clunking noise

[Scanny]

there is a distinct clunking noise coming from the front of my car. while it was on the ramp we had a look and wiggled the front offside wheel which is causing this but the clunk is coming from the middle of the car. i know the tracking is miles out but the advice was to not pay to have it done until i know everything will be staying on the car. he suggested steering rack may be going but Nick Mann says this is rare on a VR4 (although not impossible) so what else should i be thinking of? more importantly, do i have the necessary parts on my V6 donor?

[Davezj]

It is probably the rack rod (not track rod end) that are clunking, these are replaceable and sit between the track rod end and the rack.

The part that have the bellows/gator of them.
Not sure if V6 ones are the same, but they are che enough and easy to replace.

[Scanny]

last week i had a track rod end swapped between the cars. not sure if that means the track rods will be the same though but it does sound a lot cheaper than a full rack

[Davezj]

And it is much easier to fit the rack rod than swapping the rack itself which can be a bitch of a job.

[Scanny]

i will hopefully get a definate answer in a couple of weeks at the workshop day in lossiemouth but i am looking for ideas in the meantime so thanks Dave. i need to get the V6 on axle stands and start to strip the underside for spares.

[Gowf]

The tie rods should be the same, and it is more likely that you are getting the noise from there... you should be able to check them though. Even if they are different lengths it wont be by much and so it can be taken up on the rod end.

You don't want it to be a rack, its horrendous to change

[Scanny]

Calum took a shot at the rack but he wasnt committed to that diagnosis as he doesnt know the car well enough. hopefully the workshop day in lossiemouth in a couple of weeks will give a more car specific diagnosis. there is definately something wrong as well as a wearing wheel bearing (possibly both as there is also a knocking noise from each side at times) but i know i can pick up brand new wheel bearings and hubs for £80 each as a package. he also recommended braided brake lines which i have waiting to be fitted anyway

[Nick Mann]

Yes, I agree. Have a good look at the rack ends first which are the same on the v6.

[Davezj]

If you check the V6 rack for knocking before you start to strip bits off you can be sure you are changing bad for good parts, otherwise you don't know what you are fitting, it could be worse than the ones you are taking off.

Check for knock by rolling drivers window down make sure steering lock is not on, and wiggle the steering wheel from side to side. While putting you hand on the road wheel rim and if you can feel knocking then you have an issue with either the track rod ends, rack rods, or rack.

But as said rad rods and track rod ends are cheap parts so it is probably best to buy new than going down the second hand route.

[Scanny]

the V6 was ok from that perspective and had new track rod ends last year for as its only MOT fail although they missed a very badly worn lower ball joint arm which was also brand new. these parts are virtually guaranteed to be better than i have on the car now so they are worth using but the rest will be emergency spares to keep the car on the road