Guys I need a bit of advice here...

I've been away for a couple of crazy months, but I just took my XJR in for an alignment and had them check out the front end clunk that I have been experiencing over very rough roads, expansion joints, railroad tracks, etc. I have already replaced the sway bar bushings, but that didn't solve the problem. They duplicated the noise by driving over some nearby tracks, and then put the car up on the lift and pulled back the boot on the rack and pinion and said there was excessive lash. They are suggesting that I replace the rack, but I'm not 100% convinced this is the solution given what I have read here on the forum.

Now for my question... I've searched the forum, and found issues with the lower steering control at the rack and my vin is probably before the modified version, my VIN ends in 863128, so it is an early '99 model ahead of some of the later modifications. I am not finding anything else regarding rack failure as an issue, so I am simply looking for some expert advice on whether or not this repair will solve the problem. BTW, I am currently at ~58K miles.

Your comments are greatly appreciated!

 

A rack...at 58K.....really unlikely.
My 02 has driven me crazy with clunks....it COULD be;
Upper shock mounting or lower shock mounting
Sway bar link
balljoint...lower or upper
Subframe mount...front
Subframe mount rear.....and that's what I'm up to........horrible job but it's next on the list.
I'm at 104K

 

I was thinking the same about the rack, my question is whether or not the lower steering column issue described in this thread is actually the issue rather than the rack. I don't doubt there is play in the rack, I just don't want to replace a rack for no reason at all. I have visually inspected the bushings and the only ones that even remotely look questionable are the stabilizer end links. Those shouldn't cause this sort of issue so, I don't think this is the cure.

 

My 2001 XJ8 was clunking like I had Ringo Starr under the bonnet, but after I had all the front suspension bushes replaced and the subframe mounts its silent. Britishparts.co.uk sell a suspension kit for both the XJ8 & XJR which is good value. Hope you get it sorted!

 

don't forget the two engine mounts on the subframe. I rebushed a front end, didn't cure the clunk until I removed the engine, the lower bolts on the mounts had stretched, replaced the mounts and cured it.
As far as rack replacement goes, that's total B.S. you can change out the lower column to the later spec' unit.

 

are your engine mounts the same as ours? some sort of oil filled thing...if so, these often do fail, my driver side IIRC already did (more wear on that one). It may very well clunk. $115 ea from a dealer.

 

That's interesting on the engine mounts. I hadn't thought of that. One more piece of information that I have thought of is that the car is experiencing excessive tracking (tramlining.) I really hadn't attributed it to anything other than bad rubber as my Proxes are ready to change, but when I combine this with a report of excessive lash in the rack that may explain the tracking issues.

 

and if your rear SUBFRAME bushes are worn, it'll tramline like crazy and be almost impossible to align....any fore aft movement of the subframe through this bush and it'll tramline like crazy.