Front wheel .steering column ticking sound.. Need urgent help!!

[DRC]

Of late I have been hearing a ticking noise from somewhere . It appears to come from the right front wheel or steering column. Not sure though! It sounds like knuckle cracking your fingers!!
I can hear it when I turn the steering some times or running on a hump etc.. But I can not reproduce the same when I want. Initially I ignored it but now it seems to be increasing. When I showed it to Sundaram I was told it is NORMAL.

Now that I have a plan for a long trip, I am hesitant to take risk with it if anything is really wrong. Can some one help identify the problem?

Thanks in advance

[mohit]

Drive-shafts wearing out? Actually i am getting the same sound on my wife's 800 and am too lazy to get it checked... maybe I should

[DRC]

Thanks for a response! But Do you think these can wear out at 16000K?

[Deeps]

Originally Posted by DRC

Thanks for a response! But Do you think these can wear out at 16000K?

If you've been doing a lot of clutch dumping at high revvs.

[mohit]

Originally Posted by DRC

Thanks for a response! But Do you think these can wear out at 16000K?

I am just making a guess as the sound sure seems the same as the one you get when either drive shaft starts wearing out...My mech back home used to check it by driving in a circle with the steering fully locked on each side. You can try the same.

[DRC]

Originally Posted by mohit

I am just making a guess as the sound sure seems the same as the one you get when either drive shaft starts wearing out...My mech back home used to check it by driving in a circle with the steering fully locked on each side. You can try the same.

What should I expect while doing so, more noise to confirm to confirm the problem or will it give any other kind of indication??

Please help!

[Zappo]

Originally Posted by DRC

What should I expect while doing so, more noise to confirm to confirm the problem or will it give any other kind of indication??

Please help!

Yes, it will make a khatt khatt noise... or may be ticking as you call it. This will confirm the wear out.

P.S. Remember, the wheel has to be completely locked.

[Rtech]

Could be tie-rods or ball joints worn out or even worn out shocks. Does it happen when driving straight while going over bumps? Then it would probably be one of the above.

If it happens when turning, then chances are its the driveshaft. It could wear out prematurly if the shaft boots has been torn (by a sharp stone etc) and the grease gets dirty from mud/dirt.

[adityapd]

Hey i had faced the same problem in my 55K kms + run esteem a year back....the problem was rectified by overhauling both the front shockups at less that 1000/- bucks by a local garage. ( some rubber bushes/bearings needed to be replaced )

try turning the steering wheel from lock to lock when the vehicle is stationary...and try to notice if you get any sounds ....this would help you diagnose the problem...also open the bonnet and try to locate the sound in the stationary car by asking somebody to turn the steering !!!

~A

[filcord]

rtech is right. Most probably its the drive shaft. Test by turning in a circle either direction. This normally wears out around 60-70 k km, but if you had any accident with the protective boot around the driveshaft... Else may be a defective piece - see if warranty will cover it.

[quicksilver]

I think it must be the ball joints (sundaram guys will call it IBJ and OBJ... meaning Inner Ball Joint and Outer Ball Joint) as he says he gets the ticking noise only when going over humps or while accelerating. The dampers could also be defective, or simply, the mounting nuts could be loose. So take your car to a garage and check the three mounting nuts under the bonnet.

If your car is a City (OHC.. I mean), then it is a very common complaint. I have been driving with this ticking noise for the last 10K KM without any issues, and the occassional wheelspins too. Sundaram guys tell me that they have to overhaul the entire front suspension and steering and it could cost anywhere around 15-20K, so I have left it out for now.

[V-16]

Dude if the noise appears whilst turning the steering clock to clock either left or right or even slightly if turning then ur cv joints have gone and need replacement. the problem with honda city is that if this goes on for a long time then u might need to change the entire steering rack. get an opinion from hoda as well as another garage as the honda authorised guys will only talk of replacing the entire rack which is expensive

[DRC]

Thanks for such a good response and help..

I have tries a couple of experiments upon suggestions in this forum.

1. Turning steering lock to lock when stationary..
No, I do not hear anything odd doing this

2. Making perfect circles in steering lock position,
No, I do not hear anything odd doing this

3. Check mount bolts under the hood.
Found one of them slightly loose fixed it but no improvement yet

4. Diagonally approach a road bump with right wheel first.
Now I hear that sound, but not every time

5. come to a smoother patch of road, after some sough one, and then try steering it any direction
Now I hear that sound, but not every time

BTW My car is a controversial Fiat Petra, 1.6

[Prithvi]

DRC,
Please check your CV Joints. I had the same problem with my ACCENT and found out that the RHS CV Joint had worn out.

[protege]

It may be the CV boot also.. the CV boot protects the CV joints.. My first car was a Mazda protege.. for which I managed to damage the RHS CV boot.. Recently my zen also has this clicking sound coming from RHS wheel when I am turning left and coming out of a high gradient Basement parking left. It reproduces everytime. I have to get it rectifid in the the next service.
Some info about CV boot and CV joint: http://www.able2know.com/forums/about7814.html

Also, since this is the second time it happened with me.. it looks like I have to change my driving pattern when I am turning left. Probably I have to follow the US driving rules and reduce the speed to 15kmph so that all these problems doesn't happen.