Steering Knocking Noise MK7 Fiesta

[Callum1499]

Evening,

Hope everyone is staying safe at the moment!

I have an issue where my steering is making a heavy clunking sound. This doesn’t happen when you start turning the steering wheel or during turning the steering wheel, but when the steering wheel stops moving and then you go to move the steering wheel back on itself to straighten the wheels. It feels like the steering wheel isn’t very responsive as it has a lot of movement in it before it moves the wheels, I’d say about 60-90 degrees either way before it even remotely starts to move the front wheels in the direct you’re turning. The car can also get stuck in the cracks/joins that run down the centre of the road and it’s like being on a tram as you need a very heavy pull on the steering wheel to take the car out of it even though the join in the road isn’t that severe. 

All the bolts on the steering rack are tight, I’ve had 2x new wishbones offside and near side as well as a new offside Track Rod. Has anyone got any other suggestions as to what this is or if it’s anything to worry about?

And last question, when I go through a pothole the near side front can make an awful massive what I can only describe as a cracking sound. It doesn’t happen all the time and it doesn’t matter on the size of the pothole but if you’re applying throttle and turning the wheel slightly I will hear it and it really doesn’t sound good - any recommendations on this too please?

Thanks in advance :)

[dovski]

Just replaced the steering rack, with track rod ends, anti-roll bar drop links and bottom ball joints. The subframe has to be removed to get at the rack and that's where the fun begins. The front subframe mounting bolts go into captive nuts in the chassis rails which are blind. Both front bolts sheared off in the chassis leaving me a night mare..

The bolts are also know to shear/fail in normal use which is where I'd be looking for your cracking noise as the subframe would flex and 'slap' the chassis in potholes.

Not good news but the steering no longer clunks on mine either...155,000mls..

[Callum1499]

1 hour ago, dovski said:

Just replaced the steering rack, with track rod ends, anti-roll bar drop links and bottom ball joints. The subframe has to be removed to get at the rack and that's where the fun begins. The front subframe mounting bolts go into captive nuts in the chassis rails which are blind. Both front bolts sheared off in the chassis leaving me a night mare..

The bolts are also know to shear/fail in normal use which is where I'd be looking for your cracking noise as the subframe would flex and 'slap' the chassis in potholes.

Not good news but the steering no longer clunks on mine either...155,000mls..

Thank you, I’ll look into that! Was it expensive to do?

[dovski]

start with all the ball joints and links, they're cheap from eBay, easier to buy complete lower wishbones with ball joints in. Also there's a ford tec mod to fit great and torque a new bolt that secures the column to the rack under the brake peddle.