Suspension knock transmits up steering column.

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

This is becoming more frustrating due to being difficult to diagnose.
The touring has been up on the ramps of our local garage as it's developed a knock from o/s/f and you can feel it through the column.
It's just passed it's MOT with only an advisory for slight ball joint wear, in fact our local mechanic couldn't find any!. The only thing that looked slightly iffy was the drop link as that was rubbing, so that was replaced. the Steering rack was replaced approx 5k miles ago. The suspension appears to be all bolted together nicely, so nothings dropping off. It's ok on smooth roads but as soon as you hit rough stuff you know about it. the really odd thing is that sometimes you have to travel a few mile before it happens and then like a pringle when it starts it doesn't stop!
Has anybody had anything similar?
I look forward to all suggestions, we're also away for the weekend so should anyone wish to chip in you can have my thanks now

[SGP]

I think you'll find that it is the worn ball joint.

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

Thanks for the definitive answer...........only problem is, It's not.

This I now know as I've had a complete new wishbone fitted today

[Barx325i]

possibly a worn guibo, which could explain why it starts after a few miles, after the heat from the exhaust does whatever it does

[aimlessrock]

my money's on the steering UJ and the donut.

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

my money's on the steering UJ and the donut.

good guess but it's nice and tight

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

possibly a worn guibo, which could explain why it starts after a few miles, after the heat from the exhaust does whatever it does

A guibo?

[daimlerman]

possibly a worn guibo, which could explain why it starts after a few miles, after the heat from the exhaust does whatever it does

A guibo?

A rubber thingy....

Have a look under the bonnet at the exhaust side of the engine,the steery column has a rubber guibo between the lower column and the u/j to the rack.

I cannot see this causing a knock,TBO,but a number of zoner's have reported vague,odd steering and traced it to a failing guibo/rubber coupling.

I have replaced this coupling with a solid metal link in both of my E30's,with no increase in transmitted noise into the car,just positive steering feel.

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

possibly a worn guibo, which could explain why it starts after a few miles, after the heat from the exhaust does whatever it does

A guibo?

A rubber thingy....

Have a look under the bonnet at the exhaust side of the engine,the steery column has a rubber guibo between the lower column and the u/j to the rack.

I cannot see this causing a knock,TBO,but a number of zoner's have reported vague,odd steering and traced it to a failing guibo/rubber coupling.

I have replaced this coupling with a solid metal link in both of my E30's,with no increase in transmitted noise into the car,just positive steering feel.

Thanks Daimlerman,

However that bit looks peachy!

Whatever is causing the issue is affected by poor road surfaces...of which we've got loads in Sheffield.
I'm beginning to wonder if the anti roll bar bushes could have anything to do with it.
One thing I should add is that when it starts it sounds like the suspension about to fall off! which of course is impossible as everythings tight as a drum.

[aimlessrock]

what about the top mounts??? have they been checked?

[Barx325i]

if it kicks through your steering wheel, it's a definite contender.. iirc, there's a heat shield which in your case may be missing. It may look fine, but the rubber tucked inside the bell housing thing may be goosed..

It could be caused by the ARB doing its job fine but & passing this elsewhere so another possibility is a top mount. Prise your top mount covers off, reach into the wheelarch, grab a coil, swing like an ape and keep an eye on the shock king pin for movement & keep an ear out for general clunking.. The contradiction with this theory is it'd be immediately apparant..

[Barx325i]

what about the top mounts??? have they been checked?

are we like psycically linked or what??

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

what about the top mounts??? have they been checked?

Not as I'm aware but having recently passed it's mot I would have hoped the top mounts would have shown if they were at fault.
Ironically the car handles like a dream, there's no discernible deterioration in it's handling characteristics.
The rattly knock put's your back up and it's embarrassing as the car is in such nice condition overall!

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

if it kicks through your steering wheel, it's a definite contender.. iirc, there's a heat shield which in your case may be missing. It may look fine, but the rubber tucked inside the bell housing thing may be goosed..

