Power Steering Rack possibly going bad?

[Pistol_91]

I'll just start by saying I have searched around and found a ton of info on this steering rack the s550s have. Definitely was more to them than I initially thought. Read a good thread that Cobra Jet posted few years ago with a bunch of different links regarding the steering set up.
I found 1 thread where someone was experiencing something similar to me but haven't found anybody with a similar issue that has resolved it.

I'm having a noticable clunk sound while driving over bumps. It's coming from the driver side. While in the car it sounds like it's directly in front of me at seat level. I went under the car and checked everything and tightened everything suspension related that I could get a wrench on including the upper bolts on the strut tower. I don't see anything obvious.
I did however get a hand on the steering shaft and I can move it slightly back and forth where the lower U joint is at. I'm thinking it's the U joint or possibly the internal of the steering rack itself. The u joints look fine from what I can tell. There isn't much play, but there may be enough to cause the sound I'm hearing. Anybody else experience this yet? Over the last couple months it seems to be getting worse/louder. Thanks.

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[K4fxd]

Check your front stabilizer bar end links. They need to be at 85 ft/lbs minimum.

It's normal to have some slight play in a steering system.

 

[Pistol_91]

Check your front stabilizer bar end links. They need to be at 85 ft/lbs minimum.

It's normal to have some slight play in a steering system.

I seen your comment about this in another thread. I checked them. Didn't torque them though. I'll re check them again.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Aside from sway bar mounts, other possible front clunking could also be:
- Sway bar end links
- Loose brake caliper
- Ball joint
- Front strut mount

This SSM was released for the GT350's regarding a front end clunk noise. Just because the SSM is for a GT350 doesn't mean the problem can't exist on other platforms:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/ssm-50672-front-end-“clunk”-or-“pop”-noise.176357/

Also the front strut mounts have been known to fail prematurely, causing a clunk noise from the front end:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...your-upper-front-strut-mount-bearings.130986/

 

[Pistol_91]

Aside from sway bar mounts, other possible front clunking could also be:
- Sway bar end links
- Loose brake caliper
- Ball joint
- Front strut mount

This SSM was released for the GT350's regarding a front end clunk noise. Just because the SSM is for a GT350 doesn't mean the problem can't exist on other platforms:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/ssm-50672-front-end-“clunk”-or-“pop”-noise.176357/

Also the front strut mounts have been known to fail prematurely, causing a clunk noise from the front end:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...your-upper-front-strut-mount-bearings.130986/

Will check end links again
Caliper is tight, checked that
Ball joint could be suspect - I hope its not this.
Front strut mount, I have the Air lift 3p kit. Could possibly be that but I don't hear the noise near the hood, it sounds lower, closer to the wheel area. I can feel the noise too through the floor board when it happens. Its telling me its something down in that area. I will check over all these listed though again and see what I find. Appreciate the links!

 

[Cobra Jet]

Oh….

Skipped my mind in last posting…

Check your motor mounts. Make sure those bolts are torqued to sled and that the mounts aren’t deteriorated/damaged. A bad motor mount will cause clunking and they’re located down low where when under load, can create a NVH event.

Also check the EPAS rack casing for any cracks,.

 

[Pistol_91]

I looked at the motor mount bushings briefly when I was under there and they looked fine. I will put a wrench on them as well. Ill check everything you mentioned. Appreciate it.

 

[K4fxd]

The top sway bar end link, bolts to the strut, the stud is smaller than the hole. This is usually where the clunk comes from. An easy way to check is to take the nut off and if you see scuffing that is your problem. I ended up welding a washer to the strut on mine. The washer ID is the same as the stud OD.

These need to be stupid tight. Bad design.

Check the other things too, but I'd check the strut to end link first.

 

[Pistol_91]

The top sway bar end link, bolts to the strut, the stud is smaller than the hole. This is usually where the clunk comes from. An easy way to check is to take the nut off and if you see scuffing that is your problem. I ended up welding a washer to the strut on mine. The washer ID is the same as the stud OD.

These need to be stupid tight. Bad design.

Check the other things too, but I'd check the strut to end link first.

I'm also leaning towards this first as I've had similar issues on my old cars in the past with end links (and truck). I have a welder so, if need be, I may need to do this. Appreciate it.

I also installed these end links myself and dont recall tightening the piss out of them. It has been 3 years or so since the install though.

 

[Pistol_91]

Alright, so back to this. The driver side is the side with the noise. I tightened the literal shit out of these things. I don't think they can get any tighter. The noise still remains.
Side note. I have the air lift 3p suspension and the struts are adjustable for hardness. I re-did them and noticed my driver side adjustment somehow managed to turn itself to full hardness. I reset both sides evenly to about half way, where it was before.
The sound barely remains now, but still exists. Id say it's 80% better. So I'm happy. I haven't pulled the end links off yet but I think I may do this Saturday if I have time just to take a peek.
Off topic - I'm going to start upgrading all other suspension components because frankly, the car drives like absolute shit (to me) under WOT at higher speeds (100mph). Its almost scary honestly. First car I've owned that just feels (loose) at higher speeds. I've been looking at the stop the hop kit, and also upgrading the sway bars. It definitely doesn't feel as sturdy as it should, or used to feel.
My theory is, since I put beefy drag radials on the rear, I had to up to psi in the rear bags quite a bit to avoid rubbing. I believe this is causing the geometry of the car to be far off. It almost makes me want to go back to regular springs to see if it fixes the issue. I just don't want to ditch the air lift kit because of the money invested in it, and I like the convenience of being ale to go over speed bumps and steep drive ways with a push of a button. Before this "drag pack" I put on, the car handled and drove amazing, so I think this is the issue.
I'm going to mess with the strut settings in the rear and see if I can combat this feeling. Either way, I want to upgrade the suspension. Any thoughts on sway bars and stop the hop? If I change sway bars I will also change end links.

 

[geep81]

When my steering rack went bad I had a clunk when turning hard left/onto side streets.

There weren't any other symptoms.

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