I found my clunk !

[DUDONLY]

Today I just had it..... It was time to find my clunk when I turned the steering wheel. The steering guide arm that comes from the steering box and attaches to the rack and pinion which is held on by a nut is the problem. Is there a washer or something that goes in there to keep it from moving or should I just snug the bolt down ? I did a search and everything but this is covered.

Thanks in advance

Dudley

[c.d.iesel]

Dudley,

it's very difficult to help when your car

part terms are way off - (no rack-n-pinion steering

in these cars)

maybe you can point to the trouble spot in these diagrams?

[jgerock]

Hey Dudley -

I wonder if your steering box "drop" arm still has the cotter pin that holds the castellated nut secure. The pin is smaller than the ones used on the rear axle nut. Since the nut for the center tie rod track bar joint faces upward, it is difficult to not only see where the pin goes, but also hard to install a new one.

When was the last time your tie rod ends and center bar were replaced?

[ArdenK]

Dudley,

From your description it sounds like the ball joint the pitman arm connects to might be bad, the pitman arm connects the steering box to the long center bar. The ball joint i speak of in in the driver side if the drag link. As Jim said, check the cotter pin, if it is missing tighten the nut and put another pin in it. If the pin is there you probably need a new drag link, the long bar in the center. And as Jim said, check the tie rod ends too.

hth

[TobyB]

you probably need a new drag link

Arden wins.

t

[DUDONLY]

OK.... I have a photo of the part in question it clunks at where my finger is pointing.

[Swiftus]

Here it is on the diagrams...

[SteveJ]

OK- the "while you are in there" repairs-

check the ball joints, check the center link and tie rod ends, buut don't forget the idler arm bushings on the opposite side of the engine bay. These always get forgotten. Fairly cheap and easy to change, especially if you already have the center link out.

[DUDONLY]

Thanks to you all..... It looks like my center link, tie rod ends,and bushings will get changed out for new stuff when the warm weather gets here.

Dudley

[Clevis Woodruff]

The same joint on my son's car just started "clunking" when turning the wheel left-right while the car is stationary.  It can be felt in the steering wheel.  The thing is, we replaced all the ball joints less than two years ago and there is less than 11K miles on the new joint(s).

 

Any ideas on why that joint in particular might be susceptible to this?