Steering groan, 2004 1/2 ton 4wd

endo · Post by **endo** » Sat May 01, 2010 6:55 pm

Hi all, haven't been on in a long time...but truck has finally started giving me a small bit of grief.

My 04 has 55k on it now, and has developed a groan in the steering. It's always when turning left, typically fairly sharply, i.e., steering wheel rotated at least 270 degrees to the left. The best I can describe it as a groan/rub/ "errr" noise with a slight rubbery feeling in the steering when it does it. There's no play in steering/suspension, no rattling, etc/everything feels tight.

I have little idea how to find the source of the problem. Fluid is within range. Hit all the grease fittings again, may have noticed an improvement, but can't say for certain as it's a bit intermittent.

The crazy bit is it sounds/feels like a mechanical/friction/wear-type noise, but at the same time it will not happen until the truck is warmed up. Guessing this is more a function of the truck having been turned/suspension having been cycled a few times recently rather than ECT

Edit: should also mention this isn't particularly loud. Passengers can barely hear it.

Can't find anything in search that resembles it, but if you happen to know of a similar thread, I'd love a link.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, or even a reasonable shop who can deal with this in Orange County, CA. Thanks!

Makoi · Post by **Makoi** » Sat May 01, 2010 6:59 pm

I've experienced this mystery groan too. Sounds like wet ropes on an old ship. For me, it happened after extended freeway driving, and on the turn off of the top of the exist ramp. The Dealer told me that it was a chassis lube situation (various points possibe, but front end in particular) where heated up and thinned out, then stopped and started up, there's not enough grease thickness and the groan happens. Hit all the zerk fittings. Clean off the crud. Generally, if I keep my YXL clean and greased, it doesn't do it.

ThunderTT · Post by **ThunderTT** » Sat May 01, 2010 7:54 pm

yes, hit your grease zerks, i would even switch to a high pressure grease, normal or factory type grease just doesnt cut it.

see if that helps.

endo · Post by **endo** » Sat May 01, 2010 8:31 pm

Thanks!

Just crawled under it and hit em all again. I *HATE* the idler/pitman arm ones, 4wd+skid plate package really makes those fun. Will go take it for a drive in a few.

Anything you recommend as far as grease? Typing "high pressure grease" into google yields an extremely unexpected, hilarious, and NSFW first result.

hquick · Post by **hquick** » Sun May 02, 2010 12:20 am

Lol! I had to see for myself...OUCH!!!!!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1279682/

ThunderTT · Post by **ThunderTT** » Sun May 02, 2010 3:02 am

endo wrote:Thanks!

Just crawled under it and hit em all again. I *HATE* the idler/pitman arm ones, 4wd+skid plate package really makes those fun. Will go take it for a drive in a few.

Anything you recommend as far as grease? Typing "high pressure grease" into google yields an extremely unexpected, hilarious, and NSFW first result.

Mobil1 makes a nice high pressure synthetic grease, thats what i switched to and have had good luck with it, also use it on my big truck.