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My daily driven 1300 marina has numerous minor ailments (carb leaking, a fuel pump that today decided to partially disassemble itself, multiple oil leaks)

However, there has developed an alarming (mostly for unassuming passengers) clunk from the front end every time I catch a bump or am at speed. This can often be solved with a sharp left hand turn- so I'm assuming the nolathane bush that was fitted 2 or 3 years ago has decided that it doesn't like doing its job any more. Since this was a pain in the arse to do the first time, does anyone have any tips as to keeping the little bugger where it's supposed to be- this is assuming that the bush is in any usable state when I come to disassemble the end of the rack- might bite the bullet and get a garage to do it again- MOT time is looming and I dont think the sound will fill the tester with confidence!

If you think I'm Barking up the wrong tree then I'm open to suggestions- although the sound is quite similar from memory to deep clunking and 'machine gun' noise when at speed that I suffered when the original bush disintegrated!

It sounds like the Nolathane bush has pulled out of the rack housing. If you can remove the grub screw(s) that position it in the rack, and squint through the hole, you should be able to see the red bush. If it’s not there then it has pulled out. I have had no reports of any bush wearing so far and some have been in for 10 years.

Kilroy in NZ had the same problem with the bush pulling out, he found that if you wound on full left lock, the bush was pushed back into place. You may then use an extra grub screw to make it more secure.

Great Chris,

I didn't think it would have worn out, just pribably fallen out and didn't know if this was a known problem- seems it is. If I take the boot off the end of the rack, I should be able to push it back in no?

Yes if you take the boot off you can get to it.

Try drilling an extra hole vertically above the other one, for an extra securing screw, you can just get in unber the bonnet with a cordless drill, keep the swarfe out of the rack.

Easier to put one in from below.
I've done a couple on the car now. Put the new grub screw half an inch further out from the original one.

That happened to mine a few months ago. I've used a sharp self tapper to hold it now but make sure it doesn't protrude through the bush.

If you drill underneath you can create a drain for the rack lubricant, drying out the entire rack.

If you plug the hole with a self tapping screw, loctited in the rack lubricant wont be able to leak out of the hole.
Dave

I hear a knocking when I go over bumps. I took the car in the garage and the steering bush has broken

Nicola - The old ones are hard nylon in a metal ring and break up or wear oval over time.

I got your PM and have replied.