Single tick noise heard and felt in steering wheel when turning

[Zeromarine]

Hey there
I just got a 2002 sport Trac and notice when I’m going slow and making a sharper turn like pulling into or out of a driveway or turning from a stop sign. I get a single click that I can hear and feel in the steering wheel. This is both ways. It’s only heard and felt when making the turn it’s not heard or felt when the steering wheel goes back to Center If I’m sitting there not moving I can turn the wheel back and forth all the way and I don’t hear or feel anything. So it seems it’s only when your moving slow.
I did notice my lower steering shaft boot is torn so it could be from there. ? I did fill it full of grease and I ordered a boot for it. I’m going to patch the tear in it. Maybe it’s coming from that joint ? Maybe the grease will will help the joint if it’s even coming from there ? All the suspension seems good it’s only got 92,000 miles.
Thanks everyone

 

[masospaghetti]

There's a bolted connection in the steering shaft that you can see from under the dash, check to make sure that doesn't have any play or the bolts have come loose.

I know on other vehicles this can be caused by wear at the joints. The friction holds the joints in place until it doesn't, then it moves slightly. I know The Pontiac G6/Malibu models had this issue and it was "fixed" by lubricating the joint (eliminating the friction hold).

Have you checked your tie rod ends for play? I suppose worn or dry stabilizer bar bushings may cause this. How does the front suspension look/feel in general?

 

[Zeromarine]

There's a bolted connection in the steering shaft that you can see from under the dash, check to make sure that doesn't have any play or the bolts have come loose.

I know on other vehicles this can be caused by wear at the joints. The friction holds the joints in place until it doesn't, then it moves slightly. I know The Pontiac G6/Malibu models had this issue and it was "fixed" by lubricating the joint (eliminating the friction hold).

Have you checked your tie rod ends for play? I suppose worn or dry stabilizer bar bushings may cause this. How does the front suspension look/feel in general?

Ya I’ll take a look at the joints under the dash on the inner column when I get a chance maybe they just need some lube like you said.
The suspension feels really solid not clunks or noises or looseness at all from the front end other then that.

Regarding the torn boot in the lower steering shaft in the engine bay. Should I patch the small tear after I fill into with grease or pull the shaft off and put a new boot on. The tear is at the top and not that big. I’m thinking of cutting a boot kit and using some silicone to seal it then wrap it around the tear and zip tie it. May not be totally sealed but better then the tear.
Or is it easy to take off and do out of the car?
Thanks !

 

[fast_dave]

@Zeromarine

The tie-rod ends on your Ex are sealed and cannot be greased - I believe that @masospaghetti has got you into the ballpark

If your tie-rod ends are original (17 years old) they have been known to dry out - even without the the boot being torn.

Park your Ex on a flat surface, and crawl under with a crescent wrench.

About three inches inward from the tie rod end, you will see the round rod transition into a part where there are flat surfaces that can be grabbed with a wrench.

Put your wrench around the flat surface, and move the wrench back and forth, taking note of the resistance required to rock the tie rod.

If they're good and have sufficient grease, the rocking motion should be achieved feeling smooth, and easily rock back and forth without much resistance.

It they're tight, and require a lot of torque to rock, they're (or it's) dry.

Note: They can be dry, with no steering slop, but are the cause of the knock as they go through their turning range (when you're turning the steering wheel) and they/it "snap(s)" as they/it rock forward and rearward.

The noise is annoying BUT you can wait replace as long as no slop appears. Optimum time to replace would be right before getting an Alignment and or New Tires/Alignment.

Hope that's clear ;-)

Good Luck!

 

[Zeromarine]

Thank you very much I’ll check that this weekend !

 

[Zeromarine]

Ya it’s weird it’s not so much a knock sound. But a single click noise but it sounds like it’s right behind the steering wheel it self and you can feel it. But it could be resonating up into the steering wheel.
It is strange it doesn’t happen when your not moving.
But I’ll check the joints.

 

[Zeromarine]

It’s probably the steering lock moving around at times. The clock spring possibly. When I turn the wheel you can hear the clock spring a bit but not much louder then any other car. Just sounds like the wires inside the clock spring moving around.

 

[Zeromarine]

If I replace the lower steering shaft does it only go on one way? I don’t want to mess up the alignment if I change it. Thanks.

 

[koda2000]

If I replace the lower steering shaft does it only go on one way? I don’t want to mess up the alignment if I change it. Thanks.

The steering shaft has nothing to do with wheel alignment. It's up to you to make sure the steering wheel doesn't end up crooked. Start with the wheels dead ahead and the steering wheel centered and end up the same way,

 

[Zeromarine]

Sorry that’s what I meant. Being it has a pinch bolt on the rack I’m guessing it only goes on one way?

 

[Zeromarine]

Ya I can’t seem to find what’s causing it but to me it sounds like it’s from the upper column?
Maybe something in the clock spring catching?
I still have to check the upper joint on the steering shaft inside the truck. What should I lube it with? If that would even help?
Thanks