noise in steering

[red94gt]

I was wondering when i turn the steering wheel to the right when you first start to turn it you can hear a creaking noise and i was thinking it was either a ball joint or a tierod end but i dont know. so i was wondering your oppinon on this and what ways to check to see if it is one of the two and how you know wether it is an inner or outer tierod end.


thanx

 

[AaRoN]

where is the "creaking" noise coming from? It could also be your power steering.

 

[95-stang]

Indeed, a slipping belt, poor tensioner, duff pump, or rack could cause that noise.
If you can, jack the front, put stands under, remove the roadwheels. Then disconnect the track rod ends only on both sides.
Start the car and slowly turn lock to lock, if there's no noise you just eliminated the above, and then switch off.
Then you can grab each stub axle, and twist them left to right to check for rough movement, i have heard of a few of these where the bottom balljoint fails, but dont ignore it just in case.

 

[sn97gtnyg]

same problem its your ball joints

 

[birel21y]

Same thing with my cobra. replace the rack bushings with polyurathane, and it helps a little if you take out the metal sleves in the middle of the bushing and cut about 1/8 inch off. Because its tapered, it gets worn out, and it fits more snug after its shortened. And you get rid of the annoying "cracking" sound.