[MotoMike]

I know there must be a lot written about it, but my searching ability must be lacking as I'm not finding posts on point.

Noticed just the other day. when turning the steering wheel at low speed or even at a stand still, I get a creaking akin to a rusty hinge on a barn door.

I suspect the ball joints or tie rod ends. I looked at them and of course there are no grease zerts on them. physical manipulation doesn't detect any play in them. boots are in good shape, but not plump as if filled with grease.

Has anyone used a needle to inject grease into the joints through the boots?

any other suspect?

do the cheap Amazon and ebay ball joint presses remove these ball joints?

advice appreciated.
Mike

 

[Dnick]

If you do a search for "ball joints", you may find a past thread that explains & has video on the exam procedure. If I recall correctly, you have to get leverage & apply upward pressure under the suspended tire to detect play in ball joints. You can not detect via normal and manipulation (as in looking for play in wheel bearings, etc.). It takes quite a load to get movement.... thus the long bar & leverage. Good luck with that.

 

[MotoMike]

Thanks Dnick. I used a crow bar under the tire while it is suspended about 2 inches from the ground.

I don't know what is up with the search feature on here. I've tried the google custom search above, the search this forum feature in the sub forums. I've checked tires and suspension, problems and issues and videos. All to no avail.

it is as if it doesn't even recognize the keyword you are searching and takes you to threads that have no connection with the topic.

M

 

[Dnick]

Thanks Dnick. I used a crow bar under the tire while it is suspended about 2 inches from the ground.

I don't know what is up with the search feature on here. I've tried the google custom search above, the search this forum feature in the sub forums. I've checked tires and suspension, problems and issues and videos. All to no avail.

it is as if it doesn't even recognize the keyword you are searching and takes you to threads that have no connection with the topic.

M

This thread was on 2nd page of those listed in response to search for "ball joint video". And then of course this was the 10th post in that thread. Sometimes it just takes a patient search. The good news is that your search words are highlighted in red when you do this search. I always use the search box in the pull down "search" menu on the dark blue stripe above near the top of this page.
Here ya go!
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1449098&postcount=10
FYI, the best way to know you're getting enough upward force to move the ball joint (if it's loose) is to use a long bar over a fulcrum (block of wood or brick or ??) which is placed very close to the tire..... you want as much leverage as you can get. Or you can just use the bar itself (like in the video) if you keep the tire very close to the floor (very small gap), and if your floor surface is solid. Also, I included other source info in that thread, but I think you can pretty much throw out the one recommendation that "using a long screwdriver" would be sufficient.... I don't think you could generate enough force doing that.... unless you're talking one bad-a** screwdriver!

 

[wrenrj1]

Could it be your struts? My wife's CRV kind had a clunking noise when turned hard left or right at slow speeds while pulling out of the driveway. Strut cartridges on the front end replaced at 80k solved the problem.

 

[MotoMike]

OK.
I've used a 60 inch slate bar and can induce no movement though any of the manipulations in the link from Dnick, or the numerous videos on youtube.

I had new tires put on last week and asked them to check the steering parts in an effort to find it. The told me that it was not making the noise when they looked at it, but that ball joints and tie rod ends are good.

I asked my wife where she thought the noise was coming from and she thought it was more on the driver side than the passenger (contrary to what I thought).

This is causing me to consider that it might be the much written about steering column creak. I had discounted that initially because is sounded like dry ball joints I had heard in the past and it just seemed to be heavily laden and resonating through the frame.

Again I will attempt to search an applicable thread but my batting average is not good in this regard, so if someone knows which threads are really on point, I'd appreciate the link.

thanks
Mike

 

[Heli ATP]

There is a TSB for clicking steering wheel...

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=460848&postcount=1

 

[MotoMike]

Thanks Heli

I am not sure that is my symptom. envision a rusty hinge on a big heavy door. It is intermittent now but seems to be more there than not lately.

 

[MotoMike]

I see that the TSB on the steering column has you checking the bearing area with a mechanics stethoscope. Anyone tried this?

 

[Dnick]

If you strike out with the steering wheel/column as source; since you say it only does it when turning, you might check out the "top parts" (spring seat, bearing, and top mount) of your shock absorber assembly.
This is only an intuitive suspicion (no first hand knowledge of these parts creating that kind of symptom), but there is some torsion in the top area of that shock when turning, if I'm not mistaken, and either the end of the spring against it's seat or the bearing itself 'could' be dry & making your squeak???
Try shooting some silicon lubricant (or similar) "all up in that area" just for grins to see if you might quiet things down. If it does, you'll know you found your culprit. It probably won't last (who knows), but you'll know what area to address for repairs if it does temporarily quiet things down.

 

[MotoMike]

Dnick
that is a good idea. I had a taurus that had notch top bearings and the result there was that it would keep the springs and strut from completely returning to center and put a little stearing force in one direction. It was intermittent as you might turn left and if it didn't go back to center it would try to turn left. and just the opposite if turning right and not every time so for a while it was a head scratcher. I wondered about lubing those top bearings, but it is not clear to me that they would be able to take in the lube sprayed up there. are they in the clear or covered by the boot? Ill have to search for an exploded view.

thanks
Mike

 

[Dnick]

Here's the exploded view.... let me see if I can find one assembled.

EDIT: Here's an image that approximates our front shocks (not RL).... so it' looks like 'maybe' some of those areas (spring?) can be accessed with spray from below, and it couldn't hurt to try for a 'trickle down' effect to get some penetration from above for the others??? I'd be shooting some around the top of the spring & right in the center near the shaft from below & then some from the top based on what you see up there. Might not do any good at all.... but other than a little rag-wipe clean up it can't hurt. I know this is yokel diagnostics, but sometimes primitive works.

 

[beach]

Possible strut mount bearings, I have 2 needing replacement in mine 2007 with 116 k miles. On the hoist, hard to turn and creek/ snap /crunch sounds

 

[MotoMike]

thanks for those pics. If the construction of that bearing is akin to the ones in the taurus, there is a good chance some spray juice might get in there. will search out some actual images of that bearing.