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Topic: Steering clonk (Read 908 times) |
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Steering clonk
« on: Jan 23rd, 2007, 1:28am » |
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I've noticed a clonk coming from the front recently.
Got under car briefly earlier & had a pull about.
It seems that the clonk is coming from the O/S track rod inner ball joint (under gaiter) as when I yank the track rod I can feel it.
Does this mean a new rack or I did read on the site about being able to change just the track rod.
Or is it possible the ball joint has dried out & just needs a generous helping of grease (probably wishful thinking).
Also, (the worst scenario), does anyone know how dangerous this can be & how long it may take for it to separate itself from the rack? 
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Octavian_P
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Posts: 1126
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #1 on: Jan 23rd, 2007, 7:50am » |
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The track rods gave up on mine 2.3, if left so they can damage the steering rack which is way more expensive. The worst case scenario is to suddenly lose steering and one wheel goes left and the other one right.....
PS: do not forget to adjust the tracking after the replacement of the tracking rods 
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2.0 16V Ultima|2.3 16V Ghia|2.9 24V Cosworth Ghia
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Simmo
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #2 on: Jan 23rd, 2007, 8:03am » |
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JC, I think THIS is what you are thinking of. Hope it helps, Mike.
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #3 on: Jan 23rd, 2007, 8:58am » |
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Cheers guys 
I'm gonna pop it down the garage & get their opinion
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #4 on: Jan 23rd, 2007, 10:12am » |
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Does anyone know if the facelift 2.3 Ultima has speed sensitive steering ?
And are the auto & manual racks the same ?
Cheers
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mr._floppy
Junior Member
Posts: 100
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #6 on: Jan 23rd, 2007, 7:22pm » |
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The component that simmo has highlighted , in the old rack and pinion systems in was customary to squirt some gear oil into the rack bellows to keep the rack and inner ball joint lubed.
Should we do the same with the Scorp ?
I don't see that mentioned in any maintenance literature.
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Octavian_P
Senior Member
Posts: 1126
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #7 on: Jan 23rd, 2007, 7:37pm » |
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All the scorps have power assisted steering (PAS), so no oil needed in the steering rack. Simmo highlighted the ball joints i believe.
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2.0 16V Ultima|2.3 16V Ghia|2.9 24V Cosworth Ghia
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #8 on: Jan 24th, 2007, 12:24am » |
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I've not had it seen to yet, but will be popping down the garage tomorrow.
Mr Floppy....I'm wondering whether you may have a good point there
The steering doesn't wander & feels tight, but I can hear a clonk, & when grabbing the track arm, I can feel a clonk when I pull it hard.
But with the wheel jacked up, there is no noticable movement, & the track rod seems solid 
I wonder if it may be a case that the ball joint has dried out....& is fine when cold....but once warmed up (friction) it is sticking ?
That would be a nice thought & a cheap fix.....but I am fearing the worst....just have to wait & see
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Octavian_P
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #9 on: Jan 24th, 2007, 8:34am » |
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There also could be something else, just happened on my cossie, i was experiencing a nasty clonking sound on the front left hand side, after changing the wishbone bushes, stabilizer bar bushes, stabilizer arm, the sound was still there, until we found the reason, The place where the steering rods end connects to the road wheel was a bit deformed as an oval, and the screw was not torqued properly and it was starting to have a play, now all is tight and well no strange sounds.
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2.0 16V Ultima|2.3 16V Ghia|2.9 24V Cosworth Ghia
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mr._floppy
Junior Member
Posts: 100
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #10 on: Jan 24th, 2007, 10:31am » |
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My old Volvo 740 had a hellish squeak everytime the front N/S suspension moved up or down I investigated the shocks, springs, bearings, lower arm everything till I narrowed it down to a very dry track rod inner ball joint.
After squirting some gear oil into the rack bellows all was well again.
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #11 on: Jan 24th, 2007, 2:36pm » |
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Just got back from the garage....mechanic says it needs a new rack. It isn't just the track rod that's at fault, there is also too much play in the rack
Also, the O/S/F ball joint is moving up & down....so a new wishbone as well 
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Simmo
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #12 on: Jan 24th, 2007, 2:58pm » |
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That's bad luck JC. The link that Stuart has put up seems to have the racks at a reasonable price. Mine was about £145 from AMK through my local parts supplier. I'm sure you know that the details of how to do it are on the site if you need them. Good luck. MIke.
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #13 on: Jan 24th, 2007, 5:16pm » |
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Cheers Simmo....but I reckon, unless the weather warms up a bit, I might just let the mechanic do it.
The thought of lying under the car for most of the day in sub zero temperatures doesn't seem that appealing
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #14 on: Jan 26th, 2007, 1:58am » |
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Well it looks as though the weather's gonna improve a bit for the weekend
So I've bought all the bits & will be doing the work myself at the weekend......the garage wanted in the region of £250 labour + VAT (couldn't give an exact figure).
If anyone is interested in the cost of the parts :-
....Steering rack - £198.50 from local motor shop
....2 track rod ends - £12.00 each from local motor shop
....Two wishbones - £104.50 each from FMD...(may as well do both while I'm at it).
....2x nut & bolts for front bushes & 2 nuts for ball joints - £4.50.
All the above prices are VAT included, so that's a total of .........£436.00
Do you know that today was the first time I've actually opened the top of my steering reservoir (never needed to before, as level was always fine).......& the fluid is a green
Not a dirty green, but an almost luminous lime green......
......Would this be the original Ford spec fluid ?....if so, it's lasted 152,000 miles.
P.S...I'll be refilling the steering with new fluid. Is there any special refilling procedure ?
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Simmo
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #15 on: Jan 26th, 2007, 8:29am » |
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Good luck JC. All the info you want is HERE. The proper way to cleanse the old fluid is by using special equipment. I would suggest you remove as much of the old fluid as possible as any 'debris' left in the system could affect the new rack. The only other thing I found on my 2ltr 16v was that I had to remove the anti-roll bar to get the rack out. There is a metal plate under the centre of the rack which just gets in the way!. When re-filling you need to have someone pouring the fluid once you start the car as the reservoir will drop instantly as the fluid is pumped round. Be prepared to switch off sharpish and start again so the system doesn't run dry. Once full the 'lock to lock' method will remove any air and if you keep the front wheels just touching the ground that will make life easy.
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martin_rowe
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #16 on: Jan 26th, 2007, 8:46am » |
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ford pas fluid is not green, the only green stuff I can think of at the moment is citroen lhm fluid, or the mineral stuff used in some rolls royce / bentleys. anti freeze can be luminous green as is hydrolastic suspension fluid. the usual colour of pas fluid is red.
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #17 on: Jan 27th, 2007, 12:42pm » |
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Just a quickie....
Does anyone know how tight the 18mm nut that holds the rear bush onto the wishbone should be ?.....I can't find it anywhere.
Cheers........
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Jonnycab
Senior Member
Former owner of 2.3 Ultima Facelift saloon
Posts: 3900
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Re: Steering clonk
« Reply #19 on: Jan 27th, 2007, 1:58pm » |
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Cheers Stuart......sorry I may not have explained it right.
I mean't the 18mm nut on the rear bush of the front wishbone.....the one that screws onto the wisbone itself
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