Knocking sound when hard steering

crazyone64

5 Year Member
May 2, 2018
84
6
18
Toronto Canada
Hi,

I recently changed my front control arms, springs and inner & outer tie rods.
I took my 03 mach1 for a test drive and noticed when pulling the wheel hard to left / right. I can hear a single loud knock on the front driver side.
Everything was torqued to spec, and springs were aligned inbetween the 2 holes on the lca. insulator was fine. Rack bushings and stabilizer links are 2 years old.

What would you recommend i check first?
Front and Rear alignment is in a few weeks,
It sounds like its coming from the red section in the picture, not the strut mount
 

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I got under the car and had someone moving the steering wheel. I believe i've isolated to either the rag joint, or the part in the 2nd pic. How do i remove these components? Would love some advice
 

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I got under the car and had someone moving the steering wheel. I believe i've isolated to either the rag joint, or the part in the 2nd pic. How do i remove these components? Would love some advice
I'd ditch the rag joint and get a u-joint style shaft. Removal isn't bad. Take the bolt out at the rack end, go inside the car and remove the pinch bolt on the shaft and to make it easier, remove the two bolts holding the firewall bearing plate. The shaft will collapse a bit and then you just remove it. Be careful with the firewall bearing and plastic sleeve. The sleeve is not available so treat it like gold. Replacement is the same just backwards of removal.
 
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I used to replace those lower shafts at the dealer alot
Taurus was worse, F150 horrible
They used to be only about 155 bucks. Now they are probably two hundred bucks if available at all from Ford
You have to remove the rack bolts and shift the rack forward (that is the easy way to replace the lower shaft / rag joint assembly)
Your 03 Mach lower shaft comes as half the car and has the collapsible / extruded part
 
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I'd ditch the rag joint and get a u-joint style shaft. Removal isn't bad. Take the bolt out at the rack end, go inside the car and remove the pinch bolt on the shaft and to make it easier, remove the two bolts holding the firewall bearing plate. The shaft will collapse a bit and then you just remove it. Be careful with the firewall bearing and plastic sleeve. The sleeve is not available so treat it like gold. Replacement is the same just backwards of removal.
Thank you, once the shaft is removed, how do you swap the rag joint? From the pic i don't see how it separates.. does this mean i need a new steering shaft? I'm not seeing any options other than max motorsport and it's expensive
 
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I used to replace those lower shafts at the dealer alot
Taurus was worse, F150 horrible
They used to be only about 155 bucks. Now they are probably two hundred bucks if available at all from Ford
You have to remove the rack bolts and shift the rack forward (that is the easy way to replace the lower shaft / rag joint assembly)
Your 03 Mach lower shaft comes as half the car and has the collapsible / extruded part
Thank you,
After the shaft is removed, do you remember how/if the stock joint can be separated or is it all one part? I don't see how it separates in the pic of my rag joint above
 
Right, unless you are going to cut and drill out the shaft rivets, the rag joint is not replaceable alone
Your knock or looseness should be the shaft itself (where it slides) and not the rag joint
That is why you replace the shaft assembly
 
Right, unless you are going to cut and drill out the shaft rivets, the rag joint is not replaceable alone
Your knock or looseness should be the shaft itself (where it slides) and not the rag joint
That is why you replace the shaft assembly
Thank you for explaining, what are your thoughts on https://lmr.com/item/LRS-3524A/mustang-lower-steering-shaft-94-04 and double the price if the dorman doessn't fit: https://www.maximummotorsports.com/...Power-Steering-Rack-1994-04-Mustang-P460.aspx
I'm surprised Moog doesn't have one.
 
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