It could be caused by the ARB doing its job fine but & passing this elsewhere so another possibility is a top mount. Prise your top mount covers off, reach into the wheelarch, grab a coil, swing like an ape and keep an eye on the shock king pin for movement & keep an ear out for general clunking.. The contradiction with this theory is it'd be immediately apparant..

The heat shield down in the very bottom of the engine bay near the bell housing is still there and in perfect condition. I'll have a look again tomorrow at the rest of it when it gets lighter. but thanks for the advice. I'll also add that it's not a high miler having only covered 64k and it's been looked after like a gold watch!.......well by me anyway!

[aimlessrock]

happy hunting mate, given you clearly take care of your turd and to elimiate a culprit i would change the top mounts as a mater of course, they are cheap (i only use oem) and can be changed without to much bother.

My 190 was a low mile car when i acquired it two years ago and had been looked after by the last (and only) owner. The car drove well but I still changed all the mounts, springs, bushes etc and once i started the overhaul it was suprising how many of the original rubbers were knackered.

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

Thanks for the advice aimless but OS track control arm appears to be the culprit!
The joint nearest the rack and the exhaust looks like it was the problem although I've yet to take it on a proper test drive to fully evaluate.
Our local mechanic is sure he's got it this time.
I checked the old one out after it had been removed and the joint was as stiff as a stiff thing from planet stiff!
Inevitably as the plastic bush warmed up courtesy of the exhaust heat it would get worse which explains why it was usually ok when the car was cold.
Needless to say if it's not sorted this time our friendly local mechanic will be throwing himself off the ramp head first.
In all my years of car ownership and maintenance I've never come across anything that's been as much of a pig to diagnose than this problem.
So heed this my fellow zoners just in case you get something similar.

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

if it kicks through your steering wheel, it's a definite contender.. iirc, there's a heat shield which in your case may be missing. It may look fine, but the rubber tucked inside the bell housing thing may be goosed..

It could be caused by the ARB doing its job fine but & passing this elsewhere so another possibility is a top mount. Prise your top mount covers off, reach into the wheelarch, grab a coil, swing like an ape and keep an eye on the shock king pin for movement & keep an ear out for general clunking.. The contradiction with this theory is it'd be immediately apparant..

A belated thanks for the advice Barx, I did try it and that's when I realised how little room there is between the wheels and the arches,Hence my my rather bruised forearms. However I got the "ape swinging" bit off to a tee.

[bigwinn]

I've got the exact same problem, wishbones replaced and a knock occurring when turning left only=

will be checking the guibo and track rod ends

great thread

[320Touring]

Check the actual Track rods at the rack end. me36 had a knock like you describe- turned out to be that.

The balljoint where it joins the rack had worn, and was knocking

cheap and fairly easy to replace (i hope-doing mine tomorrow)

[bigwinn]

When removing the track rod end, can you replace the faulty bit, or do you have to replace it all the way back to the rack?

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

In my case the entire arm was replaced and it was the joint nearest to the rack that was the issue.
I've taken it out this evening and it's definitely sorted.
Although I'm not convinced about the tracking as it seems a little less crisp on the steering and the Steering wheel is a bit off centre!
These however are minor issues that can be sorted easy.
Now I can start enjoying it for the summer

[bigwinn]

was it a big job?

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

No, it's not a big job and relatively simple.
I let our local mechanic do it as I'm time poor these days and the diagnoses on this was driving me insane

[bigwinn]

cheers bud

[mcbonio]

Should of whipped the old rack out and put an e46/z3 one in whilst you where in the area..

[Cheekychunkyfunkymonkey]

Should of whipped the old rack out and put an e46/z3 one in whilst you where in the area..

The rack that's in is a replacement that was installed around 5 years ago or 5k miles ago approx.
In retrospect I wish I'd updated the rack at the time but I wasn't sure about the conversion process.
I don't mind altering the car for improvement in area's that can't be seen but I want it to remain visually standard in all other respects.
A Z3 linkage may be an idea for the future also.