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What year is this Focus? First you need to work out what the "Clonk" is. Is this clonk only as you turn or does happen when you hit pot holes? The most common reason for a steering/suspension noise is one of the joints on the system. Get the bottom ball joint, the track rod ends and the drop links looked at.
If your car is before 2011 check the fluid level in the power steering. After 2011 they changed to electric power steering. Sometime the stiffness is that easy to fix. If you need to top it up only fill to the MAX line. After topping it up, With the engine running, turn the steering all the way to the left then all the way to the right and repeat it 3 or 4 times. This bleeds the system.
If the joints are all OK you need to look at the actual steering rack.
I don't know what a "early" sound is, but there are several problems that can cause a screech: the commonest is a slipping power-steering belt combined with a stiffness in the steering rack. The cheapest is probably a stone caught between the brake pads and disc. So first check your tyre pressures, then check your brakes finally, take it to a garage to have the power-steering looked at.
No most likely the power steering needs a new belt, when they loosen off or start to decay they squel lodly, ofetn they can be tightened up but for the cost involved just buy a new one. if the steering still feels like it is working correctly but just noisey then most likely it is fine and it will just be the belt.
on a car this year the power steering rack and pump should last another few years yet.
Hope this helps, p.s a garage will not charge much to fix this. Regards
Had same trouble with my 2005 F-150. There are 2 universal joints on the steering column shaft, 1 in the center of the shaft and the second down by the steering box. Sprayed rust check on these joints over 5 days and they eventually freed up and then covered them with grease. She steers perfect now and I did that last fall.Saved 700 dollars at the dealer.
There are 2 things that cause power steering to go stiff. The power steering pump itself either from failure or "lack of fluid" and the rack and pinion assy under the car.
Most of the time the failure is the power steering pump itself. The teflon rollers fail inside the pump and it either stops providing an output pressure or it seizes up. You can loosen the power steering pump belt then try to rotate the pump by hand. It should move by hand. If it feels like it is intermittently locking up as you rotate, it the teflon rollers have failed and the pump will need to be replaced.
its apossibility that when you got new top strut mountings fitted it might be fact that it will be like new & you are not used to it also not having power steering you might be feeling the effects what i would suggest you do is continue to drive itnormal & see if it eases of if this doesn't sound like problem & stiff through column or steering rack let me know because not been able to feel it its hard to tell thank you.
Most cars Speedometer cable connect to one of the front wheels, but you said your speedometer sometimes stop then your steering wheel will go stiff, I think you should fix or change your speedometer cable, maybe the cable broken inside. Fix it as soon as possible for your safety.
Speedometer cable has two parts, one is outside cable, mounted and connect to both speedometer and wheel.
The other one is an inside steel cable, outside cable protects the inside cable, because the inside cable turns as soon as you move the car. It is directly connect to the wheel gears and the speedometer inside.
If your car has speedometer cable, I think you need check it right away.
Your steering wheel sometimes stiff, you also need to check your power steering fluid level, sometimes cause this kind problem.
Hope this can help you and if you have more questions, please use whatever the Fixya allowed, contact me to discuss this matter and others. Thank you.
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