Steering shaft noise. Needs lubrication?

Does your Mitsubishi L300 make a strange noise? Need wheel alignment specs?
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akendall
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Vehicle: 1990 Delica Super Exceed
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Steering shaft noise. Needs lubrication?

Post by akendall »

Hi everyone. My delica started making quite a bit of noise yesterday. It sounds as if my steering column/shaft needs some serious lubrication. When I turn the wheel a certain way the noise stops, but it's pretty much there the entire time Im driving. It's a scratchy/friction sound. I bought some general purpose grease from Lordco yesterday. Does anyone know if trying to fix this with lube is the answer? If so, can anyone give me some tips?

Thanks!
Angela :)
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Growlerbearnz
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Steering shaft noise. Needs lubrication?

Post by Growlerbearnz »

It might be the sliding contact that makes the horn button work- you can usually *just* see it through the gap between the steering wheel and steering column shroud. It's a springy strip of brass with a small brass nub on the end, it rubs on a brass contact ring on the steering wheel. Try putting a dab of grease on the contact ring: you might need to use a popsicle stick or similar to get the grease in there. (Unless you remove the steering wheel, then it's super easy to get to).
Nothing says "poor workmanship" more than wrinkles in the duct tape.
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akendall
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Steering shaft noise. Needs lubrication?

Post by akendall »

Thanks Growlerbearnz. The noise is coming from outside the vehicle. Near the wheels/axel. It's quite loud.
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Growlerbearnz
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Steering shaft noise. Needs lubrication?

Post by Growlerbearnz »

Ah. Well in that case... :-)

You might need to do some investigating to find the exact source of the noise, it could be something greasable (like a ball joint) or something as simple as a rock stuck in the suspension. (My money's on "rock" or similar, dry ball joints aren't usually *that* noisy, or if they are the noise comes on slowly.)

The steering is a bit more complicated than most, there's a gearbox in the front that reverses the direction of the steering shaft before it goes to the steering rack, and a bunch of universal joints between the steering wheel and rack. The gear box could be grinding, or the universal joints on the steering shaft might be binding. Unfortunately the joints aren't greasable, but the gear box is.

I'd climb under the van and get someone to turn the steering while you search for the noise. If you press the tip of a long screwdriver to the component you're listening to, and the handle of the screwdriver to your ear, it acts like a stethoscope allowing you to pinpoint the source of the noise.

Try it with the wheels off the ground too.
Nothing says "poor workmanship" more than wrinkles in the duct tape.
sk66
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Steering shaft noise. Needs lubrication?

Post by sk66 »

I'd be more inclined to think brakes or wheel bearings...
Steven
1991 L300
Harrisburg, PA
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Growlerbearnz
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Steering shaft noise. Needs lubrication?

Post by Growlerbearnz »

sk66 wrote:I'd be more inclined to think brakes or wheel bearings...
OMG I totally read the initial post wrong. I read it as "whenever I turn the steering wheel there's a noise" but it really says "There's a noise *except* when the steering is pointed in one particular direction"

The steering won't make any noise when you're not you're actively turning the steering wheel. If something's noisy when you're driving in a straight line, it's not the steering.

As sk66 says, check the brakes and wheels. If the noise started suddenly, it might be as simple as a stone or stick stuck in the brakes.
Nothing says "poor workmanship" more than wrinkles in the duct tape.
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