mx5cartalk.com

Hi All,

Noticed yesterday whilst crossing a railway line that the steering clunked quite harshly. I cross this line every day and hadn't noticed this before. I stopped and checked both front wheels were bolted up properly as I did a pad replace a couple of weeks ago - both fine. Turning the wheel whilst stationary or moving reproduces this clonk - as if the rack had lost a bolt. There is no vagueness in the steering, just a clonk as it moves of centre to the right. So I don't think a ball joint. It seems something has failed in the last day or so, but I haven't hit anything on the road.

Any ideas as to where I should start looking?

(Yes, I did do a search on this one in this forum, but only found references to the rear end.)

Thanks in advance.

Maybe the rack HAS lost a bolt ... or else ...
Worn tie-rod end?
Loose steering rack mounting bolts?
Loose coupling rack to steering column?
Loose joint in column?
Excess pinion play in rack?
Excess play in rack bushes?

Well it's amazing what you can see - when you can see!

I only need glasses for reading but when I had them on this morning to start trying to find the problem I found the Alan screws on the steering wheel were loose - not enough so the wheel rocked, but enough to give it a couple of mm of rotational slop. 2 minutes later problem solved.

Thanks for you input MB anyway, appreciate it.

I never thought of that one.

I need a Mr.Magoo emoticon!