Crunching/grinding From Front

[DaveB]

Hi all,

Getting a strange metallic crunching/groaning noise from the front (loudest at driver's side) which shows up usually when stopping right near dead still, or when just starting from a standstill. Also when it has 'loaded up' after stopping and has made this noise, then turning the steering wheel on the spot will reproduce it as well. Though general steering/braking etc. seems to remain unaffected.

Noise has been getting worse lately. Can reproduce by moving the front wheels by hand at the sides (as if turning left & right), loud metal-on-metal groaning noise, sounds to be coming from the steering rack. Tie rod ends recently replaced. I can feel movement in the tierod end bolts which doesn't all seem to be transferred to the steering arms but the noise does seem to be coming from the hydraulic rack. It sounds like the rack outer ends are running dry or something?

Anybody experienced a similar issue in their C34?

Edited December 21, 2010 by DaveB

[wht510]

G'day Dave. not sure if this is the same problem, but I had the same experience just recently. I just had the caster bushes replaced in my M35 by the compliance company for RWC. When I went over speed humps it would sound like a piece of gravel was rubbing in the shock. I replaced the shocks and it didn't fix the problem. (wanted height adjustment too!)

I ended up taking it to my workshop (who does servicing for me on my cars when I don't have the time - which has been a fair bit recently) and they found the new nolathane bushes were not greased properly and needed some more greasing. This was done and it's quiet as a mouse.

[DaveB]

I did get caster & camber bushes done about 12 months ago, though after lots of poking/levering/listening I think the noise is coming from the steering ram; it does sound very metallic not like the "squeek squeek" I've heard from ungreased bushes before though I could be wrong