ltgunkel

Hello!

I've been lurking for awhile, but can't seem to find anything that directly applies to this situation. Any help would be great!

I have a 2000 Tundra that I just bought. V8, access cab, 4x4, 204k miles. No lift or mods, other than some aggressive all-terrain tires. It's been making a steady creaking noise from the front driver's side wheel area whenever I turn at slow speeds.

Here's the weird thing - when the truck sits for a few days, it doesn't make the noise. However, the noise returns and gets progressively worse after driving it to work and back for a day or two.

I noticed that the steering rack bushings were worn out, so I replaced those. Same symptoms - no noise at first, got progressively worse.

I then jacked up the front end to listen and try to isolate the noise. When I had it up on the jackstands, it made noise. However, after I broke the tire free from the hub with a hammer and pulled it off, the noise suddenly went away. I couldn't feel any play in the tie rod ends and while the sway bar links were definitely dry and cracked, they were still solid. I greased the lower ball joint using the zerk on the inside of the LCA, then put the tire back on. It drove great with no noise for two or three days. Now, the noise is starting to come back.

On an additional note - I notice that when the noise begins, the steering wheel doesn't "return" to it's normal straight/forward position after turning. I have to manually turn it back to straight/forward. After I greased the ball joint, it returned to straight/forward on its own. Now that the noise is starting again, it doesn't return to straight/forward on its own anymore.

Any ideas? The ball joint still has plenty of grease - is it just worn out? LCA bushings? I'm not very knowledgeable on suspension issues, so any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

old87yota

Does it matter which direction you turn or how far you turn the steering wheel?

When you greased the ball joints, did you put the tire back on and check for play?

Jack up the front of the truck and try rocking the tire up and down as well as side to side. Look at the ball joints as you do this and see if there is play in the joint.

ltgunkel

Thanks for the quick reply. I did check for play before and after the grease - no play felt. However, I didn't have the jack under the LCA, which could have something to do with that (I think I read somewhere that I'm supposed to jack under the LCA when checking for play. Is this true?)

It doesn't matter which direction I turn the steering wheel - the noise comes when turning both directions. It starts near the middle of the turn, but as the noise progresses, it gets louder and harsher, and lasts throughout the entire turn.

ltgunkel

Update: I found a little bit of power steering fluid seeping out of the steering rack boots. Makes me think the rack seals are going bad. I'll probably end up replacing the rack and tie rod ends.