Creaking Sound When Turning

[Hank3]

Trying to troubleshoot a sound I've heard a couple times in the past week. When the car is at idle or creeping along slowly (5 mph and under), I hear a creaking door sound when the steering wheel turns left. It lasts for a little while and then it'll go away for a few days and then come back. It sounds like it might be coming from the engine bay, but I'm not 100% sure.

Any ideas?

 

[MrGiggles]

Only when the car is rolling? No noise while stationary?

Strut mounts, ball joints, sway bar links, and the tie rod ends would be suspect.

 

[Hank3]

Yes to noise while stationary/idle and rolling slowly (~5 mph). Above that speed no noise. And I think the steering might be a little off center while cruising...Not sure if it's placebo?

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

Maybe the fr strut hat bushings that rotate when steering?

 

[pcb]

Check for rodents !!

They can be really noisy !!

 

[Hank3]

Do you have to replace the entire strut mount or can just the bushings be replaced?

And also, forgot to mention that I do get an occasional clunk from the suspension when going over larger bumps.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

The bushing can be replaced but cannot remember if the top hat has to be pulled off for it to go inside the top hat or if it is just dropping the whole assembly from the strut tower and doing something on the top of it. Would have to look it up.


edit - here ya go..........

https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/sho...ment-really-expensive&highlight=strut+bushing


Looks like strut hat has to come off, which isn't a big deal if already lowered. If not lowered then you'll need spring compressor (free rent thing at autozone) to get them apart and back together. If you have lowering springs already you can just push down on springs and get top plate off and back on without compressing spring with tool.

 

[pcb]

It looks like the bushing (they call it a bearing) is a separate piece so it should be replaceable.



Your bushing may just be dry and not necessarily worn out.
I think you should just spray some lube in the area from above and below.

I bought a grease needle too to poke through all my various boots and grease the hell out of them.

I wasn't impressed with the amounts that they are supplied with.

Lift up that corner of your car and check for slop.. Shake the wheel left and right, up and down and use a pinch bar to check your ball joints to see if you have worn out components.

 

[Hank3]

Excellent...thanks, fellas. I am lowered on Tokico Blues and Tein Springs. Will give greasing it a go first and then think about replacing the bushings.

 

[Hank3]

Got me a grease gun with a needle...will pick it up after work. I don't think I can avoid taking off the wheel to get to greasing up the bushing/bearing.

 

[pcb]

I was thinking a spray lube for the strut bearing... Probably a rubber safe lube (synthetic)
(there's really no good place to "stab" that bearing??)

I used my grease needle on my ball joints, tie rod ends, P-brake cables,... any under lubricated (non serviceable) boot I could find.(brakes too if you don't want to take them apart to grease them).

 

[Hank3]

I spent about an hour on it tonight. Took off the passenger front wheel and lowered the strut. Discovered that the endlink had a busted boot. There was still some grease left in it. I've been holding off on replacing these so I ordered a pair of the revised Moog endlinks for the front and rear.

Fronts - K80258
Rears - K80868

Will probably just disassemble the front struts while I'm doing the endlinks and grease the strut bearing then.

 

[i12drivemyMP5]

$30 each for the oem bushing/bearing pieces is ******* robbery.................and that isn't even a stealership price.