Ok i have asked this question many times and tired to find the cause of this problem and have yet to find it. I have a 1996 LT1 coupe also. here is the problem,

I have a loud poping/clunking sound comeing from the front of my car. This occurs mainly while turning left, but not in all turns. Lately it has not dont it at much but i can still make it make the sound if i am making a a long left turn and the steering wheel is at 90 degrees from normal and i jolt the steering wheel slightly back and forth, it will make the poping sound. Sometimes it just does it on its own without any assistance. This sound can also be felt in the steering wheel and the car actually feels like it jumps ever so slightly while turning.

This is what i have checked and replaced:
1. Both front wheel bearing have been replaced and did nothing to a correct the problem.
2. I have inspected almost all of the front end looking at the bushings (all are fine and not dry rotted the car has 71k miles on it).
3. I have inspected the shock and they were securely bolted down.
4. I have checked my steering rack mounting points and they were fine.
5. The mounts for the front bumper to the crossmember were a little loose so i torqued them to spec.
6. Inspected springs and they were fine without any cracks or damage and the mounting bolts were all tight
7. All the mounting bolts for the front suspension were tight
8. THe mounting bolts for the swaybar were tight

The only possibility that i found was in the steering shaft. With the wheels off the ground and the steering wheel turn as if i was making a left turn, if i sawed at the wheel back and forth on one spot it would make a clicking sound. I dont know if this is normal or not.

The sound/pop feels like something is underload while corning and then unloads suddenly causing the pop and jolt of the car.

Is there anything else i can check or any ideas on what this problem might be?
Thanks

 

Do you think it's possible there is an internal problem with your steering rack?

 

Just a couple of thoughts.

2) Did you check the ball joints and tie rod ends? Inside the boots on the rack, you have inner tie rod ends. These were gone on my car.

Since you discovered a "click" in the steering shaft, *I* would persue that, and eliminate it as the cause. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

 

i thought about that but it does not allways make the sound on every turn. The clicking sound is coming from the U-joint in the steering shaft BTW

 

forgot to put those in, yes i checked the ball joints and they were tight, i have not checked the inner tie rod ends though. the click is not very loud, it is comeing from the U-joints and the bolt is tight and it does not seem like there is really any play in it

thanks for the replys so far...keep them coming

 

With all you've done, it could be in the rack, there's four tie rod ends, but you knew that right? Two are not as easy to see, or get to....

Good luck.

 

how would i go about checking to see if it is the rack or not without replacing it?

 

Try jacking up both wheels and disconnect the shaft at the coupling. See if you are able to turn the u-joint by hand to see if you can detect any rough spots inside the rack. How many miles do you have and what is the condition of your fluid?

 

the car has 71k miles on it and the fluid seems to be clean...

 

also am i disconnecting it at the coupler actually on the rack or should i disconnect the steerting shaft before the u-joint...i am a little confused as if i disconnect it at the coupler, the steering shaft is then disconnected from the rack so how do i turn it from the u-joint :confused:

 

Don't know what else to suggest. If your sure everything else checks out, what else can it be but inside the rack? It may cost you a couple of hundred to find out by replacing the rack but in any event, if it involves the steering, it should be corrected PDQ for safety sake.

 

thanks i will look into the steering rack...does anyone else have any other suggestions of things to look for?