1994 SC300 Steering Wheel Creak
06-27-20, 06:01 PM
#1
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1994 SC300 Steering Wheel Creak
My car is a 1994 Lexus SC300, 5-speed manual (I know, I love it)
A little while ago I started noticing a sort of creaking sound coming from what sounded like the steering column, the sound only came out whenever I was steering the wheel past about 30 degrees each side. It doesn't rumble, shake, or shimmer at all its just that sound. The only other thing is the steering wheel feels like a kind of *twang* whenever it creaks and the power steering tension seems to fluctuate around based on how much I turned to either side. I was just wondering what this could be so I could try and fix it myself instead of taking it to the dealership in order to save money, it's such an old car it probably wouldn't be worth what they would ask for to fix it. I suspect that either the control arm for the steering or the ball joint are either going bad or have not enough lubricant, i dont know for sure what it is though.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
A little while ago I started noticing a sort of creaking sound coming from what sounded like the steering column, the sound only came out whenever I was steering the wheel past about 30 degrees each side. It doesn't rumble, shake, or shimmer at all its just that sound. The only other thing is the steering wheel feels like a kind of *twang* whenever it creaks and the power steering tension seems to fluctuate around based on how much I turned to either side. I was just wondering what this could be so I could try and fix it myself instead of taking it to the dealership in order to save money, it's such an old car it probably wouldn't be worth what they would ask for to fix it. I suspect that either the control arm for the steering or the ball joint are either going bad or have not enough lubricant, i dont know for sure what it is though.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
06-28-20, 12:13 AM
#2
Hmm... yeah this is not something I'd take in to a Lexus dealer to get remedied (If you're in or near the general L.A. area I can give you a couple of shop recommendations for regular services though).
If the sound is coming from inside the car then it might be coming from the clock spring area but that's a seriously out there guess without hearing it myself. If the sound is coming from outside the cabin then I might suggest that it's bad steering rack bushings if they have never been replaced (you'd buy new polyurethane bushings for that from Figs Engineering or Daizen). If this is the case you would also note some steering "shimmy" on the road at speed where the steering is never on center and constantly roams about as it likes to.
Front lower control arms are also a common long term wear item on 92-00 SC's (replacements for most are new 93-96 Supra MKIV front lower control arms) and those can also contribute to front end "shimmy" but I'm not aware of them contributing to the squeaking you are describing.
If the sound is coming from inside the car then it might be coming from the clock spring area but that's a seriously out there guess without hearing it myself. If the sound is coming from outside the cabin then I might suggest that it's bad steering rack bushings if they have never been replaced (you'd buy new polyurethane bushings for that from Figs Engineering or Daizen). If this is the case you would also note some steering "shimmy" on the road at speed where the steering is never on center and constantly roams about as it likes to.
Front lower control arms are also a common long term wear item on 92-00 SC's (replacements for most are new 93-96 Supra MKIV front lower control arms) and those can also contribute to front end "shimmy" but I'm not aware of them contributing to the squeaking you are describing.
06-28-20, 06:20 AM
#3
My car is a 1994 Lexus SC300, 5-speed manual (I know, I love it)
A little while ago I started noticing a sort of creaking sound coming from what sounded like the steering column, the sound only came out whenever I was steering the wheel past about 30 degrees each side. It doesn't rumble, shake, or shimmer at all its just that sound. The only other thing is the steering wheel feels like a kind of *twang* whenever it creaks and the power steering tension seems to fluctuate around based on how much I turned to either side. I was just wondering what this could be so I could try and fix it myself instead of taking it to the dealership in order to save money, it's such an old car it probably wouldn't be worth what they would ask for to fix it. I suspect that either the control arm for the steering or the ball joint are either going bad or have not enough lubricant, i dont know for sure what it is though.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
A little while ago I started noticing a sort of creaking sound coming from what sounded like the steering column, the sound only came out whenever I was steering the wheel past about 30 degrees each side. It doesn't rumble, shake, or shimmer at all its just that sound. The only other thing is the steering wheel feels like a kind of *twang* whenever it creaks and the power steering tension seems to fluctuate around based on how much I turned to either side. I was just wondering what this could be so I could try and fix it myself instead of taking it to the dealership in order to save money, it's such an old car it probably wouldn't be worth what they would ask for to fix it. I suspect that either the control arm for the steering or the ball joint are either going bad or have not enough lubricant, i dont know for sure what it is though.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
You could replace your steering bushings, I did that before I realized it was the clock spring, got some Nolathane ones on amazon for around $20.
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