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2G Clunking while turning

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James_dsm

Proven Member
34
3
Jun 25, 2020
Littlerock, California
I hear a clunk everytime I start to turn my steering wheel a certain direction, it always sounds the same and you can hear the same clunk when hitting bumps or potholes. I believe the problem is connected to my steering shaft, but I came here in need of further knowledge to not mess with anything I don’t have too.
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Noise and clicking travels
First put the car up on Jack stands and check the simple
12-6
3-9 for any play or movement
 
Specifically check the ball joints. If worn -- and unless yours have been replaced they are worn -- they will click on turns at very low speed and you'll feel that in the steering. These cars have more ball joints than most so play there is a bigger problem.

No, I didn't exactly say "Our cars have more balls than most." Why do you ask that?

Another thing you might notice with worn ball joints -- when accelerating a bit harder than usual at low speed the car tends to steer off to one side or the other. Not a good thing, obviously.

Check all the other joints under there too -- the tie rod ends (outer and inner both) and the steering gear itself. For these other joints put the car on ramps and have a confederate turn the wheel just an inch or so as you feel across each joint. Any feel-able play is a worn out joint.

Worn sway bar links will clunk when rolling over an uneven surface but not particularly on turns.

For the steering gear itself, feel the rack as your confederate starts with just a very slight twitch of the steering wheel and gradually increases. The first clue might be a 'click' that starts as he increases the steering wheel movement and/or a feeling that the wheel moves freely up to that point and then (when it begins moving the rack) gets stiffer. If you have either of those symptoms, pull back the boot and feel the rack itself as you did the various joints: It should start to move at very nearly the slightest movement. If it doesn't it may just be a bit worn and need to be adjusted or the steering gear may be damaged (front collisions can do that) and need replacement.

A low miles Eclipse is now 150k miles or less and virtually all of them will require replacement of most of these joints unless it has been done recently.
 
Specifically check the ball joints. If worn -- and unless yours have been replaced they are worn -- they will click on turns at very low speed and you'll feel that in the steering. These cars have more ball joints than most so play there is a bigger problem.

No, I didn't exactly say "Our cars have more balls than most." Why do you ask that?

Another thing you might notice with worn ball joints -- when accelerating a bit harder than usual at low speed the car tends to steer off to one side or the other. Not a good thing, obviously.

Check all the other joints under there too -- the tie rod ends (outer and inner both) and the steering gear itself. For these other joints put the car on ramps and have a confederate turn the wheel just an inch or so as you feel across each joint. Any feel-able play is a worn out joint.

Worn sway bar links will clunk when rolling over an uneven surface but not particularly on turns.

For the steering gear itself, feel the rack as your confederate starts with just a very slight twitch of the steering wheel and gradually increases. The first clue might be a 'click' that starts as he increases the steering wheel movement and/or a feeling that the wheel moves freely up to that point and then (when it begins moving the rack) gets stiffer. If you have either of those symptoms, pull back the boot and feel the rack itself as you did the various joints: It should start to move at very nearly the slightest movement. If it doesn't it may just be a bit worn and need to be adjusted or the steering gear may be damaged (front collisions can do that) and need replacement.

A low miles Eclipse is now 150k miles or less and virtually all of them will require replacement of most of these joints unless it has been done recently.
The rack and pinion was replaced recently as well as the outer tie rod ends due to a fluid leak, ill check the ball joints first as you have listed then will update this thread based upon what I can find. I appreciate your guys’ help.
 
I put new control arms with bushings and ball joint installed already onto my Blue 92 Talon from Rockauto. They were about $80/ea but the car is solid up front now!
 
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