CLONKING NOISE

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CITMAN
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Joined: 02 Aug 2002, 00:22
Location: United Kingdom
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CLONKING NOISE

Post by CITMAN »

I have a Citroen ZX 1.4i. I have just had the inner track rod ends replaced as the orginals were worn. However after getting the car back i have noticed a clonking noise which is noticeable when turning the steering wheel and also when the car is driven I can here a slight clonking as i drive along.
Jacked the car up on both side no play at all on either wheel, but just thi clonkin noise which can be heard with the car at a standstill and also when driven a slight but constant clonking heard.
Anyone got any ideas
Regards
Citman
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AndersDK
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Joined: 21 Feb 2003, 04:56
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Post by AndersDK »

The ever classic droplinks.
(Connection bar between antiroll-bar & control arm)
These have balljoints both ends which dries out making them really noisy. The noise is amplified by the chassis.
An even so classic/cheap/easy solution is to grease them up, using a small injection needle penetrating the small rubber gaiter. After a couple of days - silence. That is if the balljoints have not allready been damaged to develop play.
alan s
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Post by alan s »

I had a similar one with my BX 16 Trs. It was very, very annoying for several reasons not the least of which being that the mechanic that gave it a RWC (MOT) when I bought it and didn't find it, seemed to have little or no problem when I sold it picking it up doing the same test.
It turned out to be the rack end on the steering. Jack the car up, lock the steering and manually grab each front wheel & try to turn them left to right. Have someone look from under the front with a torch at where the steering rods go into a boot at the end of the steering rack. If a bump/slight clonk can be heard & slight movement seen at the boot, then that's the problem.
When bought, they come with a new licking ring which is hard to see even after the boot has been rolled back as it appears to be set in a pale blue epoxy type material that has to be chipped away to get to the locking ring.
Failing that, I presume your car would have a hardydisc which is a rubber coupling between the steering colum & the pinion on the steering box, it may be getting worn although they usually cause problems on straight roads more than corners & if real bad will cause the car to wander.
Alan S
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