Grinding/moaning noise when approaching right lock

[tchalikias]

This sounds exactly like the sound tyres make on a multi-story car park when you're maneuvering around... but on my 200, sadly, its not the tyre thats making the noise. When doing parking maneuvers and approaching full lock towards the right, I get this grinding/moaning noise from the front, which passes - I think - through the steering column, inside the cabin.

This happens randomly, mostly when the car's been left in the sun for long, or after long drives.

Could this be a sign of a steering rack on its way out?

 

[turkie172]

Coil spring or ball joint

 

[Jack Maxwell]

I'd say lower ball joint. Mine creaked like a barn door really bad when they were on the way out

 

[tchalikias]

Thanks for the replies guys. Are you referring to these joints?



I would think that the noise is caused by something rotating left/right when the steering wheel is turned... which on RS cars is the carrier hub, the rest of the suspension remains pretty much stationary when turning the wheel. Am I understading this wrong?

 

[turkie172]

A broken coil spring is very hard to spot and is not always noticeable when driving they normally break the first or part of the first coil at the bottom in the shock cup. The lower ball joint we talk about is this. Link to video how bad it can get

 

[tchalikias]

Ah, the joints on the hub. Thing is, I've replaced these 2 ball joints about a year ago, during a major service.. I find it hard to believe they'd last less than 8000 km. Either way, I'm away from home right now on a trip and I'll be able to have the car lifted and examined when I get back.

However, from what I understand, the ball joints circled in the diagram above do not 'squeak/grind' but clunk, unless I'm mistaken. Or is the grinding a less common side effect?

 

[Sean197]

Ah, the joints on the hub. Thing is, I've replaced these 2 ball joints about a year ago, during a major service.. I find it hard to believe they'd last less than 8000 km. Either way, I'm away from home right now on a trip and I'll be able to have the car lifted and examined when I get back.

However, from what I understand, the ball joints circled in the diagram above do not 'squeak/grind' but clunk, unless I'm mistaken. Or is the grinding a less common side effect?

They make exactly the noise you've described in your first post, that's exactly what happened when mine went.

 

[RSRowe]

However, from what I understand, the ball joints circled in the diagram above do not 'squeak/grind' but clunk, unless I'm mistaken. Or is the grinding a less common side effect?

The joint Turkie circled definitely squeak/grind/clunk when they have failed

 

[tchalikias]

Here's a video of the issue: