moving while getting someone to rock the wheel. There was still a clunk... I think it is coming from the uni joint that is immediately back of the firewall.

sadly I have a spare intermediate shaft, but I don't have a spare top joint.

shame none of the newer falcons ones are fittable.
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 Post subject: Re: Weird knock in steering after wheel alignment. Solved!
Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2012 9:17 pm 
Getting Side Ways
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OK... well, after pulling everything off one by one.. the problem was the torq bolt right in the firewall at the top Uni joint.

I tightened that up half a turn and the clunk is gone. Now I just have to put my entire steering colume back together.

For the sake of anyone that finds this via search. Check the torq bolt that joins the intermediate shaft to the steering shaft. The torq bolt is on the end of the actual steering shaft where it comes though the firewall.

lucky for me the uni joints have no slop at all that I can see. Wish I'd known the cause before pulling the entire colume out.

could have sworn the noise was coming from behind the ignition somewhere.

live and learn.. at least I don't have to replace anything.
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