Steering drag link change

[haroonz7]

Guys

Just had my steering drag link changed in my c250td. W202. Took out the old one and alligned with the old one. Not had the tracking done yet but will be heading to hi q tomorrow morning.

I've now got a slight knock when I move the steering from center either to left or right feels and sounds like something is loose but everything is on right.

Do you think once the tracking is done it will be all good??

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
Did you check the steering damper and the condition of the Idler arm when you changed the drag link?
But as it was not doing this before changing the drag link, I think this will be caused by more instantanous force being applied to either or both of the above items with the replacement of the drag link.
My money is on the damper being duff, but wear in either item is not unheard of in W202's.

 

[haroonz7]

The damper and the idler both ok. There was wear but not in need of changing. I suppose it may be worth changing them too.... If I change them will the tracking need doing again?

 

[haroonz7]

Update.

I've had the tracking done but the noise when the steering is moved side to side is still there.

Also I've the issue as I drive around say a left hand bend on the country road and then the road sweeps to the right etc there is a point where I have no feel in the steering as if there is slack or play.

Would changing the damper and idler arm fix this or could there be more issues with the box? Or maybe the box needs adjusment??

Help and thoughts would be welcome.

Thanks

 

[C180 Chris]

I have just tightened up my steering box today, 1/4 turn of the allen bolt and i have much less play and a nice feel to the wheel.

What i had was a "slop" that is to say that the wheel felt like it had been disconected altogether from the box, so far job + 6 hours it seems fine

 

[roofless]

unlike most faults on this forum yours sounds dangerous best get it looked at asap

 

[haroonz7]

It's booked in on Friday. Might try tightening up box chris see if it fixes the issue, how did u do it chris?

 

[C180 Chris]

With the car on a set of drive on ramps, looking up at the bottom of the steering box you should see a 19mm nut with a allen bolt through the middle of it (the pitman arm is fitted around this shaft with a clamp)

Undo the 19mm nut and adjust the allen bolt 1/4 turn anticlockwise as you look at it, tighten up the 19mm and you should find much less slop on your wheel.

Now put your car on a trolley jack with both wheels free to turn and try lock to lock a couple of times (you are looking for full free movement with no sticking points or extra stiffness of the wheel turn)

hope this helps

 

[kth286]

haroonz7

You need to concentrate on the drag link only, as that was the only thing you messed with to cause your noise.

I have not looked at the layout of your car, but some drag links have a curve or bend in them - does yours?

If so, then my guess is you put it on back to front, as the drag link is touching something as it moves.

OR you have put the steering damper on back to front.

 

[C180 Chris]

haroonz7

You need to concentrate on the drag link only, as that was the only thing you messed with to cause your noise.

I agree with the above post, adjustment will not stop the noise.
It would seem prudent check the damper/drag link first as adjustment of the box will not sort out any noises, only the free play that you describe (this may be caused by the damper or drag link being fitted wrongly)

Also make sure that if the faults were not present before the damper change that you do not alter anything else until that problem has been sorted, otherwise you end up adjusting and changing so much that you forget what was where.
I used to work repairing TV/Video's and we used to call people who changed every setting before calling us "Twiddlers" amongst other things
It makes repair so much more difficult for the person who has to do it, and of course that means more expensive to the paying customer.

 

[Number_Cruncher]

>>changed every setting before calling us "Twiddlers" amongst other things

It's among the reasons why I don't tend to advocate adjusting the steering box until being absolutely sure that there are no other problems in the system.

The main reason on here is that it's also difficult to assess someone's skill level across a forum. Adjusting a steering box certainly isn't a job you would let the apprentice do in a workshop.

 

[turbopete]

>>changed every setting before calling us "Twiddlers" amongst other things

It's among the reasons why I don't tend to advocate adjusting the steering box until being absolutely sure that there are no other problems in the system.

The main reason on here is that it's also difficult to assess someone's skill level across a forum. Adjusting a steering box certainly isn't a job you would let the apprentice do in a workshop.

quite correct. its easy enough to give advice on things like that if you know the person's skill and experience level. another matter if the person you give the advice to doesnt fully comprehend the advice even though they may think they do!

 

[haroonz7]

I don't think adjusting the box is my thing. The drag ling and steering damper are defo in right as I checked how it was before I took it out and then matched it up with the new one. Did the same with damper.

The only thing I didn't change like I said was the idler arm, I believe there is a bush repair kit which is used and that's something I couldn't do my self.

Is this the most likely cause?

 

[television]

I don't think adjusting the box is my thing. The drag ling and steering damper are defo in right as I checked how it was before I took it out and then matched it up with the new one. Did the same with damper.

The only thing I didn't change like I said was the idler arm, I believe there is a bush repair kit which is used and that's something I couldn't do my self.

Is this the most likely cause?

If the idler arm is at fault, when rocking the wheel, one can see the idler arm go up and down in its housing