A knock in the steering somewhere!

[redandy3575]

Seem to be getting a knock when i turn the front wheels hard left, which you can feel through the steering wheel.
I've looked underneath the vehicle with another person doing the steering turn from left to right to see if anything is loose, or behaving unusual, but cannot find anything obvious.

It only does this every now and again. Sometimes when you go over a bump you get it too. Was wondering if it could be the balljoints, steering box, or maybe even the pan hard rods again which were re-tightened recently.

Has anybody else had this problem before??

Any help appreciated

Cheers

[mtb_gary]

The only times I have had a knock in the steering has been when a cv joint is on its way out, followed not long after by a cv failure.

[PeterH]

From what you describe it sounds like a steering component, possibly a tie rod end or ball joint is worn.
Might be worth getting it up on a hoist and get the steering components checked.

Could ba a cv joint on the way out, specially if it happens on full lock.
Are the rubber boots ok? If they have are old they can develop a hole and let dirt in, which will wear a cv joint.
cv joints are pretty tough, something like a seized viscous coupling will put a lot of stress on the drive line and can cause cv failure.
Are you experiencing any vibrations while driving or tyre squeal on cornering?

I would check the stering shaft uni joint for movement, the uni can develop a bit of slop over time and cause a knock.

How does the steering feel? Is it a bit vauge or wandering at all?

[redandy3575]

From what you describe it sounds like a steering component, possibly a tie rod end or ball joint is worn.
Might be worth getting it up on a hoist and get the steering components checked.

Could ba a cv joint on the way out, specially if it happens on full lock.
Are the rubber boots ok? If they have are old they can develop a hole and let dirt in, which will wear a cv joint.
cv joints are pretty tough, something like a seized viscous coupling will put a lot of stress on the drive line and can cause cv failure.
Are you experiencing any vibrations while driving or tyre squeal on cornering?

I would check the stering shaft uni joint for movement, the uni can develop a bit of slop over time and cause a knock.

How does the steering feel? Is it a bit vauge or wandering at all?

Steering feels normal if not a little tight, but not too much.

i'll see if i can describe the issue better.

this morning i reversed out of the driveway onto the road, and as soon as i engaged Drive and started to right the steering from a full left hand down, that's when the clunk occurred. But the strange thin was it never occurred again all the way to the shops. Then as i was leaving the shops, reversed out of the parking spot, then the clunk again as i started correcting the steering this time from a full right down. It almost seems like that somewhere, something is getting stuck then releasing. I'm also wondering wether the power steering hydraulics may have something to do with it. When the clunk occurs, it sounds a like the tyres are affected in some way, kind off like someones thrown a rock at the tyres with a clunky ping noise. So i'm guessing there is something close to the left wheel, as that is where the noise seems to come from.

i simply cannot see anything out of the ordinary visually when looking underneath the vehicle.

It's got me stumped!!

[PeterH]

I think I might know the problem, it's very common in P38's.
If I remember this correctly, a clunk occurs when the vehicle moves off from a stopped postition, or when reverse is engaged.
It is to do with the axle teeth where they engage inside the diff, there is a bit of movement that causes a distinctive clunk sound when the vehicle starts to move forwards or backwards.
There was a Land Rover paper on it, the official fix was to use loctite on the axle teeth to stop the movement.
Does that sound like it could be it?
Mine was annoying until I discovered a seised VC, which made it worse.
Even with a new VC, it still does it, although barely noticeable now.

[redandy3575]

Yeah i'm not quiet convinced that its metalic. Feels and sounds rubbery!!

I know it sounds weird, but you can feel it through the steering wheel. Just before i did a test and moved the wheel from left to right at stand still and noticed a bit of a clunk every now and again. I reckon its got to be in the steering linkage somewhere. I just don't know where though.

[Keithy P38]

Every P38 I've owned has done it. Peter is on the money, it's exactly what he describes. When I fly home from work I'll get a video of mine doing it. It's nothing to worry about as it normally only happens when reversing out of driveways or car parks, or when articulating suspension in a way that causes the power transfer to shift between axles.

Sounds like a light hit to a component under the front with a mallet, best way I can describe it.

Cheers
Keithy

[parasnoop67]

It may be the steering shaft, I had this problem recently.
If you open the bonnet, you can grab the steering shaft and give it a good tug up and down. Shouldn't have any movement at all.
Good luck, John

[redandy3575]

It may be the steering shaft, I had this problem recently.
If you open the bonnet, you can grab the steering shaft and give it a good tug up and down. Shouldn't have any movement at all.
Good luck, John

Yeah i reckon it could be there. it may also be the steering box itself. I did adjust it recently, and may have over adjusted to the borderline point where it grabs.

on another hunch, could it be and airbag spring moving around or catching? cause it does kind of appear its coming from the left side?? This is doing my head in!!!