Thread: Steering issues... hub assembly?

Pics/Video Clip Below!

Alright, well now I'm noticing that when I turn right my front passenger side wheel makes a low, repetitive creaking noise. It only happens at speeds above 15mph - usually when I'm going into a turn so I think its body roll (not from a stop). I can turn the wheel all the way to the right and drive slowly in a circle without any noise.

The low creaking noise only happens when I turn right, at speeds over 12-15mph. Any ideas?

How should I check the CV joints, sway bar mounts, etc? Sorry.... I've never done it before....

Originally Posted by archemedes

jack it up and wiggle everything, check cv joints, sway bar mounts everything, for it to make that much noise it will move fairly easy I think

just like acrhemedes said all you can really do is get it in the air and check it out make sure to check the SwayBar, TieRod's,BallJoints,Struts, make sure everything it tight

Alright, I went out there, jacked it up - Don't notice anything unusual. I also took it out for a long drive and find that it needs to be going about 15mph on the turn to kick in. Anything lower than that doesn't really make a noise.

I decided to get a sound clip of the noise.... you also get to see my girlfriend's foot because she can't hold a camera straight. haha.

Listen to the creaking/knocking/groaning noise when I turn right... you might have to turn up your speakers.

http://www.youtube.com/v/bIYcPgWKzEY

Holy cow, that sounds terrible.

wow, maybe you should be checking your rack does the wheel shake at all ?

Not in the slightest - it drives perfectly fine. Even when it is making the noise there is not any shaking in the wheel. However, I can feel some resistance, not much though.

well if you have checked the tie rods, balljoints,shocks and struts what else could there be besides a rack ? you say it only does it when you turn so i think that elimates a hub, so you may want to check the powersteering fluid and the rack, which i really do not know how you do, just try to go by a process of elimation that is what always help me find my problem i even get called crazy for talking to myslef sometimes but it helps

Alright guys - I don't know how I missed it the first time... but I jacked it up one more time and this time it stuck out like a sore thumb... Looks like my swaybar is broken? That piece can turn a complete 360...I circled it in red in the pics....

How would this cause that loud creaking noise? Is it something else?

Any input/advice? It doesn't look good to me...

yea it definatly looks like a broke sway bar if that is making the sound i do not know but my first suggestion would be to replace that and then if the noise is still there then that wasn't the problem, but at least you fixed another problem

Any write-ups on how to do that bad sway bar mount? Also - I looked on advanceautoparts.com but the parts don't look right...

Also - do you know if that could've been the sound? I intend to fix it, but I just want to make sure its safe to drive until then.

Thanks.

The bolt is still fine... it's the sway bar that connects to it that is broken.... The top of it is still connected, but the below (rusty looking circled piece) spins around the bolt. Wouldn't I need a new bar?

Sorry if I'm completely wrong, never dealt with handling/suspension issues before. Just learning

It may also be the bushings... but for sure the bar that is in the middle of everything (connects to the bolt w/ bushings on it) is broken on that side. It is almost as if it was a perfect split horizontally where it connects.

The circled part in the picture basically shows that the rusted piece is actually part of that bar in the middle... and it spins around the bolt... what part number is that middle sway bar and is it pretty difficult to replace?

Would the GMPP front sway bar from zzp fix my problem? Anyone have any experience with it and if its a good choice? Also should I upgrade to the polyurethane?

How hard is it to install it?

Alright, so I installed the sway bar, and the sound is still there....

I'm thinking it might be my struts, springs, or lower control arm bushings? any of these make a creeking noise when turning hard?