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juno · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:18 am Post subject: steering universal joint

a few months ago I had to have the universal joint repalced for the MOT with a factory reconditioned part. it has been fine up until now, but it has gone worse than the original one.

Is there something else that could be making it fail, or is it just likely to be a faulty part?
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1980 924 Turbo RHD. 3" > 2.5" Stainless straight-through exhaust.

Smoothie · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:35 am Post subject:

How's it failing? -Just getting hard to turn? -Or is it completely shot and developed a lot of free-play?
Mine got hard to turn a couple times - all that was needed was to get a few drops of oil on the u-joints and they loosened right up. It's never been replaced.
Of course yours would be in a completely different environment there among the hot exhaust parts...
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"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."

'82 924T, US version, dark green metallic, 5 speed Audi 016G gearbox

juno · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:52 pm Post subject:

it still turns freely, but there is a very loud clunk when driving in a straight line above 20 or so. On a slightly bumpy road, it's quite scary how much of a clunk there is.

Mine's the RHD version, btw. Took me a few seconds to figure out how mine would be hotter

late night last night
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1980 924 Turbo RHD. 3" > 2.5" Stainless straight-through exhaust.

Smoothie · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:27 am Post subject:

Are you sure the clunk's coming from the steering u-joint? If it is, you should be able to reproduce it and/or a noticably unusual amount of steering free-play while stopped. Obviously just turn the wheel back and forth and see what it does. Other sources of clunks are the upper strut mount-bearings and ball joints. My first suspect would be the strut bearings just because of the three, that's all that's needed replacement on my own car. For a quick-easy test, pop the hood and push the car sideways at the front while looking at the top-center of the strut where it's fastened atop the mount-bearing. If you see the top of the strut move in relation to the mount-bearing (you might also hear a clunk), it's time to replace them (the mount-bearing assemblies) - they're superceeded by improved 944 parts and you should find them suprisingly inexpensive (they were pretty cheap here, anyway).
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"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."

'82 924T, US version, dark green metallic, 5 speed Audi 016G gearbox

AGD931 · Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 289 Location: Athens, Greece

Smoothie,

I also have noise from the steering column somewhere when I drive on unsurfaced roads. The only thing I have found is that if I push the steering wheel upwards from the six o' clock position, is that there is a very slight play / gap.

Is the U-joint you mention the one under the brake servo? Do I spray this with penetrating oil as sometimes when I turn left the steering is slightly heavy and whilst parking I hear a "twang' when I turn full lock left.

Thanks for your help.

Arthur
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1981 931 S2
1990 E30 320i Cabrio
1979 Ford Capri Ghia

juno · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:45 am Post subject:

yes, it does appear to be coming from the steering at least. when stationary moving the wheel side to side makes the same noise but quieter.

I can feel play in the joint when I hold it and someone moves the wheel, so in my case it does seem to be the universal joint.

just worrying how a £186 part can break in a couple of months.
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1980 924 Turbo RHD. 3" > 2.5" Stainless straight-through exhaust.

Smoothie · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 1:38 am Post subject:

AGD931 · Joined: 17 Mar 2003 Posts: 289 Location: Athens, Greece

Thanks Smoothie, spot on

I also have this "hose" in exactly the same location!!! I had seen it last year but gave it no attention. Your post reminded me that the Ford Capri I also own, has a similar "hose". I then remembered that it also had up-down play until it was replaced. As for the ground issue you mention, I cannot recall anything being grounded there, maybe I forget or US / ROW differ in that location.

I will give the U joint a liberal coating and see what happens. As for the "twang" I am also confused as it only does it when parking the car into a space

Maybe the rubber bush on top of the MacPherson is dry/breaking up.

Arthur
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1981 931 S2
1990 E30 320i Cabrio
1979 Ford Capri Ghia

Smoothie · Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:53 am Post subject:

scotchw · Joined: 14 Aug 2005 Posts: 30 Location: Basingstoke, UK

Juno - I've recently been doing some work on my steering, & the 'clunk' reminded me of a noise I had after changing my lower steering shaft... for the wrong one

My parts supplier (Euro Car Parts) supplied a 924S shaft which only cost 40GBP & looked the same - but caused clonking noises on turning & didn't feel "right". Of course, the 924S shaft is 10-15mm longer than the turbo one (I discovered when I stripped it out again!). When they told me it was 180GBP for a turbo shaft I decided to oil-up my old shaft - and it freed up nicely - albeit you really need to pry the little rubber seals open to get oil into the actual bearings of the UJ's in the shaft.

I was trying to cure my heavy/stiff steering that really loaded up as you applied the lock. Lube-ing the shaft UJ's helped, as did changing the strut top mounts (bearing had broken away from rubber). I also lubed the steering rack (under the rubber gaiters). But I noticed when turning the steering over with the front of the car raised that there was a clonk/judder from the strut/spring on one side, like it wasn't turning freely with the top mount bearing & lower spring seat, but 'jumping' in stages. This seems to have improved since I undid the strut top nut & greased the rubber ring that sits on top of the strut top/inner wing. It was like the whole top mount assembly was 'grabbing' & too tight. Perhaps my metal spacer that sits inside the bearing/top mount is slightly worn

I've still got the control arm balljoint to replace & the tie rod end balljoints for good measure. I'm hoping the steering will be clonk free & light after all that

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'82MY 924 Turbo Euro RHD

numbbers · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:34 am Post subject:

Well, the movement in the steering shaft, and psooibly the clunk is caused by the steering shaft bushing (actually a ball bearing) located in the switch mechanism. The original bearing has about a 1/8 inch clearance gap to the steering shaft. Way too much. The bearing has been superceeded by a 944 part that has a plastic insert, that leaves virtually no movement in the steering wheel. It is not expensive, and well worth the trouble to change.
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1980 924 Turbo

juno · Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:40 pm Post subject:

smoothie - is this the item described as 'top steering bearing'?

Seems it's this that's wrong with my car as the new universal joint only made a slight difference. Doesn't seem to be any play in the strut top bearings.
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1980 924 Turbo RHD. 3" > 2.5" Stainless straight-through exhaust.

Smoothie · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 2:25 am Post subject:

juno · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 4:33 am Post subject:

thanks smoothie, will have to sort that one out now, as I've cured the clonk, but still have a small amount of play as you described above.

turns out my 'clonk' was the oil filter touching the bottom shaft, which must be why it felt as if it was a steering problem. undid the adjustment bolt on the oil filter housing and moved it slightly and the clunk has gone. think the engine mount might need replacing, but steering is much better than it's ever been.
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1980 924 Turbo RHD. 3" > 2.5" Stainless straight-through exhaust.