Help! Steering box input shaft clunking - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JHZR2 · #1 02-27-2004, 01:49 PM

Hi,

First some background: I had the guide rod mounts, balljoints and one tie rod assembly replaced. Got it back last night and it didnt clunk or anything.
Took it to the dealer this morning to get it aligned.
After I got it back, I was playing with the steering, and I noticed what seemed to be a louder than noprmal clunk when I lightly jerk the centered wheel slightly right and back, in a rapid, repeated fashion. Total arc of swing of the wheel is maybe 1-2 inches, max.

So I get a clunk noise. Only really when the car is sitting still. When rolling it is MUCH harder if not impossible to get this to happen.

My problem #1 is I dont know if I can blame anyone. I checked by steering hard back and forth while rolling, after getting my car back from the indy to make sure there was no popping of the suspension (there was none) But I didnt check for play in the steering. I doubt it was my indy who did it, becuase as Ill explain, it is the input shaft of the steering box, which he surely didnt mess with then changing balljoints.

My problem #2 is that I dont know if it was like this before I did anything to the car. I dont routimely swing the centered wheel side to side to see what kind of a clunk I can get, and if I ever do (to check for play), the car is usually rolling and I wouldnt get the clunk then anyway. Plus whjen I shake it for paly,m i dont do it this fast/violently. I just did after the alignment to see what the car could do...

I traced the clunk and it is almost 100% definitely coming from the input shaft of the steering box. The steering wheel/column shafts all the way to the input of the box are fine, no problems, no looseness, etc. And there is no play in the suspension (the amount of steering movement requred to ge tthe clunk barely moves the tires at all, more like a little jolt to the tire that doesnt change its position) nor does the pitman arm even move when I jerk the wheel to get this to occur.

So it has something to do with the input of the steering box. The sound ewven seems to come from the top of the box (where the input shaft comes in). The car drives really well otherwise, steering is firm and just right. Control is fine, no shaking, wobbling or swaying on the roads at any speed.

Its just that stupid clunking sound. Is the input shaft a splined shaft, that perhaps has a little bit of a loose fit between the splines? Is there some way to tighten that up? Ive tried the allen screw ont he box, up to 1 full rotation either way. Doesnt change the clunk.

Any help/suggestions would be great. I would just assume live with it, as I dont think its noticable unless I attempt to induce it. But Id hate to have a steering failure with all the high speed driving I do.

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

JMH