clunky noise suspension & steering rack

[anjog]

Hi,
Just joined the forum, The market in Oman is completely monopolistic and there is only one dealer for the entire country. I drive a Mazda 6 2.0 Lt petrol 2009 edition.
I have some issues with the steering rack I presume, has any body had problems with the steering rack? making clunky noises when driving over unpaved rough roads.
Further when the car goes over a sharp dip or speed breaker I get another single clunking noise, if any body can help me in diagnosis of the issue is sure welcome.
Rgds

[SM25T]

You should be checking that things are tightened securely ...

Wheel bolts

Steering rack fixings

Wheel bearings ...... raise corner of car, hold wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and see if there is any play in the wheel

Track rod ends ... is there any play in the joints ... where the steering rack ends connect to the front wheel hubs

Look carefully at all four suspension coil springs ... are any broken ?

[bazzamf]

It could be that the steering tie rods or the knuckle joints need some work. I think you will find that normally it's just new bushes that are required but it could be the joints that need replacement.

[anjog]

Thanks all for the advices, I have got all the 4 struts replaced and got all the joints checked and tightened, still this noise does not go!
however will try to go through the tie rods and the knuckles again, Steering rack mountings seem to be fairly solid, will check these again.
The dealer here seems to suggest that all Mazda 6 2009 seem to have steering rack rattle going over unpaved roads, is it true? seems odd that the whole bunch of cars would have such a problem.

[metalmickey]

Could your steering rack need regreasing, I have read on other sites of similar issues which were resolved by regreasing the rack.
Unfortunately I cannot advise on how to do this but maybe someone on this site has or try searching on youtube.

[SM25T]

If it is a quiet clunk that you 'feel' as the driver ..... I had an issue like this with my 2006 Mazda6. It turned out to be a grease issue on the sliding splines of the steering column inside the car. Apparently Mazda used the wrong sort of grease, which hardened, allowing the splines to clunk under certain conditions ... taking up drive or braking. It was an easy fix to remove this short internal section of the steering column ... a clamp bolt just above the floor level, then the splines slide apart. A smear of the right grease, and problem solved.

[SM25T]

So ..... what was it