Suspension/ stearing issue caused by strut bearing???

[jkratmann]

Hi all..
First of all I would like to thank you all for this forum... it is good to know that when there are issues with my car I know where to turn to first and get really good and useful information :}

Now to my question/ request for input. I have an 2003 75 cdti tourer automatic which have done 140k miles.
The last two weeks I have had a steering/ suspension issue. When I turn right and accelerate there is a rumbling noise (gung-gung-gung-gung-gung) and you can feel it in the steering wheel. e.g when you accelerate in a curve entering the freeway. It feels quite similar to an unbalanced tire. If I go straight, left or release the accelerator the noise and rumbling feeling disappears. The noise and rumbling is a bit periodic, so it is not always there when I turn right and accelerate, however it is getting worse. The noise and rumbling seems the increase the harder I turn or accelerate. I also sometimes hear a slight "klonk" when going over speed bumps or similar.

I have tried different things for diagnosing the issue. I have had the front of the car jacked up and felt for excessive free play in the different ball joints, but did not find any I suspected as faulty, but I am not a mechanic. I have tried driving in circles at a big parking lot, trying to provoke the feeling and noise. But I could notcreate the noise as it has to be at higher speeds than what was safe at the parking lot.

All I have found is a suspected failed top strut bearing in the left front. When I turn the steering wheel over the centre you can hear a slight "boing" when turning from side to side. In addition I can clearly feel it in the strut spring when I have my wife to turn the steering wheel over the centre.

My question is: Can the top strut bearing cause all the symptoms I describe? Or do you experienced guys suspect that I have other issues in addition to the top strut bearing e.g. drive shaft related issues.

I am looking forward to your feedback.
Best Regards
Jesper Kratmann

[alanw]

Hello Jesper, Its all but impossible to diagnose. I could list all of the suspension & steering parts to check, but that would be no help.
Try swapping the wheels front to rear to cancel them out. On a lot of occasions when checking suspension / steering it's best to have the weight of the car on its wheels . When you jack the car up & the wheel /wheels are hanging down it can disguise play in some of the joints / bushes. so you need to examine it over a pit or on a hoist. Alan

[75driver]

The last two weeks I have had a steering/ suspension issue. When I turn right and accelerate there is a rumbling noise (gung-gung-gung-gung-gung) and you can feel it in the steering wheel. e.g when you accelerate in a curve entering the freeway. It feels quite similar to an unbalanced tire. If I go straight, left or release the accelerator the noise and rumbling feeling disappears. The noise and rumbling is a bit periodic, so it is not always there when I turn right and accelerate, however it is getting worse. The noise and rumbling seems the increase the harder I turn or accelerate. I also sometimes hear a slight "klonk" when going over speed bumps or similar.

I have tried different things for diagnosing the issue. I have had the front of the car jacked up and felt for excessive free play in the different ball joints, but did not find any I suspected as faulty, but I am not a mechanic. I have tried driving in circles at a big parking lot, trying to provoke the feeling and noise. But I could notcreate the noise as it has to be at higher speeds than what was safe at the parking lot.

All I have found is a suspected failed top strut bearing in the left front. When I turn the steering wheel over the centre you can hear a slight "boing" when turning from side to side. In addition I can clearly feel it in the strut spring when I have my wife to turn the steering wheel over the centre.

My question is: Can the top strut bearing cause all the symptoms I describe? Or do you experienced guys suspect that I have other issues in addition to the top strut bearing e.g. drive shaft related issues.

I am looking forward to your feedback.
Best Regards
Jesper Kratmann


Noise when turning/ accelerating sounds like its
- cv joint, or possibly
- wheel bearing.
Noise on turning right would indicate a left wheel bearing at fault: front or rear to be confirmed.
Clonks could be a number of things:
Anti roll bar bushes.
Drop links
Lower suspension arm rear bush.

My money would be on the drop links.
I would change these in any case if I were changing the strut top mounts, which you have diagnosed as faulty.

[jkratmann]

Thank you for the feedback. I think I will start with the top strut bearing, CV joint and drop links in one go and see if that does the trick.