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Jaguar - Knocking over bumps / steering


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Hi Tony and team, hope you had a great Christmas and New Year :)

 

After 3 years of Omega ownership, I was racking up very high miles, so decided to take advantage of my uncles 2001 3.0V6 S type Jag with 70k on the clock.

 

Car has always driven quite well and is an 'unmolested' version, squeaky clean underneith etc.

 

When I first picked her up there was a very slight knock over bumps, which I knew about. Very slight. I drove the car to Amsterdam, and various places around the UK, no problem, knock always there though. In recent weeks, it's got worse. Over normal medium quality roads, at around 20mph, it's a "clonk clonk clonk" from underneith. Totaly spoils the otherwise lovely ride of the Jag!

 

I jacked up the car onto axle stands and started tugging and prying things to see if I could see anything. The droplinks felt like they had too much give, (anti rollbar links) and the noise sounded just like failed Omega droplinks. So I changed these. Absolutely no change at all, noise still there.

 

I tightened up the 4 nuts on top of each strut, which felt a bit loose, and there is a SMALL amount of play where the steering rack bushes join the car. I tightened these, but it made next to no difference to the play. The noise may be a tiny, tiny bit less, but it's definitely still there.

 

The noise can be heard if you shake the steering wheel quickly left to right at 20mph (on a private road of course ;) )

 

As I couldn't find anything, I went to my local garage. They had it on a 4 poster, with the weight on the wheels. They used their "shaker plates" and I was looking with them. All of the balljoints and bushes appeared fine, no play could be found anywhere. They said they would easily pass it through an MOT, suspension wise. They spent an hour with me, (at no charge!) and weren't just trying to get me out the door - our family have used this garage for decades, and they do genuinely care and help.

 

So, I'm at a loss. They did mention it might be "undetectable" play in the steering rack... but they couldn't be certain.

 

Yet, the knock is loud and clear (and really annoying!)

 

Any ideas? WIM is a 140 mile round trip.. I'd gladly make it if you deemed it likely you'd find anything.. but your opinion on here would be really welcomed first :) :)

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have you checked drive shaft nuts?....

or checked the cv joints?

 

get the front of the car jacked up and supported. then get someone to hold one wheel whilst you sit in the car and shake the steering wheel side to side... hopefully this will narrow it down to which side is causing this issue.

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have you checked drive shaft nuts?....

or checked the cv joints?

 

get the front of the car jacked up and supported. then get someone to hold one wheel whilst you sit in the car and shake the steering wheel side to side... hopefully this will narrow it down to which side is causing this issue.

 

Hiya - and many thanks for the reply :)

 

The Jag is correct (rear) wheel drive, so there won't be any driveshafts/CV joints at the front to worry about.

 

I have done as you suggest - no play can be found at all :)

 

Cheers,

James

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Does the Jag have struts with top mounts?? My Evo used to clonk but i couldnt find any play when i jacked the car up but upon removing the strut you could feel it , luckily it was a common issue as its not something i would usually check

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If it's metallic then it has to be a joint, all other things like roll bar, top mounts have compliant bushings.... As said the knock is on bump not droop so it's a compression knock?... If it was the lower ball joint you would by know and feel some play in it, seemingly not! I think it is a drop-link. Yoy need to know you cannot test for play in a drop-link with the car jacked up and even less chance if the car is jacked on one side because your loading the drop-link.

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Hi Tony / Racer - many thanks for that.

 

I did change both the droplinks - the knocking is still there - loud and clear :(

 

With both the links removed the Antirollbar did seem very free to move up and down, but, I can't feel any obvious play in the antirollbar bushes?

 

Cheers,

James

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Might be worth having a closer look at the lower arms/ wishbone bushes and checking there's no perishing of the rubbers as it could be the metal inner bush moving due to weak rubbers causing the knock. BTW I seem to remember your name on the Omega owners club forum ? from when I had my 2001 Omega, good old cars those, only got rid due to running costs, but do miss it sometimes!

Cheers Pete

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Hi Guys,

 

Decided to have another look myself.. I'm stubborn like that. I disconnected both of the antirollbar droplinks again, so I could properly inspect the ARB bushes.

 

I'm not sure how on earth I (and indeed the garage) missed this before, but the ARB bushes are shot. The ARB makes a horrible noise when you push it up and down (just like the creaking I get over bumps!!) and although there isn't a huge amount of play, as such, the side to side movement is very, very free, and you can see how worn the bushes are much more easily with the ARB free.

 

Just as a test (I stress, a brief test) I left the droplinks off, suspended the ARB with a universal securing device (cable tie!) and took a very slow, straight, and careful drive down my road.

 

It would usually knock like mad under these conditions - but it was as silent as a mouse :)

 

Thanks very much, genuinely, to all of you, for your suggestions and ideas.

 

My last question. I've never done ARB bushes... are they easy enough to change? :)

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