"Loose" steering over rough roads

[j4mes-c]

Clio 172 Cup. The issue I'm having is essentially when driving over rough road surfaces where it's uneven and small craters (not potholes), the steering wheel will pull and try to steer itself. It's not to the point where it's uncontrollable but it is noticeable and getting worse. There is also an occasional "clunk" which happens every so often and once only each time. Connected or not I don't know. I cannot recreate it until it happens itself and it feels like it's from the right hand side somewhere. Tyre pressures normal, tracking recently done (<2000 miles ago), front tyres even worn and matching, brakes and drives on smooth roads straight and true so don't think it's the rack. In a multistorey carpark recently the car was turning as though it was losing grip on the front wheels and scuffing a little bit. This only seems to happen in the wet turning right going up a multistorey and the suspension load changing as you go up the incline and then level out again at each floor.

I have had to repack the outer cv boot on the n/s driveshaft once and the droplink(?) down from the inner arch to arb/wishbone area had wasn't fully tightened until I tightened it up as well. Not rechecked them yet so possiblilties.

Where should I be looking at first? Droplink, ball joint, track rods? I have polybushed arb, poly dogbone and possibly polybushed wishbones.

 

[Sesqui89]

You say you don't think it's the rack but have you checked the bushes (assuming you have an SMI rack)?

I had a similar issue to what you've described in your first paragraph - the steering wheel would be jerking all over the place in my hands. The problem was worse on rougher road surfaces and also exaggerated at higher speeds.

Admittedly I had no knocking but replacing the rack bushes with the powerflex SMI bushes solved my issue. Turned out one of them was almost completely perished.

 

[imprezaworks]

What your tyres like?

 

[j4mes-c]

Tyres are partially worn through but still plenty of meat on them and well above the legal limit. They're a budget brand albeit rated B for wet weather. Brand is Runway 925 performance and apparently from black circles as their performance budget line.

 

[imprezaworks]

I find good tyres play a big part in how these drive. Ive had budget tyres and they are just awful. Get the car checked over but failing that a decent set of tyres allround is what i'd look into.

 

[bbracer16v]

Im getting the same thing but in last 6 months i have replaced
And all in one go more or less
Rack/new lemforder inner ties and track rod ends
Poly rack mount bushes
Cup 172 dampers all round new cook sport springs new pms solid tops
New lower ball joints
New poly arb bushes
New tires yoko ad08
Had it alignment sorted a few times in that time as always messing about..

And stil getting this wavey steering feel in the cambers of thd roads the wheel shakes left to right a bit and you have to correct it! Sometimes its bad.

I did notice i can shake my lower UJ on the column about and move the wheel and feel play in it and on my mates lower mileage one theres no play what so ever mines 160k mind!

I know the older renaults suffered from a bush waring in there and it would be welded up to cure it.. That im looking at doing tomorrow.. Its either that or the steering column on mine or god knows what else

 

[j4mes-c]

I've had a quick look at the car today after work. The n/s cv boot is again loose at the larger end so will need repacked and secured with a jubilee clip. Couldn't see anything else untoward underneath the car so videoed the underneath to look at again a few times on a larger screen

 

[JimF]

New to Clios but my first thought was it could need an alignment. To me, the wheel pulling sounds like too much toe out & maybe caster. But I'm guessing, and I am also an idiot (disclaimer).

 

[RichieJA]

My car felt lose at motorway speeds it was the tie rods and arb bushes

 

[R3k1355]

Another vote for tie rods (track rods)

The joint on the inner tie rod loves to wear and give a funny feel to the steering.