"they all do that sir"

the sliding block and ball joints in the centre of the rack can and often do crack when going to full lock and or reversing / braking

the anti rattle rubber wont be in the first flush of youth and probably doused in oil a few times in the last 30 yrs

Sean

PS the one test to worry about is to park with one wheel tight to a kerb so it cant move, then try to move the steering from side to side while looking down at the pinion( pull up the rubber boot) ANY sign of up and down movement at the pinion indicates wear in the bearing and failure of that means no steering or if the balls drop in to the rack total seizure of the rack-most inconvenient

Another possible source of the noise is if you after market wings that are not OEM, particularly those from 2CVCity, these often foul against the suspension arm right at the tip of the rear inner wing closest to the back...make a very distinctive "crack/click" noise. You can check by vigorously rocking the car side to side from the outside ...easily sorted - just bend the inner wing out of the way!

How long have 2CVCity been selling front wings for an Ami?

i wish!! though it's the back ones that are prone

thanks to all for help - (funnily enough..!~%$) it's not doing it now...will check

however - really daft question alert - axles...6 bolts on drums? or bolts from drives to hubs???

thanks again
will

there are six bolts that go through drive shaft flange, through the drum and into the output flange of the gearbox. use loctite too.

Nice word flange

Willami,
I was thinking of the 4 bolts which fasten each 'axle' to the chassis, fitted vertically, heads lowest...

ken

Ah I see now - thanks Ken....and good to meet you the other week, hope your bacon didn't burn!!!

Cheers

Merci 602

The bolts through the flanges were torqued up when the brakes were over hauled last October, so should be okay - will double check....

Will

[/quote]
there are six bolts that go through drive shaft flange, through the drum and into the output flange of the gearbox. use loctite too.

Nice word flange[/quote]

This is really interesting - one thing I love about this site is the "eek I have that too" feelin - I'm not alone.

I have a clunking/cracking/hard tapping (we all seem to have different onomatopaic interpretations ) when I a) accelerate, b) take my foot hard off the clutch, c) lock hard and d) break hard

I did check my axel bolts but they looked fine and I couldnt see any play, the peening was still in place in that plate washer too.

Shall I un-peen the plate washer, take em out and do them back up?

and would this also be the reason for a slight wobble in the steering column?

Now that one sounds like axle( cross tube) bolts

sean