New Track Rods needed??

[eightyeightmph]

Right - have issues with my Clio II 1.2 16v:

• Play @ 3 and 9 on both front wheels (requires some firm pressure though)
• Swerves right under hard braking, but will swerve left under acceleration immediately afterwards - feedback felt through steering wheel.
• a single knock is heard when accelerating from standstill, likewise a single knock is heard when braking.
• steering wheel is about 15 degrees out

I hit a curb in the snow a couple of months ago and it started after then.

Is it likely to be the track rods? I've inspected the track rod ends and the play isn't coming from them, the movement looks to go all the way up to the rack. The track rods and ends don't appear to be bent either.

I'm annoyed because I know if its the track rods themselves, separating them the rack itself is a biznatch, because securing the rack itself is hard (especially without knackering the notches).

Does this seem like an accurate diagnosis, if so, any pointers on doing this without chobbling up spanners and welding them together to fabricate a tool that will work.

(PS - not sure which rack is fitted to it yet)

 

[CLIO-Si]

yeah snow weather seems to kick f*ck outa my motors steering mainly cos im sliding about with the stick on thinking its fast an furious haha even then vans been getting it this year
but with sideways comes wheelbearings and the 9 and 3 is more wheelbearing teritory
the clunks could possibly be anti roll bars or a loose mount/ball joint

good investigations somtime dont pinpoint problems well in my case anyway, but il be interested to see what people have maybe had in the past with these probs.

 

[eightyeightmph]

Yeah I had a look at the ARB - it looks intact, no bends and doesnt seem to be fouling on anything. The ARB bushes however are totally shot. Complete splits, on both, but I doubt very much whether f*cked bushes would have the above affects. Thats a **** of a job anyway so I'm leaving it to the next owner to do that... :approve:

Had it up the other day and checked everything for play. All the mounts look good, although the ARB rubber mounts are difficult to inspect I guess. Both lower arm balljoints look good. When I grab the wheels at 3 and 9, I can see the track rods moving all the way up to the rack, thats what makes me think its the inner rack ball joints. :dapprove:

 

[sideways danny]

it will be the inner joints on the track rods

 

[eightyeightmph]

s'what I though too bwav. Any pointers on securing the rack to unscrew the track rods without having to make a tool?

 

[henders]

Bottom ball joints mate guarantee it. Had the exact same problem on my old 172 and i thought track rod ends but it was the ball joints

 

[eightyeightmph]

Hmmmmm. I replaced the n/s lower ball about 2 months joint because if failed the MOT for excessive play (although I think they were BSing me because it seemed fine + they wanted £250 to change it because they were gonna do the suspension arm and driveshaft - jokers!).
It was a dodgy repro. part though, might be an issue??

 

[eightyeightmph]

Thought I'd just update to let you all know what the issue was:

The 2 bolts attaching the ball joint to the suspension arm had worked themselves loose. Nipped them up and it's all good again! That could have been interesting if they had failed at 90mph booting it down the A38 :dapprove:

Cheers for everyones help anyway.