I've noticed mine has a small amount of free play in the steering wheel.

Should it be fairly tight on the steering? Being as its rack and pinion not a reciprocating ball.
Or is it like old Land-Rovers where they had a certain amount of free play by design to stop it snatching too much when off roading?

If this a fault, then is there a favourite wear point on these? I take it there are some UJ's in the column.

There should be no noticeable play in the steering, the column UJ'S are unlikely to wear, first thing to look at is the track rod ends, then the rack itself, it has replaceable ends that wear as well, these usually squeak when they are worn, if not it's the rack itself. A badly worn suspension joint could also give you play...

If you want to check the track rod ends then get someone else to rock the steering and you should be able to see play in them... Pete

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Sounds like it's probably the track rods or the track rod ends then, will have to climb under there and have a feel. It had an MOT a few weeks ago, nothing advised on it. But with all the pot holes around something could have given up.

I know on Merc Sprinters, the UJ's in the columns used to wear and cause the same symptom.

Inner track rods shouldn't give too much play, as they don't need to be too far gone to give noticeable problems, probalbly a ball joint somewhere, either the track rod ends, the bottom arms or the upper arm ball joints. (Lots of ball joints in the system). There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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Check that the nut that locks the lower steering column to the splined shaft on the steering rack is fully tightened up. If the nut is slightly loose, it can cause the steering play you're talking about.

Best place to check first, as there's been threads on this before.

That makes sense too, will have a look at that while i'm at it.

Once i've got this ironed out i can get the 4 wheel alignment done.

As above, should be none sir

Yep, steering column to pinion pinch bolt needed nipping up, no more clunkyness. Just have to get the 4 wheel alignment done now.

That was nice and cheap then....  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

had a good look at all the joints and bushes under there and they all look sound. Noticed the ABS lead and brake hose on the OSF needed clipping back into their mountings on the strut while i was under there.

Looks like i have a coolant leak on the back of the engine, there is a bit of it around the bell housing/transfer box guard. The local Main dealer told me there is a common leak on the back of the cylinder heads, some sort of plastic union there that goes.