Track Rod End Symptons, How would you know??

[Clio_Sport_Hull]

All its about is, how would you know is your track rod end is knackered..

My symptoms are a very annoying clicking / twanging sound, when car is on full lock, and moving the car's wheels when parked

Cheers

 

[kristian]

That sounds like a shaft.

 

[Grancio28]

sounds like an outer c.v joint to me, the crappy plastic c.v boots pull of the joint and it fills up with dirt and water and eventually runs dry and wears out. jack the side up you think the noise is coming from and spin the wheel on full lock both ways and if it is the outer joint you will hear it. also hold the shaft and try gently rocking the wheel back and forth with it jacked up still, feel for any play in the joint. good luck!

 

[172HORSES]

sounds like a broken coil spring or knackered bearing in ur strut mount

 

[mark123]

You need to get it on some ramps and take a look. Could be just about anything to do with front suspension/steering.

 

[StrongboW]

Or you can Jack the car up on one side put it in gear and spin it to about 5000RPM dip the clutch and turn the engine of. Listen carfully also about the TRE you will need to jack both wheels up and check for play by grabbing the wheel on either side and getting someone to feel the TRE while you do this.

 

[Collier]

Most probably strut top bearings mate

 

[ScarySquirrel]

All its about is, how would you know is your track rod end is knackered..

My symptoms are a very annoying clicking / twanging sound, when car is on full lock, and moving the car's wheels when parked

Cheers

I've had a twanging sound recently as well, when turning at low speeds on full lock. I didn't know how to describe it, but 'twanging' is the exact word I was looking for!!

 

[jonny_rs]

If its your track rod end, won't your wheel be wobbling all over the shop??

 

[Clio_Sport_Hull]

sounds like a broken coil spring or knackered bearing in ur strut mount

I believe all your answers are very usefull to me, but this one is what i was looking for, recently came back as my strut snapped, and i didnt notice, now replaced, its not doing it as bad, BUT it is still there, you hear this twanging when the car is stationary, and you have the wheel, left right, like you are parralel parking, sounds like im clipping a car its that bad some times..

Could it be the bearing in strut mount, ... and how would i go about checking these???

Many thanks to ALL your replys

 

[akaboogie]

when my rod ends were f**ked i had a nuff play in the steering....now sorted tho...

 

[Telboi_Clio_182]

the syptoms were same as mine and i had to replace the track rod end 80 quid. my wheel was not straight, leaned in at the top. hope that helps

 

[daddycool]

with the wheel off the ground if you hold it at 9 and 3 o clock and give it a wobble and you can feel knocking, it could be either the track rod ends or track rods themselves. do the same with your hands at 12 and 6 o clock, if that feels like knocking it could be your ball joints. track rods or ends are around £17 each, ball joints around £12

 

[Unlucky Alf]

my track rod end needs changing on the passanger side, cost me a tenner for a new one and my dads having a do at fitting it this weekend, my wheel was wobbling when the MOT man was looking at it last friday and i got an advisory for it, i never hear no twanging or any knocking though? might be cause im just deaf lol.

 

[James91]

Ive got this isssue, took car to the garage they said maybe the cv joint, took it to another garage for 2nd opinion if you like, we went for a spin and they said the same but they wont know until its on the ramps

Money Money Money!

 

[rory182]

Replaced both tie rods on mine last year made a big difference tightening everything up, at this years MOT the offside track rod end was an advisory so I'm getting it done and a laser alignment in a couple of weeks. Basically at the moment there's excessive play in the steering and it wanders if you give it a bit of stick, doesn't feel very precise and follows any camber more than normal.

 

[Neil2010]

I had to get my track rod ends replaced at my MOT last week, there was excessive play in the steering and really didn't feel like the wheels were connected to well to the steering wheel.
I would try jacking it up and doing all the test the guys have described above...... only well to tell for sure.

However since i have had mine done i now get a strange noise when i am going more than about 30mph, it almost sounds like low flying aircraft (although nowhere near as loud), cant figure out if its a strange exhaust sound or whether something is rubbing in the axle/gearbox, have tried taking the wheels off and looking but cant seem to see anything wrong anywhere. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[rory182]

Neil, I had a rubbing with mine and it was the power steering hose coming into contact with the offside driveshaft, now resolved!

 

[Neil2010]

Cheers mate, i will check that out today and let you know how it gets on! Thanks Rory.