Heavy Knock When Turning.

[Wheelie1]

When setting off from junctions & turning (under load), I get a quite severe knock. I can feel it through the steering wheel & it's quite loud (inside).

It's been ongoing since I bought the car. I've bought new front shocks + top mounts + bearings. New track rods (inner & outer) New bottom ball joints, new arb bushes + new drop links.

There is no knock/rattles/noises whatsoever even over rough road/speed humps. It's a joy to drive except for the 'Knock' when settig off & turning. Please don't tell me it's the rack.

[Wheelie1]

Sorry.... Fabia 1.9tdi vrs 2006

[nige8021]

Sounds more like a CV joint than a steering rack fault  

[Wheelie1]

Hi Nige, God love those who stop up late lol. Thanks for input, was my thought, as no otherwise driving noises. I'm certain the knock is coming from the passenger side, maybe time to source a drive-shaft then, for what they cost (fleabay) maybe easier than messing about with the joints.

[nige8021]

Jack it up safely (axle stands) and you'll soon tell if it is the CV joint 

[KenONeill]

12 minutes ago, Wheelie1 said:

I'm certain the knock is coming from the passenger side, maybe time to source a drive-shaft then

Before you do, can you feel wear in the outer rod end, lower ball joint or wheel bearing. As @nige8021 says, jack the car up and see if you can feel play in the wheel.

[Wheelie1]

can't feel any play anywhere. Just gone through MOT & made garage aware of problem. Car passed with no advisaries, but the knock is still there. Mechanic says carry on driving & if it gets worse, bring it back & we may get a better idea????

[nige8021]

If there was nothing on the MOT it might be the "Dog-bone" link on the gearbox then 

[KenONeill]

11 hours ago, Wheelie1 said:

can't feel any play anywhere.

Good!  I'm now as sure as I can be with a car that I can't inspect that the issue is a CV joint.

[Wheelie1]

Well, when it stops raining i'll have a look at the dog-bone. I'm assuming I will need a pry bar or something to check, or could I tell visually looking?

Re CV joint... hoping it is the problem as much cheaper than rack. The money i've spent on this car is unbelievable, but it does drive nice now (apart from said knock).

[Wheelie1]

Well...... 2 new drive shafts & the bogger's still knocking bad as ever!  I've exhausted all avenues now, the front end is practically new. Anything that could cause it has been renewed.....all except the rack. So today dropped sub frame & removed said offender. Now another question, does anyone know where the part number on the rack is? There are a couple of random numbers stamped, but not anything like a vag format. Reservoir cap says TRW on it, but no part # or brand on the rack. Can someone help please.

P.S. @nige8021 dog-bone is fine, looks like it's not been on long.

[skomaz]

Have you checked the engine and gearbox mounts?

[Wheelie1]

Yes, Myself & Son tried to rock around engine, it doesn't unduly rock on start-up & no shudder at all on shut-down. Knock happens at any speed only when turning, even when pulling out of drive at litterally a walking pace.

[AnnoyingPentium]

I've got this same issue. Thrown about a few theories, and the dog-bone mount has come up in the process, just as a suggestion.

[TMB]

3 hours ago, Wheelie1 said:

Now another question, does anyone know where the part number on the rack is?

 

Mine is on a paper label stuck on the rack. Yours might have fallen off/disintegrated.

 

+

Edited 12 June, 2022 by TMB

[J.R.]

One of the strut top bearings that you have fitted might have failed immediately, this happened to my vehicle only a few months after fitting new ones, the failure may have been right away & the noise followed, quiet at first but now there is no doubting what it is, in my case helped by knowing what the noise was before & that it was resolved, albeit temporarily, by replacing the bearing.

 

I will probably replace mine tomorrow & will then see what the failure mode has been.

[Wheelie1]

Thanks for the pic Lee, yeah..i've taken it off & bought a recon unit. Guess what, it's changed nowt apart from steering being slightly stiffer/heavier, but I don't mind that. The knock is still there on turning. 

J.R. Yes mate.. i'm going to have another look at l/h top bearing again, if i'm being truthful, I just cleaned the ball-bearings & repacked with cv grease, but I did put new mount + bearing on r/h.

The guy where I bought the rack told me if the knock persisted, it could be the steering column bearing. At my wits end now! Can I please re-iterate, the car is as quiet as a new one over rough ground, a joy to drive, apart from turning. Sorry i'm a bit late replying, but many thanks for your suggestions.

 

[DieselMonte]

Funny my MK2 is currently suffering from this exact issue. Not all the time mind, but often enough to make me want to get to the bottom of it.

This only developed relatively recently and I have replaced pretty much everything on it since I got it. I think on mine it's a dodgy top mount bearing (mind this is a different style to the Mk1), but if it's not that it's probably a CV joint.

 

Worth noting I suffered a much worse knock around Christmas under similar conditions which turned out to be a failing engine side mount.

[Wheelie1]

1 minute ago, DieselMonte said:

Funny my MK2 is currently suffering from this exact issue. Not all the time mind, but often enough to make me want to get to the bottom of it.

This only developed relatively recently and I have replaced pretty much everything on it since I got it. I think on mine it's a dodgy top mount bearing (mind this is a different style to the Mk1), but if it's not that it's probably a CV joint.

 

Worth noting I suffered a much worse knock around Christmas under similar conditions which turned out to be a failing engine side mount.

Hi DM, cv joint was one of the early diagnosis?? as the knock is definitely on left side & I bought the whole driveshaft (new). Can't be ars**d with messing with the black stuff lol it gets everywhere. As said, i'm going to have another look at top-mount bearing. If still not cured suspicions will fall on side mount as you suggest.

[Wheelie1]

Sorry..... forgot to say, I get the knock even when stationary & turning steering wheel, so I doubt it would be engine/gearbox mounts.

[DieselMonte]

44 minutes ago, Wheelie1 said:

Sorry..... forgot to say, I get the knock even when stationary & turning steering wheel, so I doubt it would be engine/gearbox mounts.

Ah I see

I also have a knock in the steering wheel when stopped. If you move the steering wheel left to right quickly you can hear a solid clunk. Been like that since I got it.

Whatever it ends up being, I'm interested to see what it is.

[nige8021]

57 minutes ago, Wheelie1 said:

Sorry..... forgot to say, I get the knock even when stationary & turning steering wheel, so I doubt it would be engine/gearbox mounts.

 

That could be one or both of the universal joints on the steering column ?? 

[AnnoyingPentium]

33 minutes ago, DieselMonte said:

Ah I see

I also have a knock in the steering wheel when stopped. If you move the steering wheel left to right quickly you can hear a solid clunk. Been like that since I got it.

Whatever it ends up being, I'm interested to see what it is.

 

I have this too. Still interested in a potential solution.

[Wheelie1]

Well, as I said. The guy I bought the rack from did suggest it could be the bearing/u/j in the column. I've ordered a top mount + bearing today, should be here Thurs. I've really gone through everything that moves when turning the steering wheel & i'm afraid if this latest purchase does not cure it, it only leaves the steering column & that will not get investigated until I save some more pennies up. I wouldn't feel competent enough, so it would be a garage job.

Anyway, i'll let you know as soon as i've fitted new mount. Thank all for the input & keep an eye out in the classified ads, there maybe a yellow vrs up for sale lol.

[Whit3Knight]

Hi,

 

All i can go by is my own issues i had with my car same clunk/knock when setting off, under load...... I changed the Dogbone as this was tired to say the least spend many a evening checking allsorts and it turned out to be a loos nut on the axle bolt cv end popped alloy wheel cap off put a 36mm multi point on and tightned and no more noise. hope this helps great cars!