So many loose steering threads - Whats mine?

[graphikg]

When my car goes over bumps in the road, I feel a looseness and a clunking at the steering components of the wheels. Every bolt is tight and on well, but I still get a very loose feeling.

If I lift the car and grab a front wheel on the 6 and 12 o clock positions, the entire wheel moves a couple millimeters and the strut housing moves along with it. If I try to move the housing, it also shakes the same amount. Then I hold the tie rod and push and pull it and it also slight moves.

So do I have an issue with the tie rods, control arms, or does the rack have some play in it? I think it is the rack...

[Smelser]

strut bearings? if the strut is moving at the 6 and 12 position.....

[acolella76]

I think your ball joints might be shot, when were your tie rods and control arms last replaced?

[jlevie]

To check ball joints, squeeze the joint with a large (as in 24") pair of
channel locks and pry on the joint. Any motion whatsoever in a ball joint is
cause for replacement. Check rubber bushings by prying on them with a 24" pry
bar. More motion than there should be (this is where experience comes in play)
or any cracks are cause for replacement. You can figure on bushings being good
for about 6 years or 80k.

The rear suspension of an E30 isn't adjustable. Worn Rear Trailing Arm
Bushings or bad subframe bushings will result in improper alignment of the
rear wheels. In addition to degraded handling, problems there will accelerate
wear of the rear tires.

With the car up in the air, grab each front wheel at 9 & 3 o'clock and try to
wiggle the wheel. Motion along that line will be worn tie rods. Motion when
wiggling the wheel at 6 & 12 o'clock will be bearings or control arm ball
joints. Spin each wheel and listen for roughness in the bearings. If the
brakes drag, remove the caliper (and on the rear wheels the parking brake
shoes) to eliminate sounds from dragging brakes. Any roughness when spinning
the wheel is cause for bearing replacement.

Shocks have a more limited life than will be apparent from the way the car
feels. Figure on about 60k for OE type shocks and perhaps 80k from
Bilsteins. Koni SA shocks will go a lot further as rebound can be adjusted to
compensate for wear. Upper strut/shock mounts can only be assessed for wear
out of the car, but they will normally outlast the shocks. When replacing
shocks, just replace the upper mounts and you won't have to worry about them.

The rear shock mounts on an E30 or E36 are a weak item. I always replace them
with uprated mounts from Rouge engineering.

[graphikg]

Rear shocks, front strut inserts, rear shock mounts, front strut mounts, front and rear springs, are all new. My tie rod assembly and control arms are probably about 3 years old and the car has been sitting for at least a year of that time. It would suck if they are shot already.

It can be steering rack?

[CarsSuck]

I've had similar issues for a while. With a friend twisting the steering wheel, I was able to discern play in the steering column. I could feel it from tie-rod to steering wheel. So I grabbed the steering joint and monkeyed with it, but it feels tight. My deduction is that the looseness i feel at the bottom of the steering column is actually play in the pinion of the steering rack. It's going to get replaced, but not until March, so I can't give you any confirmation.

But to answer your question, yes, steering racks do wear out.

[graphikg]

Hmmmmmm... I have a vid of it here to further illustrate whats going on. I put it on youtube. This is the issue I am having. I already bought new control arms, but I doubt thats the issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVLbgCBgses

[graphikg]

I have thought it to be the knuckle or something along the steering column; but I have tightened the knuckle and havent felt much of a diff. I am betting its the rack; but will replacing my control arms anyway. Any other insight?

[willworkfore30s]

I have the same issue and I believe it is the rack as well. BUT, one thing you could check if you have a late model is the big nut on the steering shaft right about where your feet go when you sit inside the car. There is a large collar nut there that when loose can sometimes cause the two piece shaft to rattle against itself.

[Earendil]

Hmmmmmm... I have a vid of it here to further illustrate whats going on. I put it on youtube. This is the issue I am having. I already bought new control arms, but I doubt thats the issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVLbgCBgses

dafuq... Well that's a new one on me! Replacing control arms is never a bad idea, unless spending that money prevents you from replacing something you need, like a new upper strut mount!

[graphikg]

I found out that it was that I needed a spacer below the Billy HD shock within the housing. I have shortened housings and am using shorter Billy iX strut inserts. I put a spacer at the bottom and its definitely feeling better.

[andrewill]

When i first got my car, it had the same symptoms you described. Turns out it was the steering coupler. It looks like a u-joint w/ guibo in the steering shaft.