auto tech jucnkies help please

[figarowa]

Hey all, during the last long trek from NC to PA, my wifes 03 Ford Focus has developed a creaking sound from the right front axle area. Any time I make a slow right turn, it makes this noise, almost like a squeeking strut noise, but when I push on the car's suspension, it does not make this noise. I am thinking a new CV joint is in order but am unsure and needed any other hints as to what could be making this noise. I live in a apartment complex and cant really do my own repairs due to no garage, but how much would I expect to have to shell out for this repair, TIA

[MaxRat]

describe the noise more and how when it does it...?

It could be a bushing that just needs a shot of silcon lube or a wheel bearing... if it's the cv joint usually if you turn it to the lock and accellerate kinda hard it will make a clicking/poping noise...;)

as for cost on the cv joint replacement.... the shaft could be around a 100.00 and labor prolly around 150.00...

I have charged 80.00-100.00 and change them in a hour....;)

you can try to look up the cost on partsamerica.com

[figarowa]

it really kinda sounds like something rubbing together or kind of like when you open a door that is in a need of wd 40 on the hinges kind of thing. I did whack a curb when parking during this time that the noise had shown up. I checked the tire for rubbing and the calipers and such to see if i could determine what could be rubbing or making that noise but could not pin point it.

[glc]

Pull the wheel and check the brake pads and hardware. It might just be the pad scratchers telling you that you need a brake job.

[figarowa]

just did the fronts 10k ago...

[HAL9000]

For what it's worth, pull a wheel off and check agian.. I had all 4 done on my Sunfire and in the process, they didn't adjust the rears, I had the fronts worn out in 10k.

[lil Jimmie]

Any time I make a slow right turn, it makes this noise, almost like a squeeking strut noise, but when I push on the car's suspension, it does not make this noise.

Are you sure you are applying the same amount of force to simulate the pressure that the suspension is under while driving through a right turn? Think about it:D

Brake noise will happen while driving straight or turning

CV joints usually make a hard popping sound

Knuckle bearings if used can also make a similar noise under loads while making turns.

[HAL9000]

LJ, when my fronts wear out, I hear the squealers in a turn... then after a bit more wear, then they're squeaking all the time.

[lil Jimmie]

Ok but one reason you may hear the noise more during a turn is due to the sound travel.

Most people won't hear it until they roll the window down and hear the sound bouncing off building walls

[HAL9000]

That's a possibility I guess... I know the windows were up as it was winter at the time.... couldn't hear a thing going straight, started hearing it in corners first... a few weeks later by the time I got it in to get them done again, I could hear it going straight down the street.

[lil Jimmie]

Oh a few other things to check for worn or dried out sway bar bushings, worn control arm bushings and power steering rack bushings. I know older Dodge/Chryslers were bad for making squealing noises from the torsion bar bushings.

There is a silicon lube that we used to use to isolate bushing noise but I can't remember the name of it.

[figarowa]

will pull the tire tomorrow and check the pads, but still unsure why this could be a problem b/c the noise only eminates when a slow right turn is made...

[HAL9000]

Well, in my instance, before the pads are worn down to the squealers when driving straight, taking a corner puts enough of a flex on things to make them squeal.

[figarowa]

okay, I pulled the wheel, there is plenty of meat on both pads, I cranked the wheel all the way to the right and spun the rotor, and did not hear anything. One weird thing was however on the rotor on the edge , the one edge which does not contact the pads, there was a 4 inch slight groove, which I chalked up to when I smacked the curb, that it may have tweaked the caliper into the rotor....