Front suspension/steering issues

[blackchim]

Just started experiencing reverberation through the manual steering rack when I go over rough patches of road, seems worse during cornering. On even surfaces if I hit a drain cover etc the set up handles it fine. More rough surfaces/ succession of pot holes and it feels as though the front wheel - and seems more F N/S - is continuing to bounce up and down long after the road imperfection, and I feel the knocking through the column.
Any ideas what could be causing this?? Could it be worn UJ in steering? Or my crappy shocks??
I have after market adjustable shocks all round which Ive never been happy with. Two sent back with broken seals under warranty and then had all four refurbed three years ago. Only done 4K miles since then. Rears have since made soft knocking noise!!

Dont have a fortune right now so if the problem isnt steering related would be looking for some secondhand bilsteins/etc if there are any out there?

Any suggestions as to the problem?? Ta.

[ClassiChimi]

Sounds like damper problems, another valve letting go!
eBay is your friend

[ch427]

Jack the car up and have a look at the underside of the upper wishbone, on my car i can see a mark where the wishbone has been contacting the steering shaft.

[shake n bake]

Sounds shock related, if you can justify it then bin the stuff your don't like and get something better.

[Hedgehopper]

I had exactly this problem of bouncing after hitting bumps on my Lotus Europa. Took ages to find the problem. Turned out that a previous owner had fitted the wrong spec. spring/damper units and the car was riding on the rebound rubbers. The ride was transformed once the correct units were fitted.

[s p a c e m a n]

Get someone to drive alongside you and watch the wheel, it's normally fairly obvious from the outside when a damper is fked, moves like a dogs leg when you find that tickley bit they like

[gacksen]

bouncing is of course damper spring related. as for vibration of the steering wheel check the rims for imbalance and the condition of the ujs. once or worn the steering wheel will start to vibrate.

[blackchim]

Thanks for replies. Seems its the spring/dampers then. I will jack it up at the weeknd and have a look over everything, but sounds like new dampers all round f**k!!