"Snatchy" steering...

[SYNCRO-VIKING]

Have now done c 2,000 km in my "new" 1992 Syncro (253-297) and the other day something strange happened.
For several kilometres the steering was "snatching" just like some invisible hand was tugging, mainly to the left. I concluded that the car must have power-steering and that there was a problem with that - but no, a quick inspection in the engine bay revealed no belt-driven pump, so...
It is the first and so far only time it has happened - my mechanic did a brief test drive a few days later and found nothing unusual, and he has driven the car before for several hours. I have driven all sorts of motor cars for 45 years, done more than a million km, but never before has anything like this happened - any ideas anyone???

[toomanytoys]

Any clunking while that happening???
A failing outer cv joint could cause that.. as could an inner onenperhaps ..
A "snatching" isnt normal and indicates sonething quite mechanical happening to me...

[silverbullet]

+1 from me.

Sounds nasty. Wheel bearing collapsing or CV catastrophic failure. If it's enough to tug at the steering wheel then it's a big force doing it. Stop and fix immediately.

[Donwhscc]

Had something very similar before not on a van but on a car, it was the CV joint, boot had split, no lubrication, so dry surfaces were causing it to grap. Was time to call AA in the middle of the scottish highlands! Never really noticed it on way up to Scotland as it was wet and rain lubricated it somewhat.

[SYNCRO-VIKING]

Thanks to all 3 of you!
I am quite sure Donwhscc has the answer for there were absolutey no grating sounds or anything wrong mechanically when my mechanic checked it over immediately afterwards. BUT both CV gaiters were shredded and in fact I got new replacements + the appropriate grease from the previous owner. And I confess to driving c 2,000 km with the CV joints effectively out in the open -only on dry roads- for my mechanic simply did not have the time, so I presume the joints were pretty dry by then and therefore liable to "grab" erratically... They are now greased and with new boots and everything is running smoothly again.