i have a 99 accord ex coupe 5 spd. for the past 2 months i have been hearing a squeking noise coming from the steering. at first it was only when the car was warmed up, now it's all the time. when i turn the wheel slightly when i'm cruising down a street or highway it's really annoying and really loud.

i finally took the car to my normal mechcanic and he told me it was a torsion bar bushing and that it was $68 ea. bushing and he wanted 225 for the whole job! WTF!??! i think this time he is really trying to just take my wallet


i read a similar issue on the forum but in my case it might be different remedy
im pretty sure it's a tierod, balljoint or some bushing thats worn down (i hope)

if anyone can help in this case please all advice is welcomed and thank you in advance

 

If it does it while bouncing the suspension , it could be an Inner sway bar Bushing. If it does it primarily while turning the steering wheel, it could be a dry Ball Joint
Is the noise centered below the dashboard, or is it to either side?

Your tech is high on his parts prices. 7.00$ each for inner Swaybar Bushings, 17.00$ for the links
$31.00 in parts plus labor (varies between shops)

P

 

it's all the time, turning and even when the road is uneven and on bumps.
it sounds like it's coming from the driver side. but later on today i will verify where it's coming from. and also another thing it only happens when i am sitting in the car??

 

one more thing if the balljoint was going bad or dryed out wouldn't there be play in the wheel? because when i jacked it up the wheel was stiff as a rock. and my mechanic did the same.

 

Not particularly. At the beginning of the process, it's no more than a lack of lubricant. As time progresses wear sets in. Curious thing about this condition; it will actually abate during a warm spell and come back when it gets cold out again.

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ok i got more info on the situation. the noise is only coming from the driver side of the car. i also srpyed down my radious rod bushings and end link and it's still squeaking! so at this point i don't know what to think. i know i have to change my end links and sway bar bushings but i don't know if that is the the cause of the problem.

 

alright i found what it was the upper and lower balljoints where shot. now there's no more noise

 

How much did it cost to change the ball joints?

 

it was 190, but the mechnic got the parts. if i would have gottin the parts i would have been about 150 or less, but i needed the car fixed asap. i didn't know how bad the joints were, and i didn't want to take a chance on having the car slam into the ground.

 

At the beginning, they usually do nothing more than skruntch (creek) really badly when cold. When they start to actually wear, you'll start hearing rattling on things like washboard roads.
Glad it worked out.

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well bad news again. the monster has come back. this time i decided to do it myself, because i am really tired of mechanics either charning to much money or using cheap part. in this case the guy who did it was a good mechanic but used cheap parts. looking back when i did job that parts didn't last a year. I replaced the upper control arm, end links, and bushings new w/brackets/bolts (5 months ago). now that i replaced all that i still have squeking, but not as bad. at this should i just go ahead and change the lower joint or should i check the steering system?

here pix of the old ones

 

What did your mechanic use, parts from EBay??

Actually, I'd gotten to the point years ago where I can determine which balljoint by feel. If you place a screwdriver against the joint, you can sometimes feel the vibration as the joint squeeks.

Is this again on the left side, or is it now the right?

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it's still on the same side (driver). he used parts from napa. i was so mad to find out i had spent almost 200 bucks for job that only lasted 10 months. what precautions do i take, and what tools are recomened for removing the lower joints? some people use hammers, others say to use pullers??? i have limited tools to get this job done thats why i ask.

 

For the lower ball joint, rent the tool from Autozone along with the Honda adapters. It's not fun even with the tool, but I wailed on mine with a hammer and couldn't get it.

 

well here's my update on my squeaking suspension. definitely not for the faint of heart. i took the knuckle to a local mechanic to get it pressed out/in. i didn't have all the tools to remove the joint myself. but now i know autozone carries everything needed to do everything yourself. they even had a ball joint press thingy which i forget to borrow. it was about $160.xx for the torque wrench, breaker bar, 36 mm socket, and a ball joint separator. and i got it all back at the end of the day.



i really thought i was going to have to pay a mechanic just to replace the lower ball joint. i just took a deep breathe, and had confidence in my abilities to get the job done. if this is your first time doing it be prepared to spend at least 2-4 hrs or more if needed. i took almost everything apart on the left side to have clearance to move around (no shortcuts). if you are going to have it pressed in/out, one thing to keep in mind is the abs speed sensor. i don't know how delicate it is, but i didn't bang it out, i just wiggled it out. the manual didn't really say how to take it out (or atleast couldn't find it quick enough), so i was just cautious and took my time with it. if there are multiple things u need to change on the car (struts, tierods, upper joint, or anything in the area) this is the time to do it. also i recommend new bolts if you the extra doe to spend. also torque to spec so the next time it bon't a paint the take it out or snap a bolt. hopefuly this helps and newbies out there wanting to do there own work.

no more squeaking! well to day was hot in jersey i'll wait for the cold to see if it cured the noise.