Hi all,
I have an 97 Astra 1.7TDS, just passed the MOT. Shortly after the MOT I noticed an unpleasant grinding noise when turning right above 20mph.
I've jacked it up and compared front left and right suspension. On the right had side there is some wear on the drive shaft. There is a vertical running rod that should be attached to part of what I think is the steering mechanism through some rubber stops. The vetical running arm comes down just below the drive shaft and seems to connect a horizontal arm coming from the cabin direction (MacPherson strut?) to a horizontal arm coming from the direction of the other wheel.
But, the bolt that runs through the rubber stops has snapped and the top of vertical rod rubs on the drive shaft. This only happens when turning at speed I guess because the as the car turns, the right side of the body of the car lifts and the vertical running arm that should be clamped with the bolt through the rubber stops is raised and rubs on the drift shaft.
Sorry for such a dodgy description....can anyone decipher my description and tell me what the vertical the running rod is called? And perhaps how difficult it is to fix and how much it costs?
Cheers,
Mick