steering noise

"Fred" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com:

Look for a "rag bushing" in the steering shaft. If the rag (flexible) part of the joint goes bad, the steering will still work, but will have enough slop in it to produce a clunk when the wheel is turned.

Failing that, could be a rack and pinion problem or a bad tie rod end.

I agree, The rag joint is a common problem on older cars. It can be tricky to replace because of the tight spaces. You should consider upgrading to a polyurethane joint if you replace it.

Hi group

I don't see anything wrong with the rag bushing, which looks like the lower joint below the first u-joint. I still don't understand what is loose. It almost seems the looseness is above this area and at the end of the column before it goes through the firewall and down. Is there some sort of bearing in there?

Fred

Yes, there is a bearing in the steering column.

What's with the "tighten the wheel bearings?" That doesn't make any sense and certainly wouldn't cause the problem you describe. I hope the stealer didn't charge you for that.

Cheers,

Fred wrote:

I had the same problem at about 30,000 miles on my 5.0. Turned out it was a bushing on the rack and pinion. Cheap, easy fix. Check it out.

Brad