steering rack probs or what?
 

Hi all just bought myself a 2003 mazda 2.0 diesel ts model 136bhp and i bloody love it but have a slight problem well im hoping slight https://www.mazdaforum.com/forum/dat...XAIIklSEAUEAA7 Theres a slight knocking coming from the front i think drivers side. Its constantly knocking and not really loud but i can feel it and hear it. I took it to advance pitstop today and the guy said it was something to do with the steering rack. Also i notice the steering seems heavier when i turn it to the right and is fairly free when turning it to the left

He said that possibly there could be a bushing i could get for the rack that wouldnt be too expensive but he wasnt sure if i could get for the mazda as he had previously only done this on a older toyota and it fixed the problem.

Can anyone give me any info on this problem i would really appreciate it and wanted to get it sorted asap

can someone please give me some input i have noticed another problem which may be related theres a loud clunk coming from the front somewhere its happened two or three times happend today while on the main road not turning or anything

Ok for anyone who may be having a similar prob i took to an independent mechanic today a very old guy in his 60s diagnosed the problem in 2 minutes after advance pitstop and fastfit could not give me a definitive answer. Is a tierod on the drivers side thank god and not the steering rack as advance suggested. I guess the older mechanics are more dependable and knowledgable than most :)

thought i would have at least got a response here though

tie rod did not fix prob could be steering rack ? :(
 

Recently went to few places to find out whats wrong with car rattling on the drivers side one place told me they thought the bushing in the steering rack needed to be done but he wasnt sure if it could be done in the mazda 6 he said to look around ebay and see if a bushing could be got and come back to him. He said if i couldnt get one i would be looking at a new steering rack or a recondontioned one and its a massive job.

Can anyone please please please tell me if the bushings can be done in the rack and if so where could i get them.

i had went to another mechanic and he told me there was play in the steering and it was the outer tie rod so i was delighted got the part got him to fit it and the car still has the rattling noise can someone please tell me what i can do cos i really dont have the money at the moment to keep getting things done and the problem not being fixed.

The car is lowered and was done by last owner if this is of any importance. My car is a 2.0 diesel 136bhp.

Any help would be so much appreciated

Mazda615:
I probably did not answer your pleas because I am not very familiar with the 6.
There is a phenomenon called bump steer. That means if the front wheel moves up or down in response to hitting a bump or pothole the tie rods get yanked a little as well. You don't feel much of that in regular driving. however when the tie rods wear out you can hear a knock caused by bump steer. The thing is that there are not only outer tie rod ends but also inner tie rod ends. Both have ball in socket joints and both can wear out.
I am sure your mechanic checked the inner tie rods. But your first mechanic did not find a fault on the outer tie rod ends to be worn. Your second mechanic did. It is harder to diagnose the inner tie rod ends because they sit inside of the bellows that come out of the rack. Maybe you ask the 2nd mechanic to have a close look at the inner tie rod ends.
However, the fact that your steering is hard in one direction and easy on the other suggest there is a problem beyond the tie rod ends. So I was searching for a steering rack bushing for your model and came up with nothing. I suggest to keep looking for them.

I am sorry I could not be of more help.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply mate i really appreciate it i really want to get this sorted i love the car and am happy with everything but that rattle is driving me crazy maybe its just me but i dont think the steering feels heavy after the tie rod was done. The machannic apologised that it didnt fix the problem and asked if i could leave the car with him a day next week so he could have a good look at it and i will mention it to him about the inner tie rods. I have another guy looking at it monday evening so ill see what he says too. Cheers buddy :)

Hi. Have you got this sorted yet? Because the knocking issue can be solved with some general purpose grease, a 12mm socket/spanner and roughly 15minutes of your time. Absolutely no need to send it to a mechanic.

Do you care to provide the details? It might matter to someone.