my 98 has a clunking in the steering. no power steering. only on rough roads. if the steering is in a bind like turning just a little then there is no noise. i think its in one of the u-joints in the steering. anyone ever replaced this?
Is there any slack in the steering? You might also jack up the front end and see if you can feel any slack wiggling the wheels.
all i have found so far is a little play in one of the u-joints in teh steering. it is just a little bit and im not sure if that is it. i need to go through it more thoroughly when i get a chance. i just thought this might be a common problem.
I read in another thread the other day about a Carry someone test drove that had a "clunk" in the steering. It's possible there is a common problem.
i read one also. but it seemed that his got worse as he turned. mine goes away when turning. dont really even have to turn. just turn the wheel a little to get the slack out of the steering.
Clunk b_eastep, I'm guessing that the steering assy is fairly standard on these trucks regardless of make/mod. I had a clunk in my steering (94 mits) and it rattled and clunked like you mentioned and it also would stop with slight turning of the steering wheel (just enough to take the slack out of the wheel in either direction). what i found on mine was the bushing worn out on the bell crank. (If i oversimplify my explanation sorry - just don't know how familiar you may be with steering components). The bell crank is a one piece component that is connected at three points (roughly in a triangular shape) the drag link is connected at one point, the other point connects to the relay rod (opposite end your idler arm is connected) and the third point is connected to a bracket allowing it to pivot. there is a bushing at this point. with this bushing gone it allows movement/clunk when driving (with steering in "neutral/straight" position). when you apply slight turning pressure (right or left) it takes the slack out of where the bushing shud be and it stops the clunking. I temporarily "fixed" mine by disconnecting the bell crank at the bracket and flexed it down so the bolt was exposed above the bell crank hole. I then took a strip of heavy duty truck tire inner tube and wrapped it around the bolt (with contact glue on the inner side of the wrap). i then pushed the bell crank back up on the pivot bolt and tightened it back down. Prob not best solution but so far i've got about a thousand miles on temp fix). I did find a new bell crank (bushing is in it). when my temp fix stops working i will replace it. This may/may not be the prob on your truck but just sounded too similar to mine...anyway hope this helps or gives you a starting point. Good luck....later, slim
thank you very much. that sounds exactly like my problem. im quite familiar with steering on full size trucks but not on these minis. is there some place i can buy a new bell crank or just the bushing? i may be able to southern engeneer a solution but if i have to i will buy the bushing or bell crank. the clunk is unbearably annoying.
clunk I had the same problem as Slimbad. I replaced mine with a new one. $65. Could probably be bought cheaper, I'm sure my dealer purchased it from somewher else. Not difficult to change, but you need a press.
well i fixed it. my system looks like half of a rack and pinion system. in what would be the steering box that changes the rotational movement of steering wheel to horizontal movement, there is a shaft that runs through it horizontaly. one end is attached to the steering linkage and other is just the other end of the shaft and comes out the other end of the steering box and has a rubber boot on it. well the slack was under the rubber boot and you could shake the shaft up and down with your hand. i thought well great, thats wore out and how much is that gonna cost? then i noticed a plug on the side of the box that really wasnt a plug. its adjustment to take the slack out of the steering box. at first i got it way too tight and it drove like a backhoe on the road. no return to center. then i loosend it a notch or two and its just right. if any of you other guys have the same clunk that i had and need pics to figure out how to fix it let me know and ill see if i can figure out how to post some pics.
i have some movement in my bell crank bushing & will replace. but also have that clunk. was it the square “plug” that you tightened?
