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Triumph TR6 - Steering Wheel Columnn Creeking

Has anyone had experience debugging why a creeking noise would come from the steering column inside the car when you turn the steering wheel. My TR just had a frontend alignment and when I picked up the car I now have a terrible "creek" sound when you turn the wheel. Sounds like it is binding on something? If I pull/push on the steering wheel at various points noise goes away.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Shawn
SSD Mr.

My Astro van does that too. Irritating!
Somethings dry
DON KELLY

Don,
I have been tempted to spray some wd40 in the openings at the top of the column just under the steering wheel but was not sure if this would be the wrong thing to do. Going through the parts catalogue shows a bushing at the top of the steering column but I have not heard of anyone replacing one.

Shawn
SSD Mr.

Shawn, not sure about the 3 but most do the replacement with the 6's.
DON KELLY

Another area you may want to check is the steering column itself. The TR6 has a "collapsible" steering column and if you look under the hood near the brake booster you'll see an adjustment where upper part of the column actually goes into a tube section in the middle above the rubber coupling. My wheel was grinding more than creaking, but by extending the column by about 1/8" the noise went away.
DW More

Shawn, try jacking up the front end, then moving the steering wheel. Might help you track it down. Also, most if not all the suppliers will carry the bushings to be replaced in the column. I think there're called Delrin bushings. My horn used to honk all the time when I turned left untill I replaced them, embarassing. You have to remove the whole steering column to do the job, nasty.

Rob
rw loftus

Thanks for the feedback. The noise does goes away if you apply downward pressure on the steering wheel. It seems intermittant as well. The chaffing noise is coincidental with the fact I just rebuilt the front suspension, alum steering rack mounts, alignment, etc.I sprayed some white lithium grease between the engine cockpit and interior where the steering column goes through the firewall. I hope the bushings do not need to be replaced as sounds like a pretty nasty job.
Shawn
SSD Mr.

Shawn, it is a really crappy job, but then I have a hard time with any under dash work. The doors are too narrow to get half way straightened out and the seat is in the way, and it is awkward trying to put your legs up onto the top while lying on your back, even with the seat out, then the adjuster stabs you in the back! You have to remove the steering wheel and then remove the whole steering column switchs etc. Hope the spray works for you, then you can do it next winter.

Rob
rw loftus

This thread was discussed between 19/05/2008 and 26/05/2008

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