Track rod ends and wishbones - pairs?

[MadOnVaux!]

Does this happen only on full lock of the steering wheel?

If so, does it happen when you turn to the left or to the right, or both sides??

Neither mate, it's just intermittant....i cant 'make' it do it.

[MadOnVaux!]

Also, to add to this...my steering feels very vague in the straight ahead position at 60-70+ mph now.

Would this be an alignment issue or something else going wrong?

[MadOnVaux!]

They appear to be yeah.

[MadOnVaux!]

The banging from nsf happened again last night...one quite loud bang/thud and it knocks randomly, then stops and doesnt do it again!!

It honestly sounds like when an ARB link goes, but its not them....and a broken spring would knock all the time wouldnt it?, and it doesnt seem to be broken anyway!!

The only thing i could think of is when the garage fitted the new wishbones they maybe didnt have the metal insert in the bush?, is this possible, would it matter and would it cause this?

Or i suppose it could be the top mounts, but they were changed about 3 years ago.

[Fraz]

only way to really tell will be to take the strut off and have a good look. spring could be broken right at the top and kind of hard to see it when in the strut tower

and I doubt not having the inset in the bush is the cause, could be a number of things and only way is to get in there and start to strip it down and have a really good look

another thing check all the nuts are tight on the bottom arms

[MadOnVaux!]

Cheers Fraz

Wouldnt a broken spring knock or rattle all the time though?

[v6 steve]

Cheers Fraz

Wouldnt a broken spring knock or rattle all the time though?

it would depend on where it has broken and how its sitting in the mount when you turn the spring moves on the top mount hens why there is a bearing up there, so if it was broken at the top and not sitting right it will make a noise as it gets turned

[MadOnVaux!]

Thanks steve, i'll get it looked at

[MadOnVaux!]

Its going in next monday for my garage to have a good look and poke around the front components....i'll update with what gets found out, hopefully something!

[MadOnVaux!]

Got car back last night....Garage checked every component at front end for wear and movement etc and nothing was worn.

They tightened up the ARB mounts as they werent as tight as they should have been, and also re-torqued all subframe bolts etc etc and re-set the tracking so the wheel was bang on straight.

and i'm pleased to say that all is now well, the car feels like it should and handles great.

It must have been the fact the steering was off centre that was causing the main issue....although i haven't had the knocking yet, fingers crossed it wont come back, but like i said previously, it is a very random knocking.

I might invest in some of them poly tie-rod bushes to get rid of the slight play in the central position of the steering

[MadOnVaux!]

I dont know if it was psychological or not but the feeling is now back

Steering feels very light and vague at speed and i feel like i have no grip, especially when pushing it into corners like i used to be able to do....I keep having to slightly correct the steering too.

But this is only at bypass/motorway speeds, it feels OK at town speed.

Also wondered if something at the rear wasnt as it should be, would this cause this feeling?

[MadOnVaux!]

Anyone?

It's feeling abit dangerous really now....so could something at the rear cause this wayward handling issue?

I dont think my shocks have gone as they are only just over 2 years old and less than 10k miles on them and the car doesnt rise and fall if i press the back end down....the springs are not broken as far as i know , but i would think they are the originals looking at the condition, could old rusty springs cause this?

How would i know if the rear trailing arm bushes were worn, would it knock or would it need raising and inspecting with a pry-bar?

This car is starting to do my head in now

[v6 steve]

have you done the doughnut bushes at the rear Mr C's car was a might mare till we did his

[v6 steve]

these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-CALI ... c17&_uhb=1

[MadOnVaux!]

Cheers Steve....yeah they were done not too long back, a couple of years i think, along with new rear anti-roll bar inner bushes.