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  #1  
Old 11-10-2004, 09:03 AM
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 356
126 steering squeak ?

This is a recent steering (?) grinding or squeaking noise. It has progressed quickly from intermittent to almost constant. It is noticed when slowly turning the wheel ( both sides) at very low speed, as well as when bringing the car to a stop from a crawl - when the breaking momentum pulls the weight of the car forward.
First I thought a track rod, But they are new. Could breaking effect a faulty tie rod and make that sound ?
Weird thing is it almost sounds from inside the dash.- Anything possible in the steering column ?
Weirder yet is that within this last year , I rebuilt the entire front end of the car. including -

sway bar bushings
sub frame mounts (bearing brackets)
control arm bushings - Upper and Lower
track rods
Idler arm bushing (2 years)
ball joints ( 2 years)
tie rods - with the exception of the drag link
steering damper ( 2 years)

Any thoughts would be appreciated !
1987 300SE

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  #2  
Old 11-10-2004, 01:30 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Central Kentucky
Posts: 1,069
Did you replace the upper control arms or just replace the bushings? My SDL was making a similar noise and I found the ball joint on the upper control arm-let side was bad. New part just arrived this am so I know what I'm doing tonight
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  #3  
Old 11-10-2004, 11:24 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 167
My 380SEL groaned for years till I finally replaced the steering damper. Pull it off and run it to and fro in your hands, see if it is the culprit. Easy enough to try.
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  #4  
Old 11-11-2004, 01:07 AM
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Posts: 356
BobK, I replaced the arms complete. It does sound like it could be that on my car - but mine is less than 2 years old, so I did not think it would go bad. I should investigate.
126nut - The damper too,was replaced when I did the first stage of the rebuild (2 years ago) but perhaps ..Easy enough to check and I will.
Will post an update.
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  #5  
Old 11-11-2004, 07:19 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: North Central Kentucky
Posts: 1,069
Sounds like it may be time to investigate with an assistant. Have a friend turn the wheel left and right while you observe from as close a position as you feel safe. That way you can look at one side at a time and if really careful, you may be able to place a hand on moving parts to feel for looseness/vibration as the part moves. Try full lock to lock moves and small 1/4 turn moves on the wheel. That should help you track it down. How do the boots look on all the joints? Any joint with a bad boot is sure a good place to start. BTW, MB sells replacement boots for most joints. If you catch a bad boot early enough, you can save the joint.
I was able to replace the upper control arm last night along with a new left tie rod. Old one was hurting. Looked like some one adjusted it all over the place with vise grips. Center tube was covered with vise grip marks plus was bent about 10 degrees from straight. Man somebody was rough on that thing.
Now I just need to do brake rod joints. Got a bit of a clunk in the right side and I know from experience what causes it.
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  #6  
Old 11-11-2004, 10:45 AM
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 356
Thumbs down

I had done the helper thing last week, but could not pin point the noise. Today I had some time so I crawled under the car and took out one of the steering damper retaining bolts to test it - the steering damper works fine.
I saw a tie rod that looked suspect. At least in my (looking to find the guilty party) mind it looked suspect. This specific one I replaced myself less than two years ago. IT was really tight. I could not get it to budge and finally I broke the special special tie rod tool !! a first.
Since I don't have a blow torch, I'll have to take it in tomorrow...
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  #7  
Old 11-14-2004, 11:32 AM
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Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 356
Well , got the tie rod fixed, while at the same time using an expert helper ( I became the helper ) to listen for steering squeaks. Traced it by elimination to a collapsed front bearing bracket bushing. I did not think it possible - for two reasons.
First, I never thought this kind of a noise would come from a rubber bushing. Second, I had replaced these bushings not six months ago when rebuilding the front end. So I must have done something wrong during installation.
It took me a while to understand my own observation - The squeak was caused (also) when braking, during which time the chassis moves shifting its weight forward in the process. This in turn meant it was (also) suspension driven rather than steering driven.
thanks for the good Ideas.

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