Squeaky steering after car being laid up

T

thecremeegg

Active member
 North Hampshire
Hi all,

So my Zed has been sat feeling sorry for itself for a good few months as I got a new company car.
I've decided I'd like to get back in it and so it's had a new battery, new tyres and just now needs an MOT.

I do have one issue however and that is that the steering squeaks horribly when I turn the wheel. It sounds like it's coming from maybe the front of the car but it could be the steering column itself.

What might this be as it wasn't doing it when I last drove it? I presume maybe something has perished//seized but not sure what it might be?

Thanks!
 
thecremeegg said:
do have one issue however and that is that the steering squeaks horribly when I turn the wheel. It sounds like it's coming from maybe the front of the car but it could be the steering column itself.
Click to expand...

Have you checked for a mouse nest on the steering rack I understand that they squeek 😁
 
Some years ago I had squeaky steering at the front and sorted it by lubricating the two universal joints on the lower steering assembly (between the bottom of the column and the rack - located on the drivers side (UK) of the engine). To save making a mess I use a small artist brush taped to a length of dowel to dab in some oil, anything will do in reality - but don't use WD40 which flushes out lubricants.

If you have a groaning noise from the bottom of the column coming up to the wheel (like a fog horn) try lubricating the white nylon collar at the bottom of the steering column as it exits the bulkhead, again this is simple, as it's a nylon bush I use a PTFE spray.

A rubbing / groan / squeak from the steering wheel can be down to the top slip ring assembly in the wheel, I haven't needed to do this one but is worth looking up on the forum/web if that's your problem.

Other culprits I've had on other cars have been a dry steering rack (simple lube job) or the wildcard that was a pain on my old Scooby, dry aftermarket poly-bushes, the things squeaked when turning the wheel at rest and needed ptfe spray every 3 months to save my sanity.

Good luck, let us know how you get on :thumbsup:
 
Thanks for that reply, very comprehensive!
I do have poly bushes so maybe they need a lube, I'll give that a go. It's hard to work out exactly where the noise is as when behind the wheel it sounds like it's in the car, whereas if you get out it sounds like it's coming from the front!
I'll get the lube spray out and see what happens.
 
Had a panic when I bought my MR as well with noise from the steering rack. I had I checked but it must be the hydraulic system and the fluids need to recirculate... As has been advised... DRIVE THE THING :roll: :driving:

That’s the cure... Happy days ahead!
 
It's electric steering so not sure it has any fluid to recirculate, however it seems to have fixed itself today on the way to the MOT!
 
thecremeegg said:
It's electric steering so not sure it has any fluid to recirculate, however it seems to have fixed itself today on the way to the MOT!
Click to expand...

Z4Ms have hydraulic steering. Other models have electronic.
 
Yea I know that, mine isn't an M though sadly hah!

The fix in the end was to grease the steering rack behind each wheel, problem solved :)
 
So update to this, I took the car to a BMW specialist who greased the rack and various other bits which seemed to fix it for a while but it's back squeaking again. Admittedly it has only done a few hundred miles since so not sure if it's something else? Can't be dealing with this every few hours of driving. It only happens when the car is warm which is so weird, maybe some rubber expanding?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VqT5Es42CZL5hEzh8
 
Ewazix said:
Some years ago I had squeaky steering at the front and sorted it by lubricating the two universal joints on the lower steering assembly (between the bottom of the column and the rack - located on the drivers side (UK) of the engine). To save making a mess I use a small artist brush taped to a length of dowel to dab in some oil, anything will do in reality - but don't use WD40 which flushes out lubricants.

If you have a groaning noise from the bottom of the column coming up to the wheel (like a fog horn) try lubricating the white nylon collar at the bottom of the steering column as it exits the bulkhead, again this is simple, as it's a nylon bush I use a PTFE spray.

A rubbing / groan / squeak from the steering wheel can be down to the top slip ring assembly in the wheel, I haven't needed to do this one but is worth looking up on the forum/web if that's your problem.

Other culprits I've had on other cars have been a dry steering rack (simple lube job) or the wildcard that was a pain on my old Scooby, dry aftermarket poly-bushes, the things squeaked when turning the wheel at rest and needed ptfe spray every 3 months to save my sanity.

Good luck, let us know how you get on :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Bump.. it's a matter of working through this list TBH, if you are sure the rack is eliminated then it's almost certainly one of the usual culprits UJ's, nylon bush on the bottom of the column at the firewall, poly' bushes or the steering wheel slip ring. The first three take moments to lube one you are underneath and if the noise if definitely under the front it's not likely to be the slip ring.
 
thecremeegg said:
So update to this, I took the car to a BMW specialist who greased the rack and various other bits which seemed to fix it for a while but it's back squeaking again. Admittedly it has only done a few hundred miles since so not sure if it's something else? Can't be dealing with this every few hours of driving. It only happens when the car is warm which is so weird, maybe some rubber expanding?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/VqT5Es42CZL5hEzh8
Click to expand...

I get exactly the same thing - creaks/groans loudly once warmed up, like have done for years now. Clearly something is expanding and causing a pinch on the column/rack somewhere. Lots of PTFE spray at the nylon bush through the bulkhead GT85 on the non plastics/rubber contacts does stop it for a while but it comes back. Was hoping after getting the steering motor rebuilt (via RBM) when it failed that would fix it, but it didnt. Somewhere on the forum there's a suggestion to adjust the rotation/flange of the motor on the column as a possible fix, but I've not tried that....
 
+1 for the ‘groan’

Whenever I hear that one it’s a simple enough job to grease the rack- works a treat
 
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