FeralComprehension

There's an audible 'tunk!' when I wiggle the wheel back and forth a small amount.

I confirmed today that a) the steering U-joint recall was performed in '98, and b) the rack itself is not moving (as described in this TSB.

There's a small amount of play in the u-joint right after the column but it seems unrelated to the noise.

Anyone else seen/addressed this?

TIA!

Indycam

An "audible 'tunk!'" should make it easy to track down .
Have another rock the wheel back and forth while you watch parts .

FeralComprehension

You'd think so, but right now the car is in the air with control arms/tie rods/struts/carriers etc... sitting on the floor. It's pretty weird- from *inside* the car you'd swear it was at the joint between the wheel and the column it's heard so clearly. Even a stethoscope is misleading...

Amroth

I have some free play in my steering too, Feral, and the TSB you posted has inspired me to order those parts involved.

However I also have a loud whine, or moan, rather (lol) that comes from the steering that only comes about at very low speeds, basically only when Im parking and turning the wheel near the lock. Not sure if it's the steering rack or what

Rocket Rob

Check that your steering column universal joint is secure. I discovered mine was loose recently.

FeralComprehension

@Amroth- regarding your whine/groan- check your fluid level. Has to be done with the car running.

@RocketRob- Where did you tighten, specifically? Everything I've looked at so far is spline joints and pressfits with no threaded fasteners. I would SO love it to be just something loose...

Rocket Rob

There are two 8mm bolts that attach the universal joint that joins the steering column to the steering rack. See diagram below. If you remove the board behind the pedal cluster, you will see it. In my case, #15 was loose, approx 1-2 mm. I remove the bolt, cleaned it, applied red Locktite and reinstalled using 17 ft-lbs of torque. It eliminated my looseness.

FeralComprehension

Oh man... I want to skip out on work now to run home and check that!

Thanks for the diagram; very helpful.

tbennett017

@Amroth- regarding your whine/groan- check your fluid level. Has to be done with the car running.

Also read up on the simple procedure if your pump is 'cavitating'...or creating air in the system. Essentially if it gets low the pump will suck air, and create steering fluid foam, that makes the noise. You can fill to the level, and gently move the wheel back and forth lock to lock with the car running (helps to raise the front wheels off the ground. Do it back and forth while keeping an eye on the level. The foam should subside if your fluid is new enough.

SuperUser

This was on my list to do, I also have a little play/click in my wheel. Thanks for the heads up about the TSA or loose bolts that may be the issue

MarkRobinson

Mine too: with 257k miles on my 965 I was starting to wonder & even purchased (not installed yet) another j-joint.

FeralComprehension

No such luck on my end, and my hardware doesn't look like RR's PET image:



@MarkRobinson- which joint do you plan to replace?

Indycam

When you turn the wheel , do any of those parts in the photo go tunk ?

Rocket Rob

Feral - That's the same as mine. If you look at your photo, the red bolt is #4. There is a second bolt (#15) behind the clutch hydraulic hose. If you rotate the steering and watch the steering column, you should see it.

FeralComprehension

@Indycam- Honestly I'm damned if I know. I messed with it for an hour or so today and I *cannot* tell where the play is. I'm starting to think it's in the lower u-joint, but there's so little relative motion that it's been really hard to find. Making it worse is the odd acoustics of it- from the driver's seat you'd swear it was where the wheel mated to the column- it's that loud and clear (it isn't; that was the first thing I checked). Today I used a mechanic's stethoscope to try to determine where the 'tunk' was loudest, but it was completely inconclusive (too much hard metal in there I guess- it was clear everywhere...).

RocketRob- I only wish you were right. In the image you supplied, bolts 4 and 15 clamp what I'll call the lower u-joint (part 3) to the column shaft and what I think is the rack input shaft respectively. In my car there is no bolt 4; instead, the engagement to the upper splined shaft is longer (the black part in the photo) and is pinned to the upper splined shaft (silver splines visible at top). The only bolt I have is 15, and it was tight