Play / vibration in the steering?

[Ziggy]

This one's driving me to distraction!

Basically, since I started replacing suspension bits (that weren't giving me any trouble before - if it ain't broke & all that, I know!), my steering just doesn't feel quite right. There's a slight 'clunk' that's noticable if you rock the steering wheel from side to side when stationary, so I guess this could be part of the problem? It doesn't cause any problems when driving though - what is noticable is the slight vibration I get at above 60ish. Seems to be coming mainly through the wheel, & it's nowhere near as violent as dodgy wheel balancing.

What symptoms does a dying propshaft centre bearing give?
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" front top mounts?
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Steering rack even?

I'm at a loss as to what else it could be!
I'm running 15" BBS,
tracking's been done (twice),
wheels have been re-balanced,
new TCA bushes,
new wishbones,
new arb drop links,
new track rod ends,
new springs & shocks (Front & rear),
new rear subframe bushes,
new propshaft guibo & engine mounts last summer,
new steering column joint (rubber bit & then the whole joint as I thought it could be play in the UJs),


... & it only started when I started fitting new bits! Help?!

[sig325is]

greetings.

i'm having the same problem and posted a query about this a few days back. "steering loose - click noted at turn initiation."
I got a response who suggested the flexible coupling in the steering column. he said it can crack and cause exactly this issue, but if i'm reading this correctly you've already replaced that ..?

[jonbuoy]

Did you do the work yourself?
This can also be caused by an out of shape tyre! May have a bolge on the inside.
Also make sure the link arm's are done up, my passenger one decided to vibrate itself lose so i wacked on some new one's as the bush was nackered after this and some new lock nut's.

Hope you find your problem

Cheer's
Jon

[Ziggy]

Yup, I did it all (apart from the subframe bushes) myself & I'm pretty confident there's nothing loose. The front tyres are about 4 months old with no visible damage anywhere...
I'll find out if it's them before that long - I've got another set of wheels to get new tyres for. I really don't think it's likely though...

& yep, it's definately not my steering coupling. Would sound like it is probably causing your problem though!

[Ziggy]

Nobody got any ideas?
I'm thinking the rack might be the next thing to get changed... How difficult is that? If it's not that easy, I might go for an e36 rack at the same time so I don't have to do it again in the future!

[Cava]

With regards to the steering rack - just my opinion but I'll tell you anyway. I've driven three 318is's (still own two, scrapped the third) over the last month and noticed that two of them have the clunk you mentioned in the steering but the third car (which I scrapped) did not .....

The only thing I can put this down to is the steering rack. My main car had a new rack about 3 years ago (along with as many new parts as you have fitted yourself) but has never felt confident on the steering since (feels too light / floaty). My second car which has also had a new rack (fitted before I bought it) feels almost exactly the same.
The third car felt great in comparison - the only thing I could see different, is that the car still had what looked like it's original steering rack (judging by the overal condition!). Not sure if anyone else has noticed this or if there is a genuine reason (or is it just me!).

Sorry if this raises more questions than it answered!

[Simon13]

My auto 325 jon has this clunking in the steering, i think it's the rack too.

clicking noise? mine has done 140k so..... but it doesn't leak anywhere so thats a bonus. But i havn't got new bushes on it.

Looks to me that there is nothing left to do, engine, gearbox mounts new?

my old sport dirves like new but it's still on it's old track rod's which spoil it a bit and they are what gives that a vibration at speed sometimes. As the wheels are dead straight and it's the only parts that havn't been changed on the car.

Inner track rods? or did i read u have done that

E36 rack if u don't ever plan to fit a 6 branch, the 2 don't go!

[JAMZ]

To add to this, i have a re-con steering rack in mine and the steering feels light,always has but then i drive a brand new vectra everyday so not to sure if i was conparing em to much..hence the e30 steering doesnt get tighter at speed as most newer cars do..

Im serioulsy thinking about the e36 conversion at some point to try and rectify that problem,though not much a problem but just a feel that i dont like..

though as simon says,if i had plans for a 6 branch, id have to reconsider which means i gota put up with it i guess

[Ziggy]

Cheers for the input guys...

I've not changed the gearbox mount, but I can't really see that being the problem...
Can't see it being the wheel bearings either as there's no noise & no play when you grab a wheel & try to wiggle it!
Likewise the front topmounts - they're not new, but surely they couldn't easily introduce play when the car's stationary? Can't see any movement inside either, having removed the caps.
Propshaft centre bearing I guess could be causing the vibration, but not the play. I'll have a look at it anyway though...
Not sure how to best diagnose a faulty rack? That's all I'm left with though, unless one of the new parts I fitted was faulty

I'm gonna pull it all apart again at the weekend & see if I can tie the problem down to definately being the rack. Would ideally like to have a new rack I could just swap in - anyone got a known good one available? Wouldn't have a problem with getting a new one, but I'd rather not when it might not even be the cause of my problems!

[Ziggy]

Changed the rack & I haven't driven it yet, but it doesn't seem to have made any difference!

http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... c&p=312770