steering squeaking - video

fbird18

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It started last night, making really loud creeking, groaning, squeaking sounds. I took my wheel off to inspect, and found nothing noticably wrong. Put the wheel back on and drove around, and, nothing. No sounds. Today it is doing it again, and hasn't stopped. I've heard the sway bar bushings go bad, is that what i'm hearing? Please watch and listen to the video and give me your thoughts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJT4ukcNm_I

Thank you.
 
I will add, its the non-sport v8 with 110,000 miles on it. When i took the wheel off last night, the raccoon that was hanging out in there said he felt fine :D , so I left him alone.
 
Lower ball joint. If you jack one wheel (front) and steer it again, the wheel that is off the ground probably will not squeak. If you can get the squeak to go away with one wheel lifted, it is that wheel. You may also see a ripped lower ball joint boot with water possibly oozing out of the rip. The fix is a new "steering knuckle" assembly for that side.
 
Thanks for the replys. This might or might not affect your opinions. A week before this noise came about, my car slid down into a ditch of snow and the only way out was to get pulled out. Seemingly the only place we could find a suitable tow spot, was right there on the lower control arm. See picture. The car slid right out of the ditch, very easily being that it was all snow. I didn't think it hurt anything. I was only pulled about 5 feet. Does anyone think that that has anything to do with the now very present squeaking? Or totally coincindental? BTW, where on earth do you tow this car if you have to? I cannot find the hooks.

167b_1.jpg
 
Unfortunately that's what it seems. Now, searching and asking questions, and looking online for what's available, I have gotten a bunch of different answers on what exactly I need to get (steering knuckles, lower control arms, spindles, lower ball joints). So, if the lower ball joint is indeed what needs replacing, does anyone know the exact part or name that I need to get? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just having a tough time knowing where to go from here. Thank you all for your help so far.
 
that is a horrible sound...dunno what to tell you there about it except that you came to the right place to ask questions, i swear, some of these people here know more about the LS and the Lincoln engineers do...QUIK and ILLS are the main ones to talk to...there are others too...but i hope mine never sounds like that...also, the noise sounds expensive...
 
Unfortunately that's what it seems. Now, searching and asking questions, and looking online for what's available, I have gotten a bunch of different answers on what exactly I need to get (steering knuckles, lower control arms, spindles, lower ball joints). So, if the lower ball joint is indeed what needs replacing, does anyone know the exact part or name that I need to get? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just having a tough time knowing where to go from here. Thank you all for your help so far.

Repeating myself, "steering knuckle."

I can't see any way to damage the ball joint with that towing attachment pull point, those arms are stout. You may have ripped the ball joint's boot in the slide, and packed the ball joint with snow. The small amount of grease installed in that ball joint would not take long to displace with water, since the ball joint is probably worn somewhat already with your miles.

I replaced both of mine at only 50k a few years back, but I found that the recall part kit, for executing the 2000 LS ball joint recall program, had the cheapest price, and included all new fasteners that you loosen to do the job, plus new brake rotor backing shield. It even came with new inner fender liner plastic pop-off fasteners. I imagine that your new steering knuckle would not include anything but the knuckle without doing the parts order for the recall. If you can, check on that recall kit and see if it is still available. You can get the part number off the factory service DVD and also probably places online with copied recall bulletins. I have it at home if you need it, and can provide it later today. If you call Maxxx at teamfordparts, he may be able to give you the part number for that kit as well.
 
Bump....Just wanted to let anyone who watched the video know that the sound was actually bad sway bar bushings. I talked to Bill Jenkins at team ford and he was certain it was the bushings. So, after taking off the end links I was able to move the sway bar up and down and side to side all while making that terrible squawking. I've read that this is a crappy job to do, so I'll be waiting till spring to tear into it. Any tips? I figure I have to remove the fans and anything else in the way. Can't wait. Thanks again for your help.
 
Wow, never heard sway bar bushings make a noise like that. Then again, this IS the LS we're talking about here. lol Hopefully you get it sorted out soon.

:Beer
 
Mine is making that noise and I had a very mild feeling that it would be that. How do you change them?

$m0k3LS
 
Im going to go ahead and change the driver's side(left) lower control arm. Check it and found that the lower ball joint had about 1/4" of play in it. What can I do for the time being to quiet it down?

$m0k3LS
 
The lower ball joint is not part of the lower control arm. It is part of the steering knuckle.
 
Ah, i see now....Have you ever replaced this on your own?(or anyone here?)
 
Yes, I have. You will be disconnecting a few things which will require the use of the "hex holding feature" on all of the linkage/ball joint type parts. Once a nut gets loose, that object that just got loosened will now spin freely, since the nut is locked on with a nylon insert. You have to hold the end of the object being taken off with a smaller socket or wrench to prevent the object from turning and allowing the nut to be removed. Start with clean threads by spraying PB blaster penetrant on them, and also clean them with a wire wheel type brush to remove thread oxidation. The best way to remove the nuts that I have found is to use the ratcheting wrench tools which have become popular, for good reason. They work very well with these hex holding feature objects, since you have a non-slip full coverage grip on the nut and they allow your use of a tool on the outer end of the object you are removing. The ball joint, tie rod and sway bar end link all use these objects. To remove the sway bar, you need to remove both end of its link on the side you are working on, removing one will not give the link enough room to come out of the knuckle. To make that task easier, have both front wheels off the ground, otherwise, the sway bar will be exerting torsional force on the links you are attempting to remove. The shock also will be in the way, I believe, but I am not positive. Add to that, the brake caliper, the caliper mounting plate, the rotor and the hub bearing assembly, for other things that need removal. It's a complex job but accomplishable, if you have the tools. Also be advised that the torque required for these objects varies and is critical for safety that they are in range on re-assembly.

Make sure you have good tools ranging from 8 mm or smaller, to perhaps 22 mm, and many of the sizes in between. If you don't have these tools, you may be better off having this service performed professionally. And that bearing hub assembly, good lord, that can be one helluva pain in the butt to remove. BFHs and a machine press would be required for an older model. Mine was 3 years old and I had a very hard time getting the hub and bearings out, having a New Hampshire location and the associated snow and salt road treatments working against us.
 
Update

Here is the original video again, the first one stopped working for some strange reason. For anyone experiencing this sound while driving, while stopped, anytime actually in my situation, the culprit ended up being the sway bar bushings. Replaced the OEM ones with Energy Suspension Poly Bushings size 1 1/6" dia. and fixed all the problems. Enjoy!

YouTube- squeeky steering
 

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