Steering creaking badly.

[MRBILLYUK]

Just recently with this hot dry weather we've been having I've noticed that theres hell of a creaking sound when turning the steering wheel. It's clearly noticeable , espcially inside the car when stationary and turning the steering wheel. It sounds like some old rusty hinge that needs oiling. But today and yesterday with the cooler wet weather the noise has completely gone . The first time in a few weeks that it hasn't made any noises.
I've done umpteen searches and read lots of different possibilities from top mounts , ball joints , steering rack bushes with no definitive answer. I'm tending to think it is the steering rack bushes . The car drives fine , it doesn't seem to be having any impact on how it handles.
My question is , is it a big job for a garage to sort out , timewise , cost wise etc ...........If it is the steering rack bushes . Is it something I can live with for now or something that needs sorting out asap ?

 

[joe_112]

Has it got stock suspension? Mine was doing the same a month or so ago and turned out to be the solid top mounts


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[MRBILLYUK]

Has it got stock suspension? Mine was doing the same a month or so ago and turned out to be the solid top mounts


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah everything is stock suspension . It's been embarrassangly loud . It's been doing it for a good 4 weeks or so , while the weather has been warm / hot and dry . The last 2 days with the temperature being alot lower and it being wet the noise has completely gone .

 

[Rojer]

Would be worth checking the top mounts and the springs.

 

[Chris_Beer]

Mine did this when we had the 30c plus weather...

Mines had the following new parts around that area in the past year but only covering a thousand or so miles:

PMS Top Mounts
Both Driveshafts
Track Rod Ends
Ball Joints
Bilstein B14's

So they are ruled out, but I've got some new wishbones and ARB bushes to change also soon. But now I think I'll be doing the steering rack bushes or the rack itself.

Mind you it hasn't done it since, but it was embarrassing parking in an awkward space at work when it was doing it with people I work with listening to the car snapping and creaking away!

Think @MrBlonde had this issue also?

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Would be worth checking the top mounts and the springs.

Springs are definitely ok , i had the wheels off a couple of weeks ago to change the brake pads and bleed the brakes . The nise was there before I changed the pads . I think the top mounts are ok , but can't be 100% sure .

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Mine did this when we had the 30c plus weather...

Mines had the following new parts around that area in the past year but only covering a thousand or so miles:

PMS Top Mounts
Both Driveshafts
Track Rod Ends
Ball Joints
Bilstein B14's

So they are ruled out, but I've got some new wishbones and ARB bushes to change also soon. But now I think I'll be doing the steering rack bushes or the rack itself.

Mind you it hasn't done it since, but it was embarrassing parking in an awkward space at work when it was doing it with people I work with listening to the car snapping and creaking away!

Think @MrBlonde had this issue also?

Is it a big job changing the steering rack bushes , timewise and cost ?

 

[bashracing]

awkward more than big, give yourself an hour if you know how to spanner

 

[MRBILLYUK]

awkward more than big, give yourself an hour if you know how to spanner

Ahhhh ok . I won't be doing it , I'll probably book it in at Birchdown . It's just a bit of a trek , an hour and half away and they're usually pretty busy . How much roughly for new bushes ? The only thing is , as it stands with the cooler weather it's stopped making the creaking noise so it's not obvious there's a fault .

 

[bashracing]

Check eBay for prices, there're 2 different types of rack fitted ( most are SMI ) but check the sticker on the rack for confirmation of which you have

 

[bloke]

check the rack mountings, i've seen them split where they sit on the subframe and creak like mad.

 

[MrBlonde]

Yep i had the same prob and after changing the steering rack as was told it was that,it ended up just being the steering rack bolts.They sometimes come a bit lose and then it starts to knock when on full lock.

So I replaced the rack & fitted new uprated steering rack bushes.

So defo worth checking the bolts first mate as its easy to do & no cost,i will replace mine at some point with mew bolts.

@Chris_Beer @MRBILLYUK

 

[MRBILLYUK]

check the rack mountings, i've seen them split where they sit on the subframe and creak like mad.

So is that a big job ? As you can tell I know sweet FA about steering racks . The thing that points me towards the bushes themselves is some posts I've read , with no definitive answer I might add , of people having really bad creaking when the weathers Hot. If you were to drive my car today you wouldn't even know there was a problem as its quiet as a mouse .

 

[bloke]

if you're doing it on the floor it's a pain in the bum.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

if you're doing it on the floor it's a pain in the bum.

I won't be doing it . My back and kness are fcuked . I'm getting too old for that malarky penmouth:

 

[bloke]

dead easy then if you're paying someone to do it

 

[MRBILLYUK]

dead easy then if you're paying someone to do it

I'll give Birchdown a ring tomorrow . I was just a bit concerned if it is steering rack related , am I still ok driving for now as they're usually quite busy .

 

[oreA]

Could it be a dried up aux belt creaking and jumping when you steer & put demand on the PS pump? Drop of water on a creaking belt often cures the problem temporarily, and you said the problem went in the wet weather?

 

[bloke]

Where are you?

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Could it be a dried up aux belt creaking and jumping when you steer & put demand on the PS pump? Drop of water on a creaking belt often cures the problem temporarily, and you said the problem went in the wet weather?

It's just had new full aux kit fitted back in April at Birchdown and its been fine . The first time I noticed it was when we had that heatwave a few weeks back . Now the temps back down to 11 degrees the noise has gone . I only really mentioned the wet weather because its rained for the past 3 days more or less all the time.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Where are you?

