Steering Rack

[CL10]

I'm fully aware that there is a (ever increasingly) common steering rack issue with the 197/200, but I need help identifying if mine is faulty or whether there is another obvious issue.

Symptoms:

- Slight knock from N/S/F, audible when dropping off speed bumps or over uneven ground (i.e. shallow pot holes).
- Pulling to the left.
- Wheel wobble at 60mph+ and constant vibration felt through the car.
- A clunk when turning the wheel 1/4 turn left or right when stationary.
- Steering feels 'loose' or vague and tends to follow the contour of the road.

Completed so far:

- Taken into Renault dealership multiple times to complain of a knocking from the N/S/F. 'Fixes' including replacing top mount, re-aligning exhaust and stopping engine bay components from moving around. Noise still apparent.
- Full strip and rebuild of front suspension components by BTM. All suspension is in good order, with no play in any of the components. BTM agreed that the steering feel isn't right.
- Full Hunter Eagle Eye Alignment check, to verify that everything is aligned correctly. Printout shows green in each area - no adjustments needed.
- Wheels fully re-balanced. They were slightly out of balance, so this minimised 'some' of the wheel wobble, but the vibrations are still strong enough to make the steering wheel wobble.
- Tyres checked to show even wear. Even tried swapping around wheels, and using my track wheels/tyres instead - same result.


Need to get this sorted now - no point going to RUK as the retail costs for the rack and the dealership labour costs to fit will be astronomical. I'd rather take the plunge and buy the rack myself (likely the 200 cup rack) and pay a specialist to fit.

The reason for the above is to verify if it's likely to be the rack or whether there is something simple I may have missed? Obviously don't want to end up replacing the rack to find the issue is still the same.

Thanks.

 

[The Fonze]

Hi mate, I feel you pain I have been having ongoing issues with the steering on my clio.

I get the clunk felt through the column going from 1/4 turn either way and the steering also feels vauge and overly light when on the move (no feedback with the road).

I also get a slight knock when dropping off kerbs, slopes etc through the O/S/F when locked over to a certain degree.

I dont get any real vibration through the steering though, maybe slightly more than usual at above 70mph but nothing major.

I know marshal has had his entire column replaced but I am not sure if that has solved his issue or not.

I have my car booked in for the steering rack to be replaced on the 8th May by a specialist at my own expense. As you say I cant be dealing with the hassle of renault when even if they do offer discount it will no doubt be more expensive than £400 fitted!

My worry is if the rack doesn't end up fixing it and its the column or UJ link.

 

[CL10]

Thanks for the response Fonze. Look forward to hearing any updates with your steering rack replacement.

 

[tchalikias]

Having lived with the mysterious knock when dropping off kerbs/speedbumps for 2 years (I've also posted a video on here), I believe this issue is completely separate to the steering issues you describe.

I have had both shock and top mount replaced, everything removed and re-tightened but the clunk is still there. Which leads me to believe it is something not related to the suspension & steering. Either way, I've learned to live with it.

However, in the past year, my 200 has developed a knock on the steering wheel (which again, I describe in detail in another thread) which is mysterious, in that steering feels as sharp as ever and there is no pulling. But it is annoying, since I get a knock felt through the column in low speeds/parking maneuvers when turning the wheel while clutching (i.e. when the engine and transmission mounts are flexed). This happens more often when the weather is hot (!).

Mounts seem ok to the dealer so... I've dropped it off today hoping they will pinpoint the issue.

 

[CL10]

Thanks for the response.

I'm aware of your thread(s) relating to your issue and the videos you have uploaded. My original thread was a 'n/s mysterious knocking noise' similar to yours, which I also learned to live with for years, but it has developed into my description in the OP. Feels too dangerous to ignore now, despite the car flying through an MOT and being thoroughly checked over.

Heard of the UJ by the pedals being adjusted by some owners - just a complete guess but could this be 'loose'? Any tips on what to check?

 

[nutnutwelshman]

Their is a post 're UJ joint had the same problem with mine for 6 months the got RUK too change the car

 

[CL10]

Changed the car?

I have seen the threads, and even PM'd some owners about the UJ adjustment, but I'd appreciate it if anyone could make it clearer how they've adjusted it. Still not 100% sure. Worth a try surely!

 

[The Fonze]

To tighten the bottom UJ get your head down in the footwell and you will see the column and UJ right at the bottom behind the pedals. You may need to lift the carpet slightly to tighten it (think it was 13mm not sure). I got half a turn on mine but made no difference.

