6 replies to this topic

[team-monkey]

Hi all

 

I have just acquired myself another mini and after getting it home and driving it for a couple of days i've noticed a squeak coming from the passenger side wheel area when I wiggle the steering wheel a little when stationary. There's not a lot of sound proofing in it but i don't believe it it happens when i'm driving along, and had a go in the passenger seat yesterday with my dad driving and don't remember hearing it then either.

 

I've checked from outside the car and when i try to wiggle the wheel left and right by hand i can make the noise occur, but it's not caused by the wheel/tyre catching on either the arch or wing.

 

So just wondering if anyone has any ideas for me to nosey at?

 

It is quite heavily modified, having a MG 1.8 vvc squashed under the bonnet with coilovers on the front and has 13x7 minilites on

 

Cheers

[team-monkey]

Sorry to clarify the noise comes from the front passenger side wheel

[sledgehammer]

I would try a bit of wd40 in the area you suspect (masking any brake components with a damp rag or similar)

 

is it using the same hubs as a normal mini ?

 

it's not rotational - but turning the steering via the road wheel ?

 

my guess - a dry track rod end , or the steering rack its self (maybe even rubber squeaking)

 

disconnect the track rod end - do you still get the noise ?

 

any rusty marks on nut's / bolts / washers in the area ? (orange grinding rust if you know what I mean)

 

Pic's would help - as well as pics of the car ;o)

 

& welcome

 

EDIT

 

also what are the front subframe rear mounts like - they can bang & squeak weird sometimes when worn / shot

 

also loose / worn rubber top mount washer thing-a-me (on top subby mount) can squeak

Edited by sledgehammer, 21 August 2014 - 01:19 PM.

[team-monkey]

I would try a bit of wd40 in the area you suspect (masking any brake components with a damp rag or similar)

 

is it using the same hubs as a normal mini ?

 

it's not rotational - but turning the steering via the road wheel ?

 

my guess - a dry track rod end , or the steering rack its self (maybe even rubber squeaking)

 

disconnect the track rod end - do you still get the noise ?

 

any rusty marks on nut's / bolts / washers in the area ? (orange grinding rust if you know what I mean)

 

Pic's would help - as well as pics of the car ;o)

 

& welcome

 

EDIT

 

also what are the front subframe rear mounts like - they can bang & squeak weird sometimes when worn / shot

 

also loose / worn rubber top mount washer thing-a-me (on top subby mount) can squeak

 

Cheers for the quick and helpful reply :)

 

It's still on mini hubs yes

 

It's not rotational at all, it only occurs when turning the steering wheel itself or wiggling the wheel left and ride by hand (when it was parked up)

 

Hopefully i'll have time to jack it up tonight and see if it still makes the noise with no weight sat on it. (if not i'm only pottering about in it atm and won't be kicking its head in until i've sorted whatever this is)

 

Will a dry track rod end still make noise symptoms when the weight is removed from the wheel? And the same question regarding a worn steering rack?

[sledgehammer]

I would pop the track rod end off to isolate the noise

 

if the hub is still noisy then you know it's the hub

 

track rod ends very rarely squeak - but have seen / heard one in the past do it

 

as for weight on / off - I have no idea - each car / squeak is different

 

at the end of the day I am guessing

 

best of luck

[team-monkey]

Quick update on this; had about 15mins spare this evening so jacked ozzy up and sprayed some WD at the various steering/suspension components. This cured the noise when i first went out for a drive but it came back a small amount when i came back from the gym. It's a lot quieter now and doesn't always do it, so i'm assuming something has gone a little dry. 

 

As some extra notes when i first jumped back in it the steering seemed a little lighter which makes me think it's most likely the track rod end that's a bit worn? There's also a little bit of play in the steering wheel. Hoping tomorrow i'll be able to get time to take the wheel off so i can grease what i can and nuke the rest in WD with my brakes properly covered.

 

On the plus side i'm loving having a mini again, albeit a very non original one it still handles like a hideously over powered go kart

[team-monkey]

So i had it jacked up with the wheel off and got some oil into the ball joints which has properly cured the creaking noise, so know what that was. I dont have a splitter thing so going to get a ball joint kit in then sent to my local garage once i'm back off holiday (go in a week).

 

There's still a bit of play in the steering wheel though which is now annoying me, will start another post on this as well but I've checked the u clamp bolts that hold the steering rack and they're nice and tight. The pinch bolt at the bottom of the steering column was pretty tight but got another turn and a half on it tightening.

 

The steering still feels a little 'baggy' when dry steering. It moves from about 11 oclock to 1 oclock feeling quite light and baggy, then gets heavy weighted (as expected from an 11 inch steering wheel with 13x7 wheels on). I've not double checked when it's jacked up but when its parked and dry steering the wheels do appear to move a small amount when it's in the 'baggy' stage.

 

Cheers again