I'm in Blackburn , Lancashire.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

I've just booked it in for 17th July at Birchdown , first available date they have . I'll post up any findings for future reference for anybody else having this issue .

 

[JamesBryan]

I've just booked it in for 17th July at Birchdown , first available date they have . I'll post up any findings for future reference for anybody else having this issue .

Take it to Carl aka @bloke on the Wirral or Gary Burnett in Warrington.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Take it to Carl aka @bloke on the Wirral or Gary Burnett in Warrington.

Thanks for the recommendations . It's booked in with Birchdown , I'm tight for time for the next few months the 17th July is spot on for me plus the added bonus that they have a courtesy car whcih i'll really need.

 

[Darren S]

Just recently with this hot dry weather we've been having I've noticed that theres hell of a creaking sound when turning the steering wheel. It's clearly noticeable , espcially inside the car when stationary and turning the steering wheel. It sounds like some old rusty hinge that needs oiling. But today and yesterday with the cooler wet weather the noise has completely gone . The first time in a few weeks that it hasn't made any noises.
I've done umpteen searches and read lots of different possibilities from top mounts , ball joints , steering rack bushes with no definitive answer. I'm tending to think it is the steering rack bushes . The car drives fine , it doesn't seem to be having any impact on how it handles.
My question is , is it a big job for a garage to sort out , timewise , cost wise etc ...........If it is the steering rack bushes . Is it something I can live with for now or something that needs sorting out asap ?

If you're still in Blackburn - I'd love to meet up and know if the noise is the same as mine!

Hopefully getting it sorted on the next trip down to Birchdown.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

If you're still in Blackburn - I'd love to meet up and know if the noise is the same as mine!

Hopefully getting it sorted on the next trip down to Birchdown.

Mine hasn't done it since Monday , but it's constantly been doing it for the past 4 or 5 weeks and it's always worse when the temperature is hot . As you know today and the last couple of days it's been alot cooler . I just nipped out and checked it now and it's quiet .
Is yours doing it all the time, even today ?
We can meet up and I can listen and see if yours sounds the same as mine has . I'll pm you my number and we can sort something out .

 

[Darren S]

Yep - similar to mine. Definitely worse in the drier/warmer weather. That said, I pulled into the Shell station in Darwen on the way to work this morning and it was creaking badly.

Pretty much 101% convinced it's steering rack area related. As others have said in this thread - that's going to be my main area of focus.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Yep - similar to mine. Definitely worse in the drier/warmer weather. That said, I pulled into the Shell station in Darwen on the way to work this morning and it was creaking badly.

Pretty much 101% convinced it's steering rack area related. As others have said in this thread - that's going to be my main area of focus.

I've pm'd you my number . When i phoned Birchdown this morning and explained the problem he sounded like he was familiar with this problem . Fingers crossed it's just the bushes .

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Just got home from a good 90 min drive . I didn't notice any creaking because of the engine noise and radio . Parked up outside my house and noticed it creaking again , badly . The temperature outside is about 6 degrees warmer than it has been all week . The last time it was creaking was Monday when it was warmer again.
The noise is definitely coming from inside the car , from the steering wheel area .
I thought I'd make a quick video cos its sods law when I take it to Birchdown the noise will have gone, so now I have something to show them to prove I'm not going mad :tonguewink:
@Darren S @bloke @oreA @MrBlonde @Chris_Beer @bashracing

 

[Darren S]

That's my noise - though admittedly not as bad as yours! Mine does it within a short turn of either left or right and doesn't have the lob, drawn out noise that yours does.

I'm glad in a selfish way to know that yours is going into Birchdown soon. I'm planning early August and whatever you get done to fix yours. I'll be doing the same!

 

[MRBILLYUK]

That's my noise - though admittedly not as bad as yours! Mine does it within a short turn of either left or right and doesn't have the lob, drawn out noise that yours does.

I'm glad in a selfish way to know that yours is going into Birchdown soon. I'm planning early August and whatever you get done to fix yours. I'll be doing the same!

I'll let you know exactly what they find . At least you'll have some idea then .

 

[bloke]

hard to say, it's a pain to try and diagnose noises from a video. you should be able to feel it though, grip the bottom of the column and get someone to turn the wheel a bit and take it from there.

 

[oreA]

Having now seen the video I'm embarrassed to have suggested it might've been a squeaky belt :grimacing::smile:!

 

[MRBILLYUK]

hard to say, it's a pain to try and diagnose noises from a video. you should be able to feel it though, grip the bottom of the column and get someone to turn the wheel a bit and take it from there.

I know what ya mean . I've seen lots of videos of problems and its not obvious to people listening . It might actually sound a little bit louder on video than it does in real life. I'll get my g/f to grip my column later when shes home from work lol .

 

[bloke]

I'll get my g/f to grip my column later when shes home from work lol .

FNARR FNARR!!

 

[Clio_fool]

Wow that's a creak! Following for the solution for when mine starts doing it[emoji1]

 

[bashracing]

is the rubber boot around the uj on the steering rack end correctly located/fitted to the bulkhead ( in the engine bay, near the exhaust )

 

[MRBILLYUK]

is the rubber boot around the uj on the steering rack end correctly located/fitted to the bulkhead ( in the engine bay, near the exhaust )

I don't know . Can I see this from above in the engine bay ?

 

[bashracing]

partially from above and partially from underneath

 

[Chris_Beer]

Well that video sounds nothing like mine?!

Mine is when parking using full lock, or turning around then moving the steering back the other way whilst the cars hardly moving

More of a metallic creaky clicky noise than your old haunted house door noise...

lol