Steering issue

Stiggy

Stiggy

Torque Junkie
Points
202
Location
Worcester
Car
Audi A3 Quattro
Hi guys im back once again for some advice

I have encountered a problem with my car wear i get a knocking noise while going over rough ground wear it would cause the car's body to shimmy, so iv done the bounce test and got nothing so i moved onto rocking the car left and right while stationary and got the knocking noise so i thought it would be maybe a ball joint or anti roll bar linkage, after further inspecting i discovered the noise is coming from what seems to be the UJ join in the steering rack O.O, now my dad seems to think that we can take the gaiter off the UJ joint and tighten it to take up the play in the UJ joint but im not sure on this? is this possible or is it just a new steering rack that's needed ?

car is a Mk3 mondeo on a Y plate with the 2.0 TDDI engine

any help will be much appreciated

Stiggy
 
Welcome back mate, how are you doing?

Have you tried greasing the joint first? It may have just dried out a bit.
 
hey waynne, im doing ok thanks how have you been ?

no i haven't done anything with it yet, iv just diagnosed the problem for now and seeing what options i have got with repairs as im only going to have the car for about another 3 months probably, so greasing the UJ is the first option i have, if that fails what can be done next ? can just the end of the steering rack be replaced or the UJ joint tightened somehow ? or is it straight on to replacing the whole rack ?
 
Hello mate
I've had same problems on my mk3.
Do not change the steering rack as a first thing.
If you can't diagnose it properly, then start from the steering rack ends, cheap ;)
Once I got funny knocking on the steering wheel column because of faulty power steering pump, when ps pump turns fluid to smoky black color then you have some serious issues with your pump. I've heard about same issue on different fords as well.
But from what you saying it looks like you have some problem around the steering rack.
I haven't heard about tightening the UJ, but logically it is possible if you really want, its always possible, but from what I remember taking the rack off from mk3 mondeo is quiet bad.
Whole front sits on a big frame which is attached by 4 massive bolts. It works this way that if you disconnect everything as it should be and then loose those 4 bolts, you will be able to 'drive out' from an engine bay (if you lift the front pretty high) with that frame as everything sits and its attached to it, all the suspension engine gearbox cv steering rack etc looks quiet good.
So I'm not sure how difficult is to change the rack it self as in mine example there was a problem once with ends and then pump, but if thats just the end just change them quickly before it will knock other bits out and the rack ends are fairly cheap.
The very good place to get the professionally refurbished steering rack with a proper guarantee is

http://www.acspowersteering.co.uk/ford/steering-rack/

they are steering rack and pump specialists.

I wish I could help you more, but all I can is share my experience with the same car with same issue.

PS. all mk3 petrol racks are the same, just the piping is different :)
also, ACS will charge you a small deposit as they want your old faulty rack or pump to offer you good price.

Hope that helps and it's not a steering rack
 
I've been good thanks, the wife is recovering from an operation at the moment so I'm doing all her jobs as well as my own. I wish I had some spare time! Work is going well though, which is good in the current economic climate.
 
waynne said:
I've been good thanks, the wife is recovering from an operation at the moment so I'm doing all her jobs as well as my own. I wish I had some spare time! Work is going well though, which is good in the current economic climate.
Click to expand...

I really hope your wife's operation isn't nothing serious.
And I do feel sorry for you with all the house works ;) I remember when my Misses was pregnant and when she gave a birth to our little angel and I was doing all the house works, Jesus !!!! , I would rather be in a cage with some cage fighter :):):)
 
Thanks for the reply Marc07, so just to confirm on your old MK3 Mondeo you were able to change the steering arms individually and the arms and rack are not just one big piece ?
if possible i don't really want to have to drop the whole sub frame just to get this issue sorted. any idea roughly on what kind of price i would be looking at for steering arms ?
Oh and thanks for the link for the steering racks, i'll be having a good look at that if it turns out the rack has to be changed

Glad to hear your doing well Waynne and i wish your wife a speedy recovery :). Good to hear your still in work too, with the current economic climate a secure job these days are about as common as rocking horse s**t lol
 
As far as I remember steering rack comes fully equipped with rod ends etc.
Just the rod ends you can get as cheap as 17quid each

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/F...b9ba2503be1bf45c672519bc68a92663385560&000349

Ball joint 14quid

http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/F...0b18ebd3932247c69e221cbc3f3e68f604e2cf&000019

The best way to get some idea about pricing for basic or quality parts is this website.

http://www.eurocarparts.com/

Just type your reg number on the left in Fast Finder section and you will get all the parts from different manufacturers and you can get an idea what sort of parts you have available and which one that could be.

If you are not familiar with what is what, there is always a small description of each part which usual tells you what for is it, what it does, what it connects etc etc. that plus common sense and a bit of knowledge and you should find quickly what exactly is wrong with you car.
 
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