Jonathan Hanson
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2018
- Messages
- 15
- Country Flag
See my "Need an honest mechanic" thread for the background here. Our 1993 Troopy developed a strange front-end knock over the course of 2,000 kms of dirt track. I can hear it, and feel it through the steering wheel. It started out doing it only when I accelerated or decelerated; now it's doing it all the time, including on tarmac, even when just driving over speed bumps.
My friend and I looked at the truck day after day. We checked wheel bearings, U bolts, the steering rack, the track rod ends (which I adjusted), the steering column U joint—basically everything we knew could possibly loosen. The left swivel housing is puking grease at a high rate but the kingpin bearings do not seem to be loose. While I can feel the clunking through the wheel very noticeably, it has not (so far) affected the steering noticeably. But it's definitely gotten worse, and it's weird not to be able to find anything moving.
It seems to be more associated with suspension movement and acceleration/deceleration than steering (i.e. movement back and forth), but of course the track rod does move when the suspension does. It's a mystery that I think we'll only solve with the vehicle on a lift, but I thought I'd throw it out there for ideas.
My friend and I looked at the truck day after day. We checked wheel bearings, U bolts, the steering rack, the track rod ends (which I adjusted), the steering column U joint—basically everything we knew could possibly loosen. The left swivel housing is puking grease at a high rate but the kingpin bearings do not seem to be loose. While I can feel the clunking through the wheel very noticeably, it has not (so far) affected the steering noticeably. But it's definitely gotten worse, and it's weird not to be able to find anything moving.
It seems to be more associated with suspension movement and acceleration/deceleration than steering (i.e. movement back and forth), but of course the track rod does move when the suspension does. It's a mystery that I think we'll only solve with the vehicle on a lift, but I thought I'd throw it out there for ideas.