 

[CL10]

To tighten the bottom UJ get your head down in the footwell and you will see the column and UJ right at the bottom behind the pedals. You may need to lift the carpet slightly to tighten it (think it was 13mm not sure). I got half a turn on mine but made no difference.

Thanks - very useful!



Tried tightening but it wouldn't budge much, if at all.

 

[luke3]

Does your cars steering feel really loose when going at higher speeds around long sweeping bends? Mine feels extremely dangerous going round them, say on a motorway doing 70mph, but it's only to the left? It feels like I turn the steering wheel gradually to go around the bend and then it registers it slightly then takes a bit of time then the steering turns more viciously like its catching up to the input I've put into the steering, and makes it swerve, feels very dangerous so I'm only driving it to the train station at the moment, but still no closer to diagnosing the problem??? It is going in to have the rack checked this week sometime!

 

[CL10]

I've definitely noticed it feeling 'loose' around long sweeping corners, especially at national speeds. Where are you taking it to get the rack checked Luke?

 

[luke3]

Local ren specialist in stourbridge that do all my work, I'm not confident in it at all at the moment, it's dangerous in those situations, I hope it's the rack and I get it changed and the problems fixed, really can't be arsed having to try changing different components.

 

[CL10]

Exactly my thoughts mate - let me know how you get on!

 

[marshall]

Ahhh another dodgy steering saga.

Good luck with it!

 

[nicknameless]

Local ren specialist in stourbridge that do all my work, I'm not confident in it at all at the moment, it's dangerous in those situations, I hope it's the rack and I get it changed and the problems fixed, really can't be arsed having to try changing different components.

who are the specialist luke just out of interest? good?

 

[luke3]

S j autos, good lads ones got an R26 and other has a 182, so they know there renaultsports!

 

[c_q]

My steering problems saga of the 197 started a couple of months ago. A symptom that was probably there for a while and I haven't noticed was knocking from the bottom of the steering column.

A couple of months ago suddenly the steering started to feel really vague, as if the wheels are no longer connected to the steering wheel. It seemed like when you give some input to the steering the wheels were not keeping up, and it was taking a bit of time for them to "follow". They also seemed very prone to follow road anomalies, as if there was aquaplaning/wheelspin. I can not describe it very accurately but it seemed like they were following invisible tracks on the road. Sometimes when steering through a bend it felt like the wheels were late in steering, then followed up, settled in their new course. Then when going out of the bend and back to a straight line you had to actively "correct" them with the steering wheel in order to straighten and follow the new course as if the wheel was not auto-correcting itself.

Also steering felt heavier than normal and was giving the impression of variable weight. The knock from the bottom of the steering wheel was clearly audible only when stationary and rocking the wheel 1/4 of a turn left and then to the right.

I had the steering rack replaced a couple of days ago and the vague feeling is gone. The knock was also not present after the rack replacement until the following morning when the car was parked overnight. So the knock is back but it is less audible than before. Also the steering still seems a bit heavy but at least the steering/wheels connection feels solid now.

I guess the next things to check should be U joint and the upper part of the steering, despite the fact that the first diagnosis was that the noise is coming from inside the rack...

Any suggestions?

 

[nicknameless]

mmm

process of elimination and recent posts might suggest column and steering rack can be faulty?

Marshall - has column replaced and knock disappears but vague / heavy steering response remains.
c_q has rack replaced and vague / heavy steering is fixed but knock remains.

 

[MikeH]

Steering racks were a common issue on the 1*2s, so if renault still use the same brands/suppliers....

Some of the symptoms reported in here sound very similar to what i had on the old girl, they were only cured after a process of elimination resulted in the rack being replaced

Thanks to Ben_r1 for the heads up on that one as well

 

[c_q]

Well I am really worried if I will have to change the column as well since it will be an expensive job (more expensive than the rack) and to be fair, if the column and the rack is changed then the entire steering system has been replaced and is brand new... Unless somebody has bent a wheel or knackered a wheel hub I can't see anything else failing...

The rack that I got fitted was OEM part and if I have seen correctly it had TRW logos on it. Not sure which supplier Renault used in the past, but I was hoping that they would have done something given the amount of trouble reported by people here.

It is a bit disappointing though since I may have the car for 5 years but for a large amount of time it has seen very little use, it currently has around 22k miles...