Grinding feeling through steering wheel?

[spanish pants]

I´ve had this light grinding feeling through the steering wheel for a while now. Knowing i had one bad front wheel bearing i decided to replace both thinking this might solve the grinding.
So we spent the better part of today replacing the front bearings and took it out for a spin. It seemed ok until later i decided to drive home.
The grinding is definitely worse and it seems to be more noticeable when turning the wheel right or left. At speed i only need to turn it slightly and there it is.
Any ideas?

[dnguyen1963]

Grinding can be the result of sticking brake pads.

[spanish pants]

The mechanonewb in me is thinking tie rod ends, ball joints, broken front subframe tabs. I´m not really sure which though.
I will check the brakes when i put it back on the stands to check things out.

[itsonlygeorge]

Have you check the power steering fluid level and pump? If you're low on fluid your pump will make noise when turning the wheel


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[spanish pants]

Have you check the power steering fluid level and pump? If you're low on fluid your pump will make noise when turning the wheel


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The power steering fluid could use changing but the level is ok. I´ll get around to this when i change the rack.

We actually found the culprit(s) today: Right side tie rod needs replacing AND the newly installed right side bearing was not installed properly.

I could feel it through the steering wheel. When my brother drove the car he said he couldn´t feel anything. Sometimes having Palmolive soft hands comes in handy

[spanish pants]

Bringing this back from the dead...again.

All the parts i needed to finish up came in. I installed a new right side bearing again, sway bar bushings, right side tie rod and new front brake lines.
I took the car out for a drive happy that everything would be fine...i was wrong. The car dives like anal tailings.

Now I get a shake at about 120kph/70mph and i still get the grinding feeling through the steering wheel. I have no clue what it might be. We checked over all the front end components for excessive play and found nothing. I´m stumped.

Anyone?

[estoguy]

Have you checked your wheel balance for that shake?

The grinding... have you checked the steering linkage?

[mybimr]

It's not common, but I've experienced a shimmy due to frozen or stuck calipers not completely releasing pressure on the pads. Probably due to old brake fluid absorbing moisture and corroding the guide puns. Maybe replacing calipers, or at least lubing the guide pins? Also check the tension on your power steering belt.

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[mybimr]

Correction, brake fluid would only impact the piston

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[spanish pants]

Have you checked your wheel balance for that shake?

The grinding... have you checked the steering linkage?

It's not common, but I've experienced a shimmy due to frozen or stuck calipers not completely releasing pressure on the pads. Probably due to old brake fluid absorbing moisture and corroding the guide puns. Maybe replacing calipers, or at least lubing the guide pins? Also check the tension on your power steering belt.

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Thanks for the replies guys.

I drove it today and the shimmy is gone. Having said that i need to do an alignment, and i´ll ask the shop to check the wheel balance at the same time.

What should i be checking for on the steering linkage?

[Kershaw]

I would jack the car up and then turn the wheel back and forth, see if that changes anything.

The steering shaft has 2 bearings, one accessible by removing the steering wheel and one in the engine bay covered with a black cap. I would soak both with a penetrating grease, leave it overnight, check it the next day. If it changed it, then I soak both with white lithium grease.

[estoguy]

As to checking the linkage... do you notice any kind of play or a light clunk when you turn the wheel? I had a bad u-joint last winter with mine. I could move the wheel with one hand through the open window and used a flashlight to watch the linkage. I could hear a slight clunk and could see that the joint was bad.

COULD have a bad GUIBO in the linkage, but I'd say that's less likely.

[spanish pants]

I would jack the car up and then turn the wheel back and forth, see if that changes anything.

The steering shaft has 2 bearings, one accessible by removing the steering wheel and one in the engine bay covered with a black cap. I would soak both with a penetrating grease, leave it overnight, check it the next day. If it changed it, then I soak both with white lithium grease.

As to checking the linkage... do you notice any kind of play or a light clunk when you turn the wheel? I had a bad u-joint last winter with mine. I could move the wheel with one hand through the open window and used a flashlight to watch the linkage. I could hear a slight clunk and could see that the joint was bad.

COULD have a bad GUIBO in the linkage, but I'd say that's less likely.

With the car up on stands i could turn the steering wheel and it was butter smooth. On the ground i´ve always had a very light clunk, but that´s been the norm in almost every e30 i´ve tried.
This only started after i replaced the wheel bearings, weird. Could i have botched the wheel bearing again? It was smooth when i rotate the tires and no play on either side.

I will check both the steering bearings and the guibo this weekend as well as the brakes.

[mybimr]

A clunk under load smells like ball joints. Either tie rod ends or control arms

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[mybimr]

The pivot bearing at the top of the strut can also cause the clunk

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