HELP: steering rack

[PsYcHe]

Dry ball joint sounds good as the wife's X5 has started making a similar noise the last day or two! Hopefully a cheap fix.

[ScottD3]

Personally I would be replacing all arms and joints at the front.

Youre going to be taking them all apart to replace one or two. might as well take them all out and do them all now rather than staggering them all over the next several months.

I'd also recommend Meyle HD arms if you can get them. Cost slightly more but comes with 5 years guarantee and are amazing when fitted.

[M-A8]

So....at this point I'm planning to replace all the necessary bits, upper arms, possibly track rods ends. For sure all the arms with shot bushes.

Which ones are the ball joint so I can see if it is a dry joint?? Is it characteristics for them to become noise only after they get hot??

Looked quickly at the Meyle parts and you can get them

I assume TRW offers just 1 year warranty.
4 year warranty for extra few quid sounds like a no brainer, or it's just a marketing trick?? Extra few quid for 4 times longer warranty, seems a bit to good to be true...

[ScottD3]

I don't really know how good they are at honouring their warranty cause I've never known anyone need to claim on it.

I got a set fitted to my A4 that's 3 years old and 50k miles old and still going strong.

[M-A8]

guys, im trying to price the parts and labour to have it done before the annual meet, last thing im missing, last puzzle, to actually attend this year, without that I may not be able at all.

whic ball joint you are talking about

is it a ball joint for the video provided??

what are the chance that lower arms are not in need of changing, they are massive and pricey but you cant see the rubber bits on the end by the engine because of the way they are mounted, so frustrating when you know nothing about mechanical side and garage is 36miles across london

im on mister auto as suggested looking at TRW parts only and there is so much i could change is shocking.

As mentioned earlier car will have re-spray done next week 90%, wheels refurb even this weekend, gearbox at mackies on friday morning, 6th of june, 1st day of meet, and that noise is the missing puzzle

THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!

[Delboy]

Sounds a bit out of the norm but if your looking to replace ball joints anyway, how about a syringe full of gear oil and inject it through the boot into ball joint to see if the squeaking goes away and if it does you know what needs changing.

[Architex_mA8tey]

An experienced mot tester should be able to tell you which joints have wear so if you know one locally try that as a first point of call Marcin, just ask their advice

[M-A8]

Cheers boys

Do you actually lift the protective rubber and just stick some gear oil in there, because it looks like it's fixed and don't want to tear it or whatever.
Told you I'm not mechanically minded, but I will eventually, its all about experience ...and knowledge as well and I'm missing both

[Dezzy]

They normally have a wire clip around them at the top and while compressed i.e. fitted to the car you'll not have much room to move the rubber anywhere. MOT tester would put a bar (something like this)

between the arm and the part the arm locates into and will apply pressure so see how much it moves, it is then his discretion as to how much is excessive movement.

[M-A8]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

They normally have a wire clip around them at the top and while compressed i.e. fitted to the car you'll not have much room to move the rubber anywhere. MOT tester would put a bar (something like this)

between the arm and the part the arm locates into and will apply pressure so see how much it moves, it is then his discretion as to how much is excessive movement.

So how about that dry ball joint which you guys suspect, tools will determine any movement, but that weird noise isn't cause by worn out ball joint but dry ball joint or I'm just getting confused here??
Would excessive movement caused this sound but ONLY when warmed up, remember guys, it happens only after 40min of driving when everything is up to the temp, gets worst around city when most of driving is at low speeds or in standstill in traffic so all the heat from underneath the engine but no much cooling.

THANK YOU