Steering wheel play

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Continuing from my previous post; I seem to have a lot of play in the steering wheel before the wheels do anything. Along with this is a clunking noise which seems to be coming from the bottom of the steering column.

The universal joint seemed to be suspect number one, however I pulled the big rubber gromet thing up today and it seems that there no play at all in the UJ

Doesn't seem to be any play in the track rod ends.

Any ideas?

Cheers:)

Retroholic Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 5685

If its not the rack and its not the trackrod ends, what is it?

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

I'm hoping its not a rack replacement job

Retroholic Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 5685

Bah, i menat to say column, not rack

It seems to be pointing towards the rack doesn't it!

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

check the lower balljoints as well but it is prolly the column.

when i changed GYP's column out, the UJ looked and felt fine but with the new column in, all play had gone from the steering and it drove like it was on rails

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Cheers Neo... column looks easy enough to get out. Can you do the pinch bolt front inside the footwell?

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

iirc i did mine from the engine bay but i did have a slight advantage, the engine was not in the car at